Gillian Robertson continues to rack up submission wins in her new weight class, although her latest finish came with a little bit of controversy.
The former flyweight turned strawweight was dominant on the ground in her UFC Kansas City fight, with Piera Rodriguez stuck playing defense for the majority of the time. It was near the end of the second round when Robertson saw an opening to latch onto an armbar, and as she fell to her back, it appeared that Rodriguez tapped her leg to stop the fight.
Referee Keith Peterson didn’t jump in immediately, but then a few seconds later he halted the contest, prompting Rodriguez to immediately protest. Robertson was then announced as the winner due to verbal tap from the submission.
A fighter screaming out in pain can cause the referee to stop the fight, but it’s unclear if that is exactly what happened. Either way, Robertson took home the win, with the official stoppage coming at 4:21 in the second round.
Afterward, Robertson said that Rodriguez denied tapping out but it was already too late.
“She was saying she didn’t tap,” Robertson said. “Honestly I have no idea if she did or not, once the ref pulled me off, that’s all I felt.”
Regardless, Roberson gets the nod as she looks to stir the pot at 115 pounds now that she’s found a new division to call home, and she’s anxiously awaiting the chance to prove herself against better competition.
“This feels like my new home,” Robertson said. “I’m ready for someone ranked next.”
