Mackenzie Dern defeats Gillian Robertson by unanimous decision
UFC 330: Makhachev vs. Machado Garry
Round 5 · 5:00
Dern vs Robertson — Women's Strawweight Title · UFC 330
What happened
The result, the defining moments, and what the verdict means.
Dern won this on the ground and on control rather than on damage. Takedowns and submission attempts defined the fight, and she came close to finishing Robertson more than once without ever quite getting there.
The closest moment came in the final minute of round one, when a rear-naked choke had Robertson in real trouble and the horn saved her. From there Dern largely maintained position and demonstrated she was the superior grappler, in what reports described as a one-sided but low-action title fight.
The judges returned 49–46, 49–46 and 48–47 for the champion.
- Official event identityUFC 330: Makhachev vs Machado Garry
- Co-main event reportYahoo Sports · Mackenzie Dern outgrapples Gillian Robertson to win title fight in UFC 330 co-main event
Watch
The finish, right after the recap.
More videos · 8 clips
Signature moments
Signature moments
Who Called It?
How the analysts' picks held up once the cage door closed.
Analyst picks: The MMA Guru called it; Bedtime MMA called it; We Want Picks called it; KennyOkoyeMMA called it; DFS By The Numbers perfect call; JakeGerberMMA called it; Bookie Beatdown called it; MMA JOEY perfect call; Half The Battle called it; HopperoMMA missed; Michael Chiesa missed; AJ missed.
9 of 12 nailed it · 2 nailed the finish ★.
The experts above are a lens, not credentials we conferred — analyst, fighter or betting desk.
Full analyst picks ↓
The MMA Guru Analyst called 44 of 65 The MMA Guru: predicted Dern · to win. Actual Dern · Dec R5. Result: Hit.
Backs Dern's submission threat and expects her to beat Robertson.
Track record: winner called in 44 of 65 resolved picks, 16 a perfect call.
Bedtime MMA Analyst called 67 of 99 Bedtime MMA: predicted Dern · Sub. Actual Dern · Dec R5. Result: Hit.
Backs Dern by submission but names either round two or three, so no single round is recorded.
Track record: winner called in 67 of 99 resolved picks, 28 a perfect call.
We Want Picks Betting desk called 55 of 87 We Want Picks: predicted Dern · to win. Actual Dern · Dec R5. Result: Hit.
Both hosts align on Dern in the dedicated matchup segment.
Track record: winner called in 55 of 87 resolved picks.
KennyOkoyeMMA Analyst called 22 of 28 KennyOkoyeMMA: predicted Dern · to win. Actual Dern · Dec R5. Result: Hit.
Favors Dern, citing her scrambles and cleaner striking; no definite method call is recorded.
Track record: winner called in 22 of 28 resolved picks, 3 a perfect call.
DFS By The Numbers Betting deskAnalyst called 60 of 88 DFS By The Numbers: predicted Dern · Decision. Actual Dern · Dec R5. Result: Perfect call.
Gives Dern a pronounced striking and grappling edge, while allowing that several methods are possible.
Track record: winner called in 60 of 88 resolved picks, 23 a perfect call.
JakeGerberMMA Analyst called 44 of 62 JakeGerberMMA: predicted Dern · Sub. Actual Dern · Dec R5. Result: Hit.
Favors Dern's striking and jiu-jitsu edge and explicitly predicts a submission without a single round.
Track record: winner called in 44 of 62 resolved picks, 10 a perfect call.
Bookie Beatdown Betting deskAnalyst called 14 of 24 Bookie Beatdown: predicted Dern · to win. Actual Dern · Dec R5. Result: Hit.
Both hosts agree on Dern, citing her broader grappling and striking edge and Robertson's five-round uncertainty.
Track record: winner called in 14 of 24 resolved picks, 1 a perfect call.
MMA JOEY Analyst called 18 of 27 MMA JOEY: predicted Dern · Decision. Actual Dern · Dec R5. Result: Perfect call.
Final call is Dern by decision.
Track record: winner called in 18 of 27 resolved picks, 3 a perfect call.
Half The Battle Analyst called 33 of 48 Half The Battle: predicted Dern · to win. Actual Dern · Dec R5. Result: Hit.
Picks Dern but is unsure whether she finishes by submission or another route.
Track record: winner called in 33 of 48 resolved picks, 7 a perfect call.
HopperoMMA Analyst called 41 of 65 HopperoMMA: predicted Robertson · Decision. Actual Dern · Dec R5. Result: Miss.
Favors Robertson's broader grappling game and expects her to win a decision over Dern.
Track record: winner called in 41 of 65 resolved picks, 15 a perfect call.
Michael Chiesa AnalystFighter called 29 of 42 Michael Chiesa: predicted Robertson · Decision. Actual Dern · Dec R5. Result: Miss.
Favors Robertson's matchup and coaching edge, confidently calling a decision.
Track record: winner called in 29 of 42 resolved picks, 1 a perfect call.
AJ Betting deskAnalyst called 52 of 71 AJ: predicted Robertson · Decision. Actual Dern · Dec R5. Result: Miss.
Low-confidence Robertson decision pick based on cage pressure and top control.
Track record: winner called in 52 of 71 resolved picks, 25 a perfect call.
Archive Pre-fight material — kept for transparency.
- 16-5-0
- Record
- 17-8-0
- 3-2 last 5
- Recent formRecent formWin–loss record over the fighter’s last five bouts, newest first, as carried in their UFC/FightMetric career stats.
- 5-0 last 5
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- StanceStanceWhich side a fighter leads from — a striking term, not a religious one. Orthodox: right-handed, left foot and hand forward (the common default). Southpaw: the mirror image, right side forward (usually a left-hander). Switch: changes between the two during a fight.
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- Sig. strikes absorbed / minAbsorbed / minSignificant strikes absorbed per minuteAverage number of significant strikes a fighter takes for every minute of fight time. Lower is better — it means they get hit less often. From UFC/FightMetric career stats.
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- Striking defenseStrike def.Striking defenseThe percentage of opponents’ significant strikes that do not land — strikes slipped, blocked or evaded. Higher is better. Not the same as striking accuracy, which counts your own strikes that land. From UFC/FightMetric.
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- Takedown defenseTD def.Takedown defenseThe percentage of opponents’ takedown attempts that are stuffed. Higher means harder to put on the mat. From UFC/FightMetric.
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- Avg. fight timeAvg. timeAverage fight timeThe mean length of the fighter’s bouts (minutes:seconds) — a rough read on whether they tend to finish early or go the distance. From UFC/FightMetric.
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- United States
- Nationality
- Canada
Career stats per UFC.com; recent form is each fighter's last five bouts. Numbers reflect records coming into fight night. Bars compare each stat on a fixed scale; the “Edge” marker flags the leading corner where the gap is meaningful. The snapshot plots five career rates — output, striking defense, durability (strikes absorbed, inverted), takedown defense and finish rate — each normalised on its own scale.
Pre-fight analysis — how we saw it going in
Case for Dern
Dern's route is to make Robertson defend layered grappling sequences rather than settle for a single shot.
Case for Robertson
Robertson's route is to win the first scramble, keep positional discipline and avoid giving Dern a settled attacking position.
What We Were Watching For
- Which fighter wins the first meaningful ground position.
- Whether Dern can create submission chains before Robertson clears her grips.
- Robertson's ability to turn top pressure into a decision-winning pace if no finish appears.
- How the five-round format changes the risk taken in the opening exchanges.
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