Veteran coach Din Thomas retires from cornering fighters after UFC 330 loss
Long-time MMA coach and UFC analyst Din Thomas announced his retirement from cornering fighters following Gillian Robertson’s unanimous decision defeat at UFC 330.
Veteran mixed-martial-arts coach Din Thomas announced he will no longer serve as a cornerman after UFC 330, where his fighter Gillian Robertson lost a unanimous decision to Mackenzie Dern. Thomas, who also worked as an analyst for the event, said the bout marked the end of his cornering career.
“I told myself I would continue to do this until I took Gillian as far as she could go; I think that might be as far as she can go, and I am officially retiring from cornering fighters tonight,” Thomas said on the post-fight show.
Thomas, a former UFC competitor who has coached for nearly three decades, has been part of American Top Team’s staff and has worked with champions such as Amanda Nunes and Tyron Woodley. In recent years he has shifted toward media roles, including hosting the UFC’s Deep Waters YouTube series.
“It’s a lot of work, a lot of stress. You’ve got to be there all week. I’ve been slowly telling you I don’t cut weight with them — and it’s not fair to them. They need somebody who is really going to put that type of work in with them,” he explained.
Thomas said the increasing demands of coaching, combined with his growing responsibilities in broadcasting, led him to step away from the corner.
“I’ll still work with guys; it’s just a matter of going down that road with cornering. I’m the host of Deep Waters now,” he added.