Veteran strawweight Marina Rodriguez has announced her retirement from mixed martial arts following her recent defeat at UFC Des Moines on Saturday. Her final opponent was Gillian Robertson, who secured a TKO victory in the second round.
During her post-fight interview, Rodriguez took the opportunity to reveal her decision to step away after a professional career spanning 25 fights. The 38-year-old Brazilian explained that her heart told her it was “time to do something new for this sport.” She expressed gratitude to MMA fans, the UFC organization, and Dana White, highlighting her signing via the Contender Series as a significant moment.
Rodriguez originally joined the UFC from the Brazilian version of Dana White’s Contender Series in August 2018. She quickly established herself as a formidable fighter in the 115-pound division, building an initial record of 3-0-2 before a narrow split decision loss to Carla Esparza. She then went on a impressive four-fight winning streak against notable contenders, including Amanda Ribas, Michelle Waterson-Gomez, Mackenzie Dern, and Yan Xiaonan, putting her firmly in title contention.
However, Rodriguez`s recent performances saw a downturn; the loss to Robertson was her third consecutive defeat and fifth in her last six bouts. She concludes her professional fighting career with a record of 17 wins, 6 losses, and 2 draws.
For Gillian Robertson (16-8), this win marks arguably the biggest achievement of her career. Known for her finishing prowess, the Canadian secured her first victory over a top 10 ranked opponent. With this TKO, Robertson is now tied with Amanda Nunes for the most finishes recorded by a female fighter in UFC history.
Robertson controlled the fight through her grappling before ultimately finishing Rodriguez with ground-and-pound strikes at the 2:07 mark of the second round.
