Veteran mixed martial artist Marina Rodriguez has decided to retire from the sport after her recent defeat.
Gillian Robertson will be recorded as Rodriguez`s final opponent, having delivered a second-round TKO victory over the seasoned Brazilian fighter at UFC Des Moines on Saturday.
During the post-fight interviews, Rodriguez used her time on the microphone to declare her retirement, bringing an end to a professional career spanning 25 fights.
“This is my last fight because it’s time,” Rodriguez stated. “My heart told me, ‘Marina, it’s time to do something new for this sport.’ So this is my last fight and I want to say thank you so much all MMA fans. You are amazing. Thank you UFC for all the support, thank you boss Dana White. Signing on the Contender Series was the best day of my life.”
Rodriguez, 38 years old, earned her spot in the UFC through the Brazilian version of Dana White’s Contender Series in August 2018. She quickly established herself as a formidable presence in the 115-pound division. After an initial record of 3-0-2, she faced a close split decision loss to Carla Esparza. Following that, she achieved an impressive four-fight winning streak against highly-ranked contenders such as Amanda Ribas, Michelle Waterson-Gomez, Mackenzie Dern, and Yan Xiaonan. Although a direct title shot never materialized, her consistent high-level performances made her a strong contender.
Unfortunately for Rodriguez, Saturday`s bout marked her third consecutive loss and her fifth defeat in her last six appearances. She retires with a professional record of 17 wins, 6 losses, and 2 draws.
On the other hand, for Gillian Robertson (whose record now stands at 16-8), this win is the biggest of her career. The Canadian fighter is well-known for her impressive finishing rate, and defeating Rodriguez is her first victory over a top 10 ranked opponent. With this TKO finish, Robertson is now tied with Amanda Nunes for achieving the most finishes by a female fighter in UFC history.
Robertson, a former flyweight competitor, effectively controlled Rodriguez on the ground using her grappling skills before ending the fight with ground-and-pound strikes at the 2 minute and 7 second mark of the second round.
