Dana White confirmed during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show that UFC 330 in Philadelphia will feature a women’s strawweight championship bout between Mackenzie Dern and Gillian Robertson as part of the card’s co-main event lineup.
The title match announcement came during a conversation about the recently completed Freedom 250 event held on the White House lawn, with White briefly turning his attention to what fans can expect when the UFC returns to Philadelphia on August 15th.
“Islam and Ian Garry, UFC 330 in Philadelphia,” McAfee confirmed with Dana White about the bout.
The conversation then turned to the strawweight title bout where McAfee confirmed with White, “UFC women’s strawweight championship, Mackenzie Dern and Gillian Robertson.”
White agreed, saying, “Gillian Robertson yup, that’s a fun one.”
McAfee appeared enthusiastic about the matchup, noting it as a strong addition to what is shaping up to be a loaded card. “Philly’s coming alive,” McAfee said on air. “Can’t wait for that.”
White also expressed genuine excitement about returning to the city, noting the UFC has not held an event in Philadelphia since approximately 2019. The UFC president spoke warmly about Philly’s fan base, describing them as some of the most passionate and vocal supporters he encounters anywhere.
“I love Philly,” White said. “I love Philly. Cheesesteaks. I can’t wait to get back there. The fans are the best.”
Dern, a decorated Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioner who has built an impressive record inside the UFC’s strawweight division, will be defending her title against Robertson, a Canadian star known for her tenacious grappling and submission-oriented style.
Dern was originally in the running for a spot on the UFC’s historic White House card earlier this year. Speaking to TIME, Dana White revealed that he had hoped to book a women’s strawweight title match between Dern and former champion Zhang Weili for the event, viewing it as a matchup with major international appeal.
“We did try to make a women’s match. We couldn’t get it done,” White said. According to White, the bout ultimately fell through because Zhang was taking time away from competition.
