Robert Whittaker has reassured fans that he is not seriously injured following his submission loss to Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 308. The highly anticipated middleweight title eliminator took place at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, where Chimaev quickly asserted his dominance.
In the co-main event, Chimaev took Whittaker down early in the first round and secured a face crank, prompting Whittaker to tap out just 3:34 into the fight. Immediately after the bout, Whittaker was seen discussing an issue with his jaw with his corner, raising concerns among fans. However, the subsequent examination revealed a different story.
Images following the fight showed Whittaker with a significant dental injury, leading to initial speculation about a broken jaw. However, the former champion clarified that the injury was related to his teeth, which had been pushed in during the bout. Whittaker disclosed that he has long struggled with loose teeth, an issue he faced even before his previous fight against Dricus Du Plessis.
“I’m all right. It wasn’t the jaw; it was the teeth,” Whittaker told Red Corner MMA. “The teeth got pushed in. I’ve always had loose teeth, and they got looser. It was the face crank. His forearm went straight on the bottom tooth, and I didn’t have a moment to turn my head. If I didn’t have such vulnerable teeth, maybe I would have had another second to turn my head. I just got caught in a bad position, and the rest is history.”
This loss marks a setback for Whittaker, snapping his two-fight winning streak and leaving him with a record of 3-3 in his last six UFC appearances. Despite the disappointment, Whittaker remains optimistic and determined to return stronger. In a heartfelt statement on Instagram, he expressed gratitude for the support he has received and congratulated Chimaev on his victory.
“Thank you everyone for all the love and support. It’s a tough gig sometimes, but that’s the business,” Whittaker wrote. “Big congratulations to Khamzat; he was the better man tonight. I felt great, everything was on point, and I was ready. My jaw is good, but my teeth were moved in. It’s a good excuse to fix them properly now haha. I’m disappointed, but I come back better from every setback and every challenge, so this is no different. Time to go spend some time with the family for a bit. Be back soon.”
As Whittaker focuses on recovery and family time, fans will undoubtedly look forward to his return to the octagon.
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