Former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker had a rough night at the office at UFC 308 on Saturday, and that is quite frankly a considerable understatement.
Inside of a round, Whittaker was taken down and submitted by Khamzat Chimaev with a face crank, one that had “The Reaper” quickly tapping. Fans soon saw why, with a photo making the rounds on social media showing Whittaker’s teeth caved in.
MMA is not for the faint of heart. While ESPN initially reported that Whittaker’s jaw had been broken by the submission hold, Cageside Press later confirmed that it was a dislocation. Robert Whittaker’s teeth, however, did cave in, which will require significant dental work.
On Sunday, Whittaker released a statement confirming that his jaw was fine, and adding that he plans to come back better following the setback.
“Thank you everyone for all the love and support. It’s a tough gig sometimes but that’s the business. Big congratulations to Khamzat, he was the better man tonight and that’s all there is to it,” Whittaker wrote on social media. “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. I want to thank my team and everyone who supported me to get here. Time to go spend time with the family for a bit. Be back soon.”
