Former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker had no choice but to tap out within a split second when Khamzat Chimaev applied a devastating face crank, ending their fight at UFC 308
Whittaker suffered serious damage to his teeth and jaw. Jon Anik of UFC described this submission as “one of the most violent submissions” the UFC has seen.
Highlights
- Robert Whittaker sustained serious injuries to his teeth and jaw during UFC 308.
- Daniel Cormier shared a picture of Whittaker’s mouth, which shows three of the fighter’s front bottom teeth badly dislodged toward the throat.
- After the match, Robert Whittaker and Khamzat Chimaev commented about the injury and the match.
As reported by MMA Fighting, Chimaev’s win was the first time Whittaker had ever been submitted in the UFC.
Chimaev took the Australian fighter down within seconds and maintained pressure the whole time. He didn’t let Whittaker recover.
The Russian fighter kept pulling Whittaker back to the ground every time he tried to escape.
When Chimaev had control of Whittaker’s back, he locked his arms around Whittaker’s face. Whittaker tapped out immediately.
Robert Whittaker Broke His Jaw
After the fight, Khamzat Chimaev told Hall of Famer Daniel Cormier that he heard Robert Whittaker’s jaw crack.
“Holy cow. I think he messed up his jaw. That is amazing he did that Rob Whittaker. Holy smokes,” Cormier said in commentary.
The Hall of Famer later posted a graphic image of Robert Whittaker’s jaw.
WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGE!
Khamzat Chimaev broke Robert Whittaker's jaw in his submission win 😳 #UFC308 pic.twitter.com/IHFnHBosYj
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) October 26, 2024
In the picture, the Australian fighter’s bottom-row teeth were seen badly dislodged back toward his throat. His mouth was filled with blood.
Whittaker later took to Instagram to explain his injury. He thanked everyone for their support.
The former middleweight champion said,
“It’s tough sometimes, but that’s the business.”
Robert also congratulated Khamzat. He said the Russian fighter was the better man that night.
“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.
Robert Whittaker
He added,
“I’m disappointed, but I come back better from every setback and every challenge so this is no different,”
He thanked his team and supporters and mentioned he would spend time with his family before returning soon.
Dr. Brian Sutterer, a YouTuber who often comments on sports injuries, explained Whittaker’s injury.
He said Whittaker’s lower teeth were pushed back into his mouth because his jaw was broken. The teeth didn’t fall out; they were still attached to the broken jaw, which made them move back.
Meanwhile, Chimaev said he felt Whittaker’s jaw crack during the submission.
“I felt something was wrong with his chin when I pushed it so I feel bad for that. I didn’t mean to break somebody’s chin but it is my work to cause somebody pain. And make me happy and my family happy. I felt it when I pushed it and it clicked.”
Khamzat Chimaev
As per talkSPORTS, Whittaker was ranked No. 3 at 185 lbs, but Chimaev is now expected to take his place in the updated rankings.
Additional Information
- Robert Whittaker is married to Sofia Whittaker. They got married in October 2014.
- Together the Whittaker couple has five kids: three sons named John, Jack, and Jace, and two daughters, Lilliana and their youngest baby girl born in January of this year.
- According to Celebrity Net Worth, the UFC fighter’s net worth is estimated to be around $3 million as of 2024.
