Robert Whittaker provides injury update after suffering suspected broken jaw at UFC 308… ‘It’s a good excuse to fix them properly now’

Oct 29, 2024

In the co-main event of UFC 308 last night, Khamzat Chimaev was able to secure a first-round submission win over Robert ‘The Reaper’ Whittaker with a squeeze so tight that it caused serious injury to the Australian’s jaw.

During the UFC 308 broadcast, commentator Daniel Cormier would flash up a particularly graphic image of the injury; showing that three of Robert Whittaker’s teeth had been displaced backward into his mouth.

“It’s not good,” noted UFC CEO Dana White at the post-fight press conference, stating the obvious: “When your teeth are going [in different directions] it’s not good.”

Thankfully, Whittaker himself seems to be in good spirits, with the popular former champion taking to social media just a few hours ago to reassure fans that his jaw is “all good, but my teeth were moved in” from the choke.

“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. 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.”

Whittaker thanked his team and global fanbase for their unwavering support, before acknowledging that he’s looking forward to some well-deserved rest and recovery: “Time to go spend time with the family for a bit. Be back soon.”

Middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis would send his well-wishes to ‘The Reaper’, replying to the Instagram post: “You’re an absolute warrior and someone to look up to brother. You’ll be back speedy recovery.”

A post shared by Robert Whittaker (@robwhittakermma)

How speedy that recovery will be, remains to be seen; Sports Medicine Doctor Brian Sutterer has suggested that Whittaker could need his jaw wired shut as he awaits surgery.

“Treatment of this is going to be some type of surgery to put those teeth and bone back in place, plate and potentially braces across the teeth,” Dr Sutterer explained in a video breakdown of the submission.

“There’s a real possibility here that Robert Whittaker might have his jaw wired shut for some time… This is a serious, serious injury.”

Khamzat Chimaev would also react to the gruesome victory at the UFC 308 post-fight press conference, admitting that whilst he feels bad for causing Whittaker such pain, it’s all part of the game.

“Before I came in here, they showed it to me, I felt something was wrong with his chin when I pushed it, I felt bad for that, I didn’t mean to break someone’s chin but it’s my work to make somebody [feel] pain and make me happy.”