Robert Whittaker was defeated by submission for the first time in the UFC after Khamzat Chimaev’s ruthless rear-naked choke in the first round caused noticeable dental damage. The well-known sports doctor Brian Sutterer recently provided an in-depth analysis of the severity of the injury. ‘The Reaper’s’ images have been viral on social media revealing his teeth being displaced at an unusual angle due to the pressure of the submission.
Sutterer also stated that if the rest of Whittaker’s jaw is intact, he will merely need braces put in to realign his teeth back to their normal alignment. ‘The Reaper’ was on his way to another title shot after winning two straight fights against Ikram Aliskerov and Paulo Costa earlier this year. Whittaker’s title hopes, however, have been put on hold for the time being following his loss at UFC 308.
During a recent interview with Red Corner MMA, Robert Whittaker revealed that Khamzat Chimaev’s submission at UFC 308 revealed a long-standing dental problem he was having. Robert Whittaker stated that this tooth issue was the main reason he tapped out so early, rather than the prospect of ‘Borz dislocating his jaw with the choke. “It was not the jaw. It was the teeth. The teeth were pushed in.
Robert Whittaker’s career is in danger
Does this end Robert Whittaker’s career? Robert Whittaker said, “It wasn’t the jaw. It was the teeth. The teeth got pushed in. I’ve kind of always had loose teeth, and they got looser. It was the face crank. His forearm went straight on the bottom tooth. I didn’t even have a moment to turn my head or anything. It was on.”
“It is what it is… My bottom teeth, they’re vulnerable. It’s my Achilles heel. I’ve had them pushed in before when I fought Dricus [du Plessis], and they’ve never really recovered. It’s from an injury when I was young.” The doctor further added, “What we were seeing in that picture was just terrible… This lower portion of the bone, where those teeth are anchored, broke.”
