Robert Whittaker May Need Surgery After Brutal UFC 308 Injury Against Khamzat Chimaev

Robert Whittaker’s submission loss at UFC 308 against Khamzat Chimaev ended in devastating fashion, leaving the former champion with a serious facial injury that may require surgery. Chimaev’s powerful face crank forced Whittaker to tap out, marking only the second submission loss of his career—and the first in the UFC.

Dr. Brian Sutterer, a sports injury expert and YouTuber, analyzed the extent of Whittaker’s injury in a post-fight video.

“What you’re looking at is his lower row of tooth, and these three teeth in the front are displaced into his mouth because his jaw is fractured,” Sutterer explained. “The jaw broke at the anchor site, causing the teeth to shift backwards into his mouth. It’s not just that the teeth fell out—they’re still attached to the bone, but the force of the crank fractured the mandible.”

With the injury as severe as it appears, Sutterer warned that surgery could be necessary.

“Treatment is likely to involve surgery to reposition the teeth and jaw. Plates and braces may be used to hold everything in place. There’s also a real possibility that Whittaker could need his jaw wired shut to heal properly.”

Despite the injury, Whittaker gave his own take on what happened, downplaying the damage.

“It wasn’t the jaw, it was the teeth,” Whittaker told Red Corner MMA. “The teeth got pushed in. I’ve kind of always had loose teeth, and they got looser. His forearm went straight on the bottom tooth. I didn’t even have a moment to turn my head—it was on, and that’s it.” Whittaker also revealed that this wasn’t the first time he experienced this kind of injury. “They were pushed in before when I fought Dricus [du Plessis], and they’ve never really recovered.”

As Whittaker faces the possibility of surgery and a lengthy recovery, it’s unclear how soon he’ll be able to return to action. For now, fans will have to wait and see if the former middleweight champ can bounce back from this latest setback.

What do you think lies ahead for Robert Whittaker? Should he take his time recovering, or aim for a quick return to the Octagon? Share your thoughts in the comments below!