The UFC’s former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker had the most disturbing night of his career against the #13 ranked Chechen juggernaut contender, Khamzat Chimaev. ‘Borz,’ coming off a hiatus, not only broke Whittaker’s two-fight winning streak but also reportedly injured his jaw with a face crank submission resembling what Khabib Nurmagomedov did to Conor McGregor at the historic UFC 229. This raised concerns about a potentially career-ending jaw injury when images of ‘The Reaper’s disfigured teeth did the rounds on social media.

However, today, a day after the fight, Bobby Knuckles finally came forward to address the injury he sustained. In an interview with Redcorner MMA, Whittaker dismissed any concerns about a jaw injury, stating, “I’m alright. It wasn’t like my jaw was broken; the teeth just got pushed in. I’ve always had kind of loose teeth, and they got looser, so yes, it is what it is—part of the sport.”

Khamzat Chimaev, as he has done in previous fights, did not rely on his gas tank. Instead, he fought in his usual style, looking for opportunities to end the fight in the minimum number of rounds. This approach allowed him to be dominant from the start to the end of the fight. In the opening moments of the round, he attempted to take down Robert Whittaker but was unsuccessful in his first attempt.

However, when Whittaker got the chance, Khamzat Chimaev did not lose control this time, which put Whittaker in a bad position that resulted in pushing his teeth in. Even Chimaev himself seemed unsettled by the gruesome injury. Let’s find out what his reaction was after seeing the picture of Robert Whittaker’s injury.

Khamzat Chimaev reacts to Robert Whittaker’s injury

Khamzat Chimaev showcased his explosive performance against Robert Whittaker last night, silencing critics who doubted his skills despite his undefeated status. Although ‘Borz’ had been out of action since last year, this clash was anything but a stroll in the park. He had already developed a negative reputation due to his pullout antics and struggles with his health, which have weighed heavily on him. However, he set aside all those burdens for this fight.

Upon learning about Robert Whittaker’s rumored jaw injury, Chimaev addressed the situation in the post-fight press conference, saying, “Before I came in here, they showed a picture of Whittaker’s injury to me, but 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 this is my work, you know. I make somebody feel pain, and that makes me happy and my family.”

Now all eyes are on the Chechen wolf, as rumors suggest he is set to leapfrog Sean Strickland and challenge the divisional champion, Dricus Du Plessis, at UFC 312 in Sydney next year, although the fight card has yet to be confirmed. In the meantime, Bobby Knuckles will focus on recovering from his gruesome injury. Stay tuned for further updates.