MMA is a brutal sport where fighters clash in the cage with the intent to inflict serious damage. As a result, devastating injuries are a harsh reality, often setting careers back months, even years. Among these, tooth injuries are notoriously difficult to recover from. One gruesome example came when Devin Clark suffered a nasty injury against Ion Cutelaba in 2021. But Robert Whittaker may have faced an even more horrifying dental ordeal versus Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 308.

Since then, ‘The Reaper’ took ample time off to recover from that brutal injury. Now, the former middleweight champion is set to return to the Octagon, facing the dangerous Reinier de Ridder in the UFC Abu Dhabi main event. But before Whittaker makes his comeback, let’s rewind the clock and revisit what exactly went down in his last fight against Chimaev, which made him sit for nine months.

What happened to Robert Whittaker at UFC 308 against Khamzat Chimaev?  

It wouldn’t be a stretch to say Robert Whittaker has been the true hunter of the middleweight division ever since he lost the title to Israel Adesanya at UFC 243. Since then, ‘The Reaper’ has carved through nearly every top contender with ease. That dominance showed again when he bounced back with two impressive wins after his loss to Dricus du Plessis at UFC 290. Setting up a high-stakes showdown with Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 308, a bout that could’ve earned him another title shot. But things didn’t go as planned. 

‘Borz’ was also coming off a year-long layoff to face his biggest test in the middleweight division. But the undefeated phenom showed no signs of ring rust as he immediately started pressuring the 34-year-old with the help of his grappling. Chimaev shot for a double leg, got Whittaker struggling against the cage, and took his back. The Chechnya native then locked in a tight face crank, making him tap out in seconds! It was later revealed that Chimaev had broken his jaw with the submission attempt.

After the fight, X-ray reports began circulating online, revealing that it was Whittaker’s bottom row of teeth that were badly dislocated, explaining the quick tap-out. While many fans initially believed it was his jaw that had shattered, Whittaker later clarified the situation on the MMA Arcade podcast: “Instantly, my teeth gave out, and obviously the squeezing afterwards didn’t help, but they just gave out.”

That’s just one part of the story. While Whittaker’s injury became one of the most talked-about in recent UFC memory, the road to recovery was far from a bed of roses. In fact, it was just as brutal. So, let’s take a closer look at what ‘The Reaper’ had to endure on his journey back to the Octagon.

Robert Whittaker’s injury update and recovery timeline 

If anyone’s wondering how serious Robert Whittaker’s dental issues are. ‘Bobby Knuckles’ revealed he hasn’t been able to bite into an apple in 15 years. He’s battled teeth problems since he was 19 and even had surgery after his fight with Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 290. Chimaev’s ungodly face crank pushed his teeth back and completely dislocated them, forcing him under the surgeon’s knife once again. Only to discover a massive cyst. So, it wasn’t just a nine-month layoff! It was the end of a struggle that lasted over a decade.

However, ‘The Reaper’ gave the green light on his grueling teeth injury ahead of the Reinier de Ridder headliner at UFC Fight Night Abu Dhabi. Speaking to Ariel Helwani, Whittaker revealed that his decade-long dental nightmare was finally behind him. The Aussie said goodbye to his damaged teeth and got a brand-new set of bottom-row implants, which Dana White sponsored. Hopefully, closing a painful chapter.

Whittaker told Helwani, “Perfect, mate. Better than before. I just got them taken out, the teeth. I got implants put in, and it took them a little while to set and settle. Now that that’s all done, I’ve had plenty of time. Like I said, better than ever.” At the end, it can be said, the recovery process took several months event after the surgery.

With a new, shiny set of pearls, the former 185 lbs kingpin now looks to square off against Reinier de Ridder. And it’ll be interesting to see how Whittaker performs against such a well-rounded and technically sharp opponent. With that being said, do you think Robert Whittaker gets the win and flashes that brand-new smile after the final bell? Drop your thoughts in the comments below!