At UFC 308, Robert Whittaker lost to Khamzat Chimaev, who displayed tremendous strength in the first round. As the pressure mounted during the rear-naked choke, the former middleweight champion couldn’t withstand it and quickly submitted, leaving visible signs of injury.
All eyes were drawn to the moment when Chimaev executed his unique technique, effectively breaking Whittaker’s jaw.
Robert Whittaker leaves with a broken jaw, Khamzat Chimaev reacts coldly: "It's my job…"
روبرت ويتكر يغادر بفك مكسور، حمزة شيميف يتفاعل ببرود: "هذا عملي…"
Robert Whittaker quitte avec une mâchoire cassée, Khamzat Chimaev réagit froidement : "C'est mon travail…" pic.twitter.com/MFTehYTYpE
— mmamag.ma (@jamalsoussi10) October 27, 2024
A painful image shared by Daniel Cormier reveals “The Reaper’s” teeth being knocked back, explaining the New Zealander’s haste to submit.
Robert Whittaker's mouth after Khamzat Chimaev's submission 😱 #UFC308
فم روبرت ويتاكر بعد خضوعه لخنق من حمزة شيماييف 📷
La bouche de Robert Whittaker après la soumission de Khamzat Chimaev 📷 pic.twitter.com/6hlxuewRSs
— mmamag.ma (@jamalsoussi10) October 27, 2024
After the fight, Khamzat Chimaev (14-0) stated: “I didn’t intend to break anyone’s jaw, but by the nature of my job, I inflict pain on my opponents.” Expressing his awareness of Whittaker’s injury, he added: “When I was applying pressure, I felt something break. And when I saw the picture, I realized something was wrong with his chin.”
With this loss, Whittaker is expected to drop from his third position in the middleweight rankings, further distancing himself from a title shot held by Dricus Du Plessis. This is the second time Whittaker has submitted in his career, and the first in the UFC, presenting new challenges ahead in his fighting career.
