Robert Whittaker opened up on the extent of the harm he suffered in his loss to Khamzat Chimaev.
Whittaker (26-8 MMA, 17-6 UFC) was submitted by Chimaev within the first spherical of their middleweight bout at UFC 308. As quickly as Chimaev secured a face crank on Whittaker, the previous champion instantly tapped. Whittaker’s fast response was because of getting his backside tooth moved misplaced, an damage which required dental surgical procedure.
“Effectively, I’ve at all times sort of had unhealthy backside tooth, as a result of I’ve had lacking tooth (on the high) for like 10 years plus,” Whittaker mentioned on his “MMArcade Podcast”. “So, they’ve at all times sort of been shot as a result of they’re not secure. They’re not a full circuit. They’re like half. Through the years, trauma, no matter, it’s one thing that sort of wanted to be addressed.
“However each dentist and their good friend have been saying at all times attempt to preserve your actual tooth. I ought to’ve gotten rid of them years in the past. The Dricus (Du Plessis) battle, they received pushed in somewhat bit. I had a forged in there, allow them to settle, yada yada yada, transfer on. Then once I fought Ikram (Aliskerov), I had all of the infections, needed to get 4 root canals, and I feel the tooth had simply had it, mate.”
Upon present process surgical procedure, Whittaker mentioned docs found one thing that possible performed an enormous think about all of the dental issues he’s had through the years.
“I haven’t been capable of chunk down on an apple since I used to be 19,” Whittaker mentioned. “They (tooth) have at all times been unhealthy, and I ought to’ve handled them a lot sooner. They’re simply gone, don’t want them. My life is best with out them.
“Enjoyable reality, although: After they took them out, they discovered an enormous cyst in my jaw, and so they assume which may have been the place the infections have been coming from for the tooth. So, all the things occurs for a purpose.”
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