Robert Whittaker will not compete in Perth due to needing further dental surgery, despite his recent victory and initial enthusiasm for a quick turnaround.
Robert Whittaker won’t be competing in Perth.
This past Saturday, Whittaker snagged his 17th UFC win. He stopped short-notice replacement Ikram Aliskerov in the first round at UFC Saudi Arabia.
Afterward, Whittaker revealed he wasn’t just dealing with an opponent change on short notice. He also had surgery to deal with an infection in his jaw shortly before heading out to Riyadh.
Speaking this week on The MMA Hour, Whittaker shared what happened with his mouth before the event and how it impacted his prep.
“It wasn’t anything drastic,” Whittaker said. “A couple days before I flew out, I had to get a couple root canals.”
“I had a pretty bad infection in my jaw. It wasn’t anything crazy. I wouldn’t have brought it up.”
“It just hurt. I had a course of antibiotics and once they kicked in, the pain went away. I was pretty good.”
“Honestly, it was up there with some of the worst pain I’ve ever had,” Whittaker continued. “It was crazy bad.”
“…I kid you not, pain levels, it would have been a 9.5 out of 10.”
“Maybe I just don’t take tooth pain very well. But the infection was in my jaw. It was literally a pain.
“It hurt, but I don’t know,” he added. “It hurt but it went away and I was all good.”
“Probably by midweek when I was in Dubai, the pain was gone.” He finished his antibiotics course and felt fine.
Despite these issues, Whittaker scored his first finish since 2017! Now he’s right back in the thick of the middleweight title hunt.
The former champ was so amped up after the win that he even suggested he might make a quick turnaround for UFC 305 when they return to Perth, Australia.
However, now Whittaker says that’s not happening.
“I totally forgot I have to get the rest of my teeth fixed,” Whittaker said. “The adrenaline was going; so yeah, totally forgot about that.”
“But also, I’m no one’s fill-in or replacement,” he emphasized. “I’m a main event fighter.”
“When I fight one of those guys for gold or anyone else,” he continued, “I’m going to prepare appropriately and go hunting.”
As for who Whittaker may fight next? That’s still up in the air.
‘Bobby Knuckles’ was supposed to face Khamzat Chimaev at UFC Saudi Arabia until Chimaev pulled out due to illness.
If they run that back? Possible! Another option could be former middleweight champion Sean Strickland for a No. 1 contender matchup—though Strickland seems reluctant.
For Whittaker? Any option is fine because he’s not here to pick fights.
“I don’t look at potential fights,” said Whittaker.
“I just train until they give me a name.”
“And then they enter my process.”
“And that’s my focus.”
“Hunting season is open.”