Khamzat Chimaev wasted no time dispatching Robert Whittaker in their highly anticipated title eliminator, submitting him with a vicious face crank at just 3:34 of Round 1 in the UFC 308 co-main event. Whittaker confirmed following the fight that his jaw was indeed broken.
Chimaev improves to 14-0 (8-0 UFC) with the win becoming his 12th career finish, ninth in the first round. The win pushes him closer than ever to a title fight in the UFC with a likely shot next.
Whittaker moves to 26-8 (17-6 UFC), with the loss pushing him to 3-3 in his last six. The former middleweight champion’s future remains a question, but recovery is necessary to heal his jaw.
Khamzat Chimaev Mauls Robert Whittaker
Chimaev wasted no time shooting for the legs of Whittaker and was successful on his first attempt, securing the legs and getting to the back.
While Whittaker was able to stand up, Chimaev stayed put and continued to swarm Whittaker with mauling pressure on top.
Whittaker did a great job defending bad positions and standing up, eventually working back to distance. However, Chimaev was set on keeping the fight grounded and immediately secured another takedown.
A quick backtake led to the demise of Whittaker, who ate some heavy shots from Chimaev before getting his neck taken. The tap came almost immediately as the submission was locked in, as Khamzat appeared to injure Whittaker’s jaw in the process (which was later confirmed).
UFC Fighters React to Chimaev’s Dominant Win and Potential Title Shot
What did you think about Khamzat Chimaev’s mauling win over Robert Whittaker? Does he deserve to be next in line for Dricus du Plessis? Let us know in the comments below!
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