- Robert Whittaker had emergency surgery before Saudi Arabia UFC
- He was unable to train, sleep or even eat due to a severe abscess
- Whittaker’s manager says his fighter still needs more surgery
Australian MMA superstar Robert Whittaker produced a stunning performance on last Sunday’s UFC card – despite undergoing surgery only a fortnight before the fight.
That’s right, the former middleweight champion was rushed into surgery for a severe mouth abscess just before his flight to Saudi Arabia.
During the fight, the 33-year-old proved once again why he’s one of the best in the 185-pound division, by demolishing his opponent in under two minutes.
He landed a chopping right hand to wobble Ikram Aliskerov, which he followed with a trademark right head kick that barely missed the target.
Whittaker then closed the show with a right uppercut which left the formerly undefeated Russian slumped against the cage.
Following the bout, Whittaker’s manager Titus Day told Fox Sports Australia about the emergency surgery.
‘Rob has a really bad abscess that flared up a week before flying out,’ Day said.
‘He had headaches, tooth pain, it was like he’d been kicked in the side of the head. He couldn’t train, couldn’t eat, couldn’t sleep. It was f**king painful.
Robert Whittaker had emergency surgery only a fortnight before his recent UFC fight
Robert Whittaker (pictured) knocked out Ikram Aliskerov in the first round
‘The whole side of his head was in pain so we had to rush him in for emergency surgery.’
Whittaker didn’t mention the surgery after his bout, but Day says it was a serious issue – and still is.
‘Rob had already stopped training a few days prior to the surgery in Sydney,’ Day said.
‘And then flew out with his face still numb. We had no idea if it was going to be alright. Everyone was just praying the swelling would go down and everything would be OK. And thankfully, it was.
‘But Rob’s still got pain there. Still needs more surgery to be done in the next couple of weeks.’
Commentator, and former middleweight champion, Michael Bisping was impressed with the showing from Whittaker.
‘Unbelievable … Robert Whittaker does it again and does it in style,’ he said.
‘At his devastating finest, he is an absolute monster. That was perfect and that was trademark Robert Whittaker right there. He knew he had him hurt.
The Aussie UFC star had a severe abscess in his mouth and still requires more surgery
‘He proved again that he is one of the best we have ever seen. He is one of the best in the world, it’s not just words with him.’
The win will surely move the Aussie closer to another shot at the middleweight title.
Whittaker signaled afterwards that he could even back up for another fight at UFC 305 in Perth if needed.
‘I’m healthy, I’m hearty, let’s go,’ he said.
‘I told you, I told everybody, I am the boogeyman, I am the best in the world and the most dangerous man in this division.
‘I’m the best in the world. I’ll take a fight against anyone, anywhere, anytime. I’ve been in this position 100 times, I am the hunter and that’s exactly what I did.’
