Robert Whittaker’s manager Titus Day has revealed that the star had to undergo emergency dental surgery just 24 hours before he flew to Saudi Arabia to fight in the main event of UFC On ABC 6.
“Rob has a really bad abscess that flared up a week before flying out,” Day told Fox Sports in Australia. “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—-ing painful.
“The whole side of his head was in pain so we had to rush him in for emergency surgery.”
The abscess affected Whittaker’s training prior to the fight, and even after undergoing surgery and going on to win his fight with Iskram Aliskerov via TKO in the first round, Day says it’s still causing Whittaker issues that will require more surgery.
“Rob had already stopped training a few days prior to the surgery in Sydney,” Day continued. “And then flew out with his face still numb. We had no idea if it was going to be all right. 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.”
Immediately after the fight Whittaker had responded positively to a suggestion that he could fight at UFC 305 in Australia next, but Day says that’s now far from certain.
“Right now, regarding Perth, it’s just too early to say,” Day said. “Obviously there was a lot of talk on the night about Rob being the backup for that UFC 305 main event. There was also talk about him fighting somebody else, too. And potentially, he could still do either of those. He’ll have to meet with the team and talk it through.
“Rob’s also promised his family a holiday so until he discusses it with his family, with his coaches and doctor, we don’t know.”
