Along with being paired with a short-notice opponent, Robert
Whittaker confronted extra adversity heading into his showdown with
Ikram
Aliskerov within the
UFC on ABC 6 most important occasion.
Whittaker’s supervisor, Titus Day, instructed Fox Sports activities Australia that the previous
middleweight champion underwent emergency root canal surgical procedure simply
24 hours previous to the bout.
“Rob has a extremely unhealthy abscess that flared up per week earlier than flying
out,” Day mentioned. “He had complications, tooth ache — it was like he’d
been kicked within the aspect of the pinnacle. He couldn’t prepare, couldn’t
eat, couldn’t sleep. It was f—-ing painful.
“The entire aspect of his head was in ache so we needed to rush him in
for emergency surgical procedure.”
“The Reaper” gave the impression to be no worse for put on, as he vanquished
Aliskerov by way of first-round knockout on Saturday at Kingdom Area in
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia for his second consecutive triumph.
“Rob had already stopped coaching just a few days previous to the surgical procedure
in Sydney,” Day mentioned. “After which flew out together with his face nonetheless numb.
We had no concept if it was going to be all proper. Everybody was simply
praying the swelling would go down and all the pieces can be OK. And
fortunately, it was. However Rob’s nonetheless obtained ache there. Nonetheless wants
extra surgical procedure to be performed within the subsequent couple of weeks.”
After the victory, Whittaker expressed curiosity in serving because the
backup fighter for the UFC 305
title conflict between Dricus Du
Plessis and Israel
Adesanya in Perth, Australia. That risk, in addition to
Whittaker competing in a separate struggle on the Aug. 17 card, is
at the moment unsure.
“Proper now, relating to Perth, it’s simply too early to say,” Day mentioned.
“Clearly there was a number of discuss on the night time about Rob being the
backup for that UFC 305 most important occasion. There was additionally discuss him
combating anyone else, too. And doubtlessly, he might nonetheless do
both of these. He’ll have to fulfill with the staff and discuss it
by means of. Rob’s additionally promised his household a vacation so till he
discusses it together with his household, together with his coaches and physician, we don’t
know.”