Robert Whittaker makes a statement on health and fighting the future

Robert Whittaker calmly accepts the worst defeat of his career after UFC 308.

Former UFC middleweight champion Whittaker (26-8 MMA, 17-6 UFC) suffered his fastest loss ever in the weight class on Saturday when Khamzat Chimaev (14-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) took him to victory In the first round at the Etihad Arena on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, he landed on the ground and scored a cruel assist that left his teeth disfigured.

After the fight, images emerged of Whittaker's mouth with his teeth turned in an unnatural direction thanks to Chimaev's submission, and it appeared to be a serious injury. However, Whittaker's stance suggests it's more of an annoyance, as in his first statement since the fight he clarified that he doesn't have a broken jaw and only damaged teeth.

“Sometimes it’s a hard job, but that’s the business,” Whittaker wrote on Instagram. “Congratulations to Khamzat, he was the better man tonight and that's all. I felt great, everything was right and I was ready. My jaw is fine, but my teeth have been pulled. That’s a good excuse to fix it properly now.”

Although the 33-year-old Whittaker fell short of his goal of beating Chimaev and taking another step closer to another shot at reclaiming the 185-pound belt, he appears undeterred. “The Reaper” said he intends to return to the octagon sooner than later, but first he wants to fully recover and spend time with his wife, children and other family members before focusing on what his return to the cage will look like become.

“I'm disappointed, but I come back better from every setback and every challenge, so this is no different,” Whittaker said. “I would like to thank my team and everyone who supported me to get here. Time to spend some time with the family. I’ll be back soon.”

For more information on the card, check out MMA Junkie's UFC 308 event hub.