UFC submission of the month for October 2024: Khamzat Chimaev's lightning-fast face crank leaving Robert Whittaker with dislodged teeth
Khamzat Chimaev put forth one of his career's most dominant performances in an apparent middleweight title eliminator that many viewed as his toughest stylistic test. 'Borz' submitted former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker in an utterly one-sided fight.
Their long-awaited showdown served as the co-headlining match for UFC 308 at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi this past weekend.
Today, we break down the submission stoppage that many have hailed as one of the most technically proficient and visually terrifying ever witnessed in the sport of MMA.
UFC submission of the month for October 2024 — Robert Whittaker vs. Khamzat Chimaev
Heading into UFC 308, there were numerous questions surrounding Khamzat Chimaev's health and long stretches of inactivity due to alleged visa troubles and longstanding miscellaneous issues. Certain sections of the MMA community were skeptical about whether or not the Chechen combatant would be the same dominant force he was when he took the UFC by storm after debuting in 2020.
On the other hand, Robert Whittaker, who's long been a fan-favorite fighter and previously held the UFC middleweight championship, was someone who'd neutralized the grappling of Olympic wrestlers like Yoel Romero. 'The Reaper' had also held his own in the striking department against kickboxing greats like Israel Adesanya.
Many forewarned that Khamzat Chimaev, who hadn't competed since October 2023, would fail to outgrapple, outstrike, or outwork Whittaker. They argued that the Australian would weather the fast starter's initial storm, drag Chimaev into deep waters, and finish him in the latter part of the five-round matchup. Many fans emphasized that the ex-champ was light years ahead in the striking department.
Nevertheless, when the octagon door closed, Khamzat Chimaev seemed relaxed on his feet, unlike certain grappling specialists who tend to display a rather apprehensive demeanor.
However, his strikes were simply a ruse to give Whittaker something to worry about as he almost immediately shot for a lightning-fast takedown, grabbing his foe's legs and hips. 'Borz's' stand-up aggression and cage-generalship were assertive enough to push his opponent back to the point where, after he shot for the takedown, Whittaker found himself trapped against the fence.
Whittaker is counted among the best at defending takedowns and springing back up to his feet in case he gets taken down. Well, against Chimaev, he was simply unable to create separation for adequate time to get up and sneak away from the grappling exchange.
Khamzat Chimaev latched on to him in a suffocatingly efficient fashion, making the former champion carry his weight and constantly threatening to take his back and sink in a choke or crank. Though Whittaker did manage to utilize his explosiveness and briefly get out during a scramble, 'Borz' was onto him right away and once again started making him carry his weight.
The finishing sequence saw Chimaev land a few ground strikes that hurt and distracted Whittaker to open up a window to get the hooks in and sink in a face crank. With the hulking 'Borz' on top of him, and old damage, the crank damaged Whittaker's teeth and instantly forced a tap at the 3:34-minute mark of round one.
Watch the stoppage below: