Gaethje Denies Infection Before Fight with Pimblett at UFC 324

Justin Gaethje Denies Rumors About Infection Before UFC 324

MMA fighter Justin Gaethje has come forward to deny speculation about a possible staph infection before his fight with Paddy Pimblett at UFC 324. Gaethje (26-5) and Pimblett (23-3) will compete for the interim lightweight title on January 24 in Las Vegas. The concern arose from visible marks on Gaethje’s neck and lip, which were documented on his YouTube channel.

It’s an ingrown hair on my neck and a piece of chicken breast coming out of my mouth, Nostradamus,” Gaethje sarcastically replied on social media, referring to rumors about a staph infection.

Justin Gaethje

A staph infection can cause painful skin problems and spreads through close contact. Several UFC fighters have been forced to withdraw from fights due to this type of infection. A notable example was Robert Whittaker, who had to withdraw from a fight against Luke Rockhold in 2018 due to a staph infection.

Gaethje, 37 years old, is approaching what is likely his last chance to get the gold in the UFC. Previously, he lost title fights against Khabib Nurmagomedov and Charles Oliveira. In a recent YouTube video, published four weeks before the fight, Gaethje is shown preparing in grappling to face Pimblett, one of the most prominent UFC fighters in this area.

We are trying to do everything we can with the grappling. He is a wrestler, that is his origin and I don’t think he should leave that,” said Jorge Santiago, Gaethje’s grappling coach.

Jorge Santiago

Santiago also added: “He uses it well with his strikes, so that’s a big advantage. The grappling is to bring different aspects of a grappler, so he understands a little better. Through the years, all the positions we’ve worked on, he already has the concepts. We’ve done drills in the positions we want in the fight.”