Justin Gaethje has shut down speculation that he has a staph infection ahead of his fight with Paddy Pimblett at UFC 324.
Gaethje (26-5) and Pimblett (23-3) will contest the interim lightweight championship on Jan. 24 in Las Vegas.
Gaethje has been documenting his preparation via his YouTube channel but fears arose over marks on his neck and lip.
“It’s an ingrown hair on my neck and brisket hanging out of my mouth, Nostradamus,” he sarcastically replied via social media to speculation that he had a staph infection.
A staph infection can cause painful issues on the skin and can be spread with close contact.
UFC fighters have previously been forced to withdraw from fights due to staph infections.
Robert Whittaker notably dealt with a staph infection after pulling out of a fight against Luke Rockhold in 2018.
Gaethje, 37, is approaching what is likely his final opportunity to claim UFC gold.
He has previously lost title fights against Khabib Nurmagomedov and Charles Oliveira.
Gaethje’s latest YouTube video, from four weeks prior to the fight, showed his grappling preparation to face Pimblett, one of the UFC’s most accomplished fighters in this area.
“We are trying to do as much as we can with grappling. He’s a wrestler, that’s his background and I don’t think he should ever leave that,” Gaethje’s grappling coach Jorge Santiago said.
“He uses it well with his strikes so that’s a big plus. The grappling is to bring different looks of a grappler’s sight, so he understands a bit better.
“Through the years, all of the positions we have worked, he has already got the concepts.
“We have done drills on the positions that we want in the fight.”