UFC Fans Think Fighter Photo Shows Staph Infection. Should You Bet Differently?

Should Benoit Saint-Denis bettors be worried ahead of Saturday’s co-main event matchup against Dustin Poirier at UFC 299?

While Saint-Denis is the -245 moneyline favorite at DraftKings, it’s possible he’s dealing with the recovery from a staph infection. A staph infection is a serious medical condition that can be fatal if untreated, usually with antibiotics.

On Friday, users on X noticed a gash on the right side of Saint-Denis’ forehead in a pre-fight photo, which many MMA fans and some fighters speculated could be from staph.

Neither Saint-Denis nor the UFC have spoken on the gash or the possibility of a staph infection. 

That said, there’s a history of fighters who have passed the pre-fight medical tests with a staph infection and competed in the octagon.

How Often Do UFC Fighters Deal With a Staph Infection?

Perhaps the most notable example was Kevin Lee’s lightweight interim title fight against Tony Ferguson at UFC 216 in October 2017. The “Motown Phenom” had a strong first round against Ferguson, earning the nod on most pundits’ scorecards. 

However, when the second round started, Lee appeared fatigued and eventually ran out of steam in the third round in a submission loss.

Post-fight, Lee admitted he was dealing with a staph infection on his chest, as was pointed out by commentators Joe Rogan and Daniel Cormier during the fight. Cormier aptly noted that a staph infection “will drain you. You will get tired.”

A more recent example came last November when UFC lightweight Mike Breedon started sluggishly against Anshul Jubli at UFC 294. That said, he picked up the pace in the second round and finished Jubli in the third round with a highlight reel knockout.

After the fight, Breedon admitted he fought with a staph infection, which caused him to miss weight by 3.5 pounds.

In October 2022, UFC light heavyweight Ilir Latifi received a suspension from the Nevada State Athletic Commission after he revealed he fought through a staph infection in his win over Aleksei Oleinik at UFC Vegas 61.

Should You Change Your UFC 299 Bet?

In our (non-medical) opinion, it depends on the fighter and the severity of the infection. 

Saint-Denis made weight at 155 pounds, a pound lighter than Poirier. We’re also talking about a former French Army Special Forces member, so you’d have to think Saint-Denis is about as tough as they come.

The only concern for Saint-Denis bettors would be if the fight goes into the later rounds.

This is a rare five-round co-main event, so that’s an extra two rounds of work should a finish not occur. As Cormier pointed out, a staph infection can impact how much a fighter has in the tank. 

However, as we outlined in our UFC 299 pre-fight breakdown, Saint-Denis is known for finishing his fights early and has only seen the third round once in his UFC tenure. 

It’s also unlikely Saint-Denis would want this fight going to the judges’ scorecards anyway, considering it’s in Miami, where Poirier trains. There may be a possible hometown bias.

All of this information is good to know, but don’t let this become a huge factor in your betting strategy for UFC 299. We’re still backing Saint-Denis to win inside the distance.

Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images