Staph infections are once again on everyone's lips within the UFC. In recent days, Benoît Saint Denis has had to come out publicly to deny rumors that pointed to a possible infection before his expected fight against Paddy Pimblett. It all started when several fans interpreted that a small injury to his foot could correspond to a staph. The Frenchman was blunt and assured that it was only a scab, ruling out any medical problems and confirming that he will arrive at the fight in full condition. The concern, however, did not arise by chance.
Saint Denis has already acknowledged in the past that he faced his fight against Dustin Poirier while suffering from a staph infection. That situation forced the Frenchman to take antibiotics during the week of the fight and later explained that his physical performance was not as usual. Since then, any suspicious marks on his skin immediately provoke speculation among fans.
But what is a staph infection really?
It is an infection caused by bacteria of the Staphylococcus genus, naturally present on the skin of many people. The problem appears when these bacteria penetrate the body through small cuts, scrapes or open wounds, something extremely common in contact sports.
Mixed martial arts have practically all possible risk factors.
Training involves constant physical contact, chafing, cuts, abrasions, blood, shared sweat and hours on tatami mats and mats that are used daily by dozens of athletes. If the cleanliness of the equipment or personal hygiene are not adequate, the chances of contagion increase considerably.
That is why professional gyms have greatly tightened their cleaning protocols in recent years. Daily disinfection of tatami mats, gloves, protections and training surfaces has become a mandatory routine. Similarly, wrestlers usually shower immediately after each session, cover any wounds before training and avoid sharing towels or personal material.
When these precautions fail, the consequences can be significant.
A staph infection can start as a simple pimple or a small blister. However, if not treated correctly, it can spread, cause painful abscesses and even force a fight to be suspended. In the most severe cases, it may require hospitalization and intravenous treatment, although fortunately these types of complications are much less frequent.
The UFC has experienced numerous episodes related to this problem.
Kevin Randleman was one of the most shocking cases. The images of the infection he suffered in his back went around the world and are still used today as an example of how far a poorly controlled infection can evolve.
Sean Sherk also had to face similar problems during his career. Kelvin Gastelum, Robert Whittaker, Miesha Tate, Rachael Ostovich or Roger Huerta are other names that, at different times, have seen their preparation altered or even the celebration of some fights due to skin infections compatible with staphylococci or medical suspicions that forced extreme precautions.
The reason why these infections appear so frequently in combat sports is easy to understand.
Wrestlers train for several hours a day, generate large amounts of sweat, suffer constant wounds and maintain direct skin-to-skin contact for practically the entire session. This environment favors bacterial transmission much more than in most sports disciplines.
In addition, during a preparation camp the physical load is enormous. The immune system can be temporarily weakened by stress, weight loss, dehydration and training volume, factors that facilitate the appearance of infections.
That is why any small mark generates so much concern when a fighter is a few days away from competing.
A simple injury can force additional medical tests, delay training or even cancel a fight if there is a risk of contagion for the opponent.
In the case of Benoît Saint Denis, everything points to the alarms being unfounded. The Frenchman has made it clear that he does not suffer from any infection and that he will arrive at his fight against Paddy Pimblett fully prepared.
His case, however, has served to remind us of a problem that is much less talked about than weight cuts or muscle injuries, but which is still part of the day-to-day life of contact sports.
Because in MMA you don't just have to protect yourself from punches, kicks or submission holds. Sometimes, the most dangerous opponent is an invisible bacterium that can ruin entire months of preparation.