Sonnen Asks If Gaethje Is Hiding A Staph Infection

“My neck is a healing ingrown hair. And the lip? You screenshotted me eating brisket… that’s brisket hanging out of my mouth, Nostradamus,” Gaethje said

However, Sonnen is skeptical, noting that fighters often downplay infections to avoid being pulled by medical commissions. Sonnen argued that the visual evidence—specifically the inflammation around the neck—is more consistent with a staph infection than a simple grooming issue.

The stakes are incredibly high as Gaethje aims to become the first-ever two-time interim lightweight champion in UFC history. If the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) deems Gaethje unfit to compete, the UFC already may have a contingency in place.

Arman Tsarukyan is willing to be the backup fighter for UFC 324 if he is asked. Despite his recent friction with Dana White over a weigh-in headbutt incident against Dan Hooker, Tsarukyan has confirmed he would do it.

For now, Gaethje remains the headliner for the T-Mobile Arena event, which marks the UFC’s major debut on Paramount+. But with Sonnen leading the chorus of doubters, all eyes will be on Gaethje’s neck when he arrives in Las Vegas for fight week.

Sonnen Reacts

X: @elrocktagono

“First off, will the fight go on? Is that a question we’re asking? I’m rather confident that it will. A general staph infection like a wrestler or grappler would get, it takes three days to solve something like this. Secondly, would it affect the fight because you’re talking about a medication taken?—This is how I’m interpreting the question—No, I don’t think so. I also don’t know what it is that Justin has on his neck. I know it is not an ingrown hair.

“That’s my only concern is that he came out—the cover-up is always worse than the crime. So if he thinks he has an ingrown hair, let’s just say for example—I can tell you that’s not an ingrown hair—but if he genuinely thinks that, that’s not just a cover story, then it could be staph, which means it could spread. And when it’s this visible, it could be an issue. But I think we’re talking about nothing,” Sonnen said