Benoit Saint-Denis has been forced to deny staph infection fears just days before his lightweight clash with Paddy Pimblett at UFC 329. The two fighters are set to meet in the co-main event in Las Vegas on Saturday night, with the card headlined by Conor McGregor's return against Max Holloway.
Saint-Denis Addresses Infection Concerns
Pictures emerged on social media showing a suspicious mark on Saint-Denis's foot, leading fans to speculate about a staph infection. However, the Frenchman quickly moved to dismiss those concerns. “No, I don’t have staph,” he said. “Things can move very quickly on social media now, and it gets a bit ridiculous. I did have a scab on my foot, yes, but it’s not staph. That’s all it was.”
Saint-Denis emphasized that his training camp was well-managed, adding, “These are things that can happen. But the camp was managed very well. The fatigue was managed very well too.” Staph infections are not uncommon in MMA, with fighters like former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker forced to withdraw from a fight against Luke Rockhold in 2018 due to the issue.
Saint-Denis's History with Staph Infection
Saint-Denis previously admitted he fought through a staph infection in his 2024 bout against Dustin Poirier, a fight he lost by knockout in the second round. He then suffered another loss to Renato Moicano but has since rebounded, winning four consecutive fights against Kyle Prepolec, Mauricio Ruffy, Beneil Dariush, and Dan Hooker. Heading into UFC 329, Saint-Denis is unbeaten in his last four outings.
Pimblett Confident Ahead of Clash
Pimblett, aware of the challenge posed by the No. 5 ranked lightweight, expressed confidence in his ability to win. “Obviously, he’s a challenge,” Pimblett told Paramount+. “He’s ranked No. 5 in the world, he comes forward with a constant pressure, tries to take it right off with the backhands and back kicks. He’s a southpaw, but I like fighting southpaws. I’ve never lost to a southpaw. I’ve fought three French people in the past, and all three of them have been finished within the first two rounds. So I can’t see how he beats me. He’s gonna try and take me down and get choked, or he’s gonna try and stand with me and get knocked out.”
The Liverpudlian also compared Saint-Denis to Justin Gaethje, stating, “Justin Gaethje is a completely different animal to him, and that’s just a fact. And if Saint Denis tries to fight the same kind of fight as Gaethje? He won’t be able to do that. He hasn’t got the cardio to be able to do that, and he hasn’t got the chin. So if he wants to have a scrap like that, I’ll knock his ass out.”
UFC 329 Card
UFC 329 takes place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, with the main event featuring Conor McGregor vs. Max Holloway in a welterweight showdown. The co-main event between Pimblett and Saint-Denis is expected to be a high-energy lightweight bout that could steal the show.
