Justin Gaethje addresses staph infection concerns after UFC 324 camp photo goes viral

Former BMF champion Justin Gaethje raised concerns about his health after a mid-camp photo went viral ahead of UFC 324.

Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett will fight for the interim lightweight title later this month at UFC 324 in Las Vegas. Amidst Ilia Topuria’s ongoing hiatus, Gaethje and Pimblett will headline UFC 324 to kick off the UFC’s new broadcasting partnership with Paramount+.

Gaethje vs. Pimblett is one of the biggest fights of the year and will bring clarity to the UFC lightweight division. Despite Arman Tsarukyan being considered by many as the No. 1 contender, Gaethje and Pimblett will battle for the right to face Topuria upon the champion’s return.

But UFC 324 hit a brief scare this week after an image of Gaethje, with a large mark on his neck, went viral on social media. Some fans speculated that Gaethje was dealing with a staph infection and might not get the medical clearance to compete later this month.

Justin Gaethje addresses viral photo showing possible staph infection

In a recent post to X, Gaethje appeared to shut down speculation he could be forced to withdraw from UFC 324.

Fans are speculating that Justin Gaethje could be dealing with a staph infection after footage surfaced showing a mysterious wound on his neck just a few weeks out from #UFC324 😬 pic.twitter.com/pdG4jZ8BkD

— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) January 6, 2026

“It’s an ingrown hair on my neck and brisket hanging out of my mouth Nostradamus,” Gaethje posted.

Gaethje’s firm denial of any potential ailment should quell the fears of some fans, for now.

The former BMF titleholder is looking to add another interim belt to his resume after defeating Tony Ferguson at UFC 249. Gaethje most recently defeated Rafael Fiziev by unanimous decision at UFC 315 to get back into the lightweight title mix.

Staph infections have become more common for headlining UFC fighters in recent months. Merab Dvalishvili suffered multiple staph infections in 2025, including before his loss to Petr Yan at UFC 323 last month.

For now, it appears the UFC 324 main event remains intact. We’re days away from the UFC returning to action after the long holiday hiatus.