"He shouldn't fight with that" - Fans react as UFC star points out alleged staph infection on UFC 299 fighter Benoit Saint Denis' forehead

A lightweight veteran recently claimed that Benoit Saint Denis has a staph infection on his forehead as the Frenchman prepares for his upcoming bout at UFC 299.

Saint Denis is gearing up to face Dustin Poirier in a five-round bout as the co-headliner of the third pay-per-view event of UFC 2024, scheduled to take place this Saturday at the Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida.

However, 'God of War' sports a rather unsightly wound on his forehead. The conspicuous nature of this opening caught the attention of many during his appearances in the lead-up to fight week. Several speculated that it might be a staph infection, a particularly serious ailment often transmitted in training environments.

Not only fans but also UFC lightweight fighter Renato Moicano believe it could be staph. Recently, 'Money' took to X and polled his followers on whether Saint Denis' reported infection could impact the outcome of his fight.

Check out Renato Moicano's post below:

Fans responded to Moicano's post about Saint Denis' wound with a diverse range of reactions.

One fan wrote:

"It doesn't change the fight because Dustin was always going to dominate."

Another wrote:

"That's gross. He shouldn't fight with that."

Check out some more reactions below:

"Ian Garry just kissed him on the forehead, it’s all good."

"This guy killed 16 Chechen rebels single handed, he can deal with it."

Credits: @moicanoufc on X

'God of War' is favored in betting odds for the fight, which comes as no surprise given his first-round KO victory over Matt Frevola at UFC 295 last November.

Despite a loss in his promotional debut against Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos at UFC 257 in 2021, Saint Denis has shown resilience and is currently seeking his sixth consecutive win.

---

Benoit Saint Denis opens up about his approach to UFC 299 clash with Dustin Poirier

Benoit Saint Denis recently shared insights into his mental preparedness as he gears up to face Dustin Poirier at UFC 299.

During an interview with ESPN MMA, 'God of War' delved into his pre-fight routine, emphasizing his focused mindset before stepping into the octagon on Saturday night:

"We are getting higher in intensity. Higher and higher. The heat is starting to play on the whole body and the mind. And then I think about nothing. I'm like a machine, and I just enjoy the moment and let every mistake and everything go right through me like nothing. And I'm just concentrating on one thing: destroying my opponent."

Check out Benoit Saint Denis' comments below (2:30):