The dawn of 2026 has officially ushered in a new era for the UFC. After years on ESPN, the world’s premier MMA promotion has moved its live event broadcasts to Paramount+, with the first numbered event of the new partnership set for Jan. 24. Kicking off this historic transition will be UFC 324, a card taking place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and headlined by a pivotal clash for the interim lightweight championship. 

Veteran knockout artist Justin Gaethje steps in to face the surging Liverpool star, Paddy Pimblett, in a bout with major implications for the future of the 155-pound division. However, just as anticipation for the landmark event peaks, an unexpected concern has emerged from Gaethje’s own training footage, threatening to overshadow the buildup.

The speculation ignited after the release of an episode from Gaethje’s YouTube series, “The Art of Violence,” where fans noticed a visible mark on the right side of his neck. 

Watch the full episode here:

Given the well-documented prevalence of skin infections like staph in MMA gyms, the online fight community quickly sounded the alarm, worrying that the condition could jeopardize his fight camp or his ability to compete.

The most prevalent speculation came from MMA fan account, DovySimuMMA on X:

what is that???? pic.twitter.com/Dp6yTDQBjZ

— Dovy🔌 (@DovySimuMMA) January 5, 2026

Gaethje’s Blunt Social Media Denial

Gaethje, however, swiftly addressed the rumors head-on with a characteristically direct and humorous response on social media. 

“Did you screenshot me eating brisket from my YouTube video to make it look like I have herpes on my lip?” he quipped on X, before clarifying the main source of concern.

He replied to social media sleuths on X, saying, “My neck is a healing ingrown hair. It’s an ingrown hair on my neck and brisket hanging out of my mouth, Nostradamus.”

Fan Reactions

The fan reaction to his statement has been a mix of relief, skepticism, and humor:

Many expressed genuine worry, with comments like, “Ouch! Ingrown hairs can be very painful! Hope camp is going good! Looking forward to a barn burner from you and Paddy! All the best,” and “That’s a rough-looking ingrown hair, brother.”

A significant portion of fans doubted Gaethje’s explanation, with one user posting, “This is the funniest staph coverup of all time,” and another saying, “That is not an ingrown hair, but good luck in there, man.”

The situation also spawned jokes: 

“Lol, it might’ve started out as an ingrown hair.”

“Guys, when you’re a real man, the only way to get rid of an ingrown hair is to blast a 9mm through it… smh my head.”

“Out here getting a herpes staph infection from BBQ is crazy work.”

“Ingrown hair looking like a gunshot wound.”

“It looks like you put a cigarette out on your neck, you absolute beast.”

“I’m a fan— trust me, I am. But listen, bro… that looks like a whole butthole. What’s going on, bro? You better not be on those drugs!”

Medical Expert Perspective and Fight Status

Medical experts suggest that even if the worst-case speculation were true, there would still be time to resolve the issue before fight night. 

Sports medicine doctor Brian Sutterer, MD, noted on X, “Fight fans love freaking out about possible staph infections. If it is that, plenty of time for antibiotics, lesions heal over, all good to compete in a few weeks. Move on.” 

With the event nearly three weeks away, the timeline is on Gaethje’s side.

As of now, there is no indication from the UFC or executives like Dana White that the main event is in any danger. The promotion and T-Mobile Arena continue to promote the championship double-header, which also features a monumental women’s bantamweight title fight between Kayla Harrison and the returning legend Amanda Nunes.

For the 37-year-old Gaethje, this fight represents what he has stated could be his final opportunity to capture UFC gold. A victory would make him the first two-time interim lightweight champion in UFC history and position him for a blockbuster unification bout with undisputed champion Ilia Topuria later in the year. It’s a legacy-defining moment that he is unlikely to let slip away over a staph infection.

While the initial online panic has been addressed by the fighter himself, the MMA community will be watching closely as UFC 324 approaches. Any last-minute medical updates will be scrutinized, but for now, the main event for the UFC’s Paramount+ debut appears to be full steam ahead.

This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Jan 7, 2026, where it first appeared in the MMA section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.