Paddy Pimblett will take on Benoit Saint-Denis in a lightweight showdown this weekend, but the Frenchman has been forced to deny staph infection fears ahead of their clash15:19, 08 Jul 2026Updated 16:03, 08 Jul 2026Benoit Saint-Denis has been forced to play down staph infection fears just days before his meeting with Paddy Pimblett.‌The two rivals will meet in a mouthwatering lightweight dust-up in the co-main event at UFC 329 in Las Vegas. Saturday night's card is expected to be headlined by the return of Conor McGregor - when he takes on Max Holloway in a highly-anticipated welterweight showdown.‌With all eyes on the main event in Sin City, both Saint-Denis and Pimblett will be looking to steal some of the thunder and produce a real 'Fight of the Night' display. However, the build-up to their contest has been marred by drama after pictures emerged of Saint-Denis sporting a suspicious mark on his foot.‌Fans were quick to flock to the comments section, stating that the Frenchman has a staph infection. However, the 30-year-old was quick to relieve any concerns, insisting that he in fact does NOT have a staph infection. “No, I don’t have staph," he said.FOLLOW OUR FIGHTING FB PAGE! Latest boxing and MMA news, analysis and much more via our dedicated Facebook page"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 These are things that can happen. But the camp was managed very well. The fatigue was managed very well too.”‌A staph infection can cause painful issues on the skin and can be spread with close contact. It is not uncommon in the world of MMA, and UFC fighters have previously been forced to pull out of fights due to staph infections. Most notably, ex-middleweight champion Robert Whittaker dealt with a staph infection after pulling out of a fight against Luke Rockhold in 2018.Saint-Denis previously admitted he was forced to fight through a staph infection in his fight with Dustin Poirier back in 2024. Despite starting strong, the Frenchman would go on to suffer a brutal knockout in the second round.The 30-year-old then suffered a loss to Renato Moicano, but has been on a bit of a resurgence since. Heading into UFC 329, Saint-Denis is currently unbeaten in his last four fights, defeating Kyle Prepolec, Mauricio Ruffy, Beneil Dariush and Dan Hooker.‌Given the top contender's rise back up the ranks, Pimblett is aware of the task at hand, but is backing himself to put himself in contention for a crack at the title. “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 added: “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.”Article continues below