Strickland downplayed it as an issue when asked at the pre-fight press conference, but it has since been revealed that he had a case of the virus several weeks prior to UFC 312. That was just one of the problems he had to navigate throughout training camp, because Strickland said he also experienced an arm injury that he described as a break.

In the video, Strickland admitted to dealing with a staph infection and another serious injury issue. The word ‘struggle’ was used to describe what he viewed as a disastrous camp for his rematch with Dricus Du Plessis. “That entire fight camp was just a struggle. It was a f—— struggle,” Strickland said.

In the lead-up to UFC 312, former middleweight champion Sean Strickland has firmly dismissed allegations from reigning champion Dricus du Plessis regarding a potential staph infection. The two fighters are set to clash in a highly anticipated rematch on February 8, 2025, at Sydney's Qudos Bank Arena.