Dana White: Robert Whittaker in serious condition with staph infection
Last week it was announced that UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker would not be defending his title against Luke Rockhold at UFC 221 in Perth, Australia.
Following last night’s UFC 220 pay-per-view, White revealed a little more detail into what exactly happened to the champion.
White told TSN’s Aaron Bronsteter that Whittaker dealing with a staph infection in his stomach that did not receive proper treatment.
“He had staph infection in his stomach,” White said. “From what I understand it wasn’t treated properly and started to eat away at parts of his organs. He’s in serious condition, so it’s going to be a minute before he’s back, I think. Hopefully it turns around quick, but that stuff is life threatening if not treated the right way.”
Whittaker has since been replaced by Yoel Romero and will meet Rockhold for the interim middleweight title on February 10.
After winning the interim title against Romero at UFC 213 in July, Whittaker was promoted to undisputed champion in December when Georges St-Pierre vacated the strap due to a medical condition.
More on staph infections
Staph infections can turn deadly if the bacteria invade deeper into your body, entering your bloodstream, joints, bones, lungs or heart.
Staph infections can range from minor skin problems to endocarditis, a life-threatening infection of the inner lining of your heart (endocardium). As a result, signs and symptoms of staph infections vary widely, depending on the location and severity of the infection.
