Former Bellator featherweight champion A.J. McKee gave fans a firsthand look at the staph infection that has forced him out of this weekend’s Bellator x RIZIN 2 event.
McKee was originally scheduled to headline the event opposite Patricky Pitbull in a Lightweight World Grand Prix quarter-final bout. But earlier this week, the promotion revealed that McKee was officially out of the contest and offered no explanation as to what caused his withdrawal.
Well, now we know why McKee was forced to back out of the fight courtesy of a post on his social media channels. As it turns out, McKee is suffering from a rather gnarly staff infection. The fighter detailed the ordeal on Twitter whilst offering everyone a look at the effects of the injection.
“I ended up catching staph, guys. So … you know staph, it’s a really bad infection, flesh eating, it literally puts you in the hospital. I had to go to the ER. I’ve been on antibiotics and it’s healing up well, but make sure you take a look and I’ll show you guys the process and what I’ve been dealing with.”
McKee then proceeded to remove his bandage, displaying two holes in his skin just above the shin.
“A couple little holes in my knee,” he said. “But we’re gonna come back better, stronger than ever, and y’all already know what it is. Champ sh*t only!”
According to the Mayo Clinic, “Staph infections are caused by staphylococcus bacteria. These types of germs are commonly found on the skin or in the nose of many healthy people. Most of the time, these bacteria cause no problems or cause relatively minor skin infections. But staph infections can turn deadly if the bacteria invade deeper into your body, entering your bloodstream, joints, bones, lungs or heart.”
Fortunately, it looks like A.J. McKee’s infection is responding to antibiotic treatment and will ultimately amount to nothing more than a minor nuisance in a few short weeks. The antibiotic treatment for staph infections is highly effective but is known to drain one’s energy, making everyday tasks difficult. Let alone trying to train and compete as a professional fighter.
A.J. McKee Will Stand By as an Alternate in the Bellator Lightweight WGP Tournament
Bellator x RIZIN 2 will move forward as scheduled with a solid replacement bout for the previously scheduled main event. Patricky Pitbull will now take on RIZIN lightweight champion Roberto de Souza in the lightweight tournament quarter-final. McKee will still stand by as an alternate for the tournament, should any other competitors be forced out of their slot in the future.
Bellator x RIZIN 2 emanates from the legendary Saitama Super Arena in Japan on Friday night with a scheduled start time of 11 p.m. ET on Showtime.
Transcription courtesy of MMA Mania
