> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://fightingmatters.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# Why did UFC BJJ let Mikey compete with a staph infection?
- URL: https://fightingmatters.com/why-did-ufc-bjj-let-mikey-compete-with-a-staph-infection/
- Published: 2026-05-26T08:32:37.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-12T05:15:56.000Z
- Description: In this episode of the Fighting Matters podcast, Steve Kwan is joined by Jeff Shaw of Bellingham BJJ, Mike Mahaffey of Old Bastard BJJ, and Dr. Clayton Green, a board-certified dermatologist and BJJ practitioner.
- Author: Fighting Matters
- Tags: Podcast, Video, UFC BJJ, Health & Science

In this episode of the Fighting Matters podcast, Steve Kwan is joined by Jeff Shaw of Bellingham BJJ, Mike Mahaffey of Old Bastard BJJ, and Dr. Clayton Green, a board-certified dermatologist and BJJ practitioner. They get into what happened at UFC BJJ when Mikey Musumeci defended his title against Kevin Dantzler with an active staph infection, went back to the hospital right after the match, and defended the decision by saying he had covered the infection with spats. The conversation covers why staph is more dangerous than people realize, how the UFC has stopped fights like this before but didn't this time, and what gyms and competitors can actually do to be safer.  
  
🔗 Links Mentioned:

- NFHS Wrestling Skin Lesion Form — [https://a-us.storyblok.com/f/1022696/x/87b3155d73/2025-26-nfhs-wrestling-skin-lesion-form-final-april-2025.pdf](https://a-us.storyblok.com/f/1022696/x/87b3155d73/2025-26-nfhs-wrestling-skin-lesion-form-final-april-2025.pdf?ref=fightingmatters.com)

⸻  
  
👥 Featuring:

- Steve Kwan — [https://bjjmentalmodels.com](https://bjjmentalmodels.com/?ref=fightingmatters.com)
- Jeff Shaw — [https://bellinghambjj.com](https://bellinghambjj.com/?ref=fightingmatters.com)
- Mike Mahaffey — [https://www.instagram.com/oldbastardbjj](https://www.instagram.com/oldbastardbjj?ref=fightingmatters.com)
- Dr. Clayton Green

⸻  
  
🧠 Topics Discussed:

- What happened at UFC BJJ and Mikey's hospital readmission
- Why "I covered it with spats" isn't a defense
- How close Ben Askren came to dying from MRSA
- Whether BJJ is losing community knowledge about infection risk
- How pandemic-era science denial is showing up in jiu-jitsu
- How the UFC stopped fights like this before, and didn't this time
- The wrestling skin check form and how gyms can use it
- Institutional accountability vs dogpiling on the athlete

⸻  
  
📖 Chapters:  
[00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TesFP1A3w9g&ref=fightingmatters.com) — Introducing the panel  
[02:39](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TesFP1A3w9g&t=159s&ref=fightingmatters.com) — What happened at UFC BJJ  
[05:16](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TesFP1A3w9g&t=316s&ref=fightingmatters.com) — Spats aren't condoms  
[10:09](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TesFP1A3w9g&t=609s&ref=fightingmatters.com) — How dangerous staph actually is  
[18:08](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TesFP1A3w9g&t=1088s&ref=fightingmatters.com) — Are we losing community knowledge about infection risk?  
[25:21](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TesFP1A3w9g&t=1521s&ref=fightingmatters.com) — Why didn't the UFC stop this?  
[26:34](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TesFP1A3w9g&t=1594s&ref=fightingmatters.com) — Pandemic-era science denial in BJJ  
[33:13](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TesFP1A3w9g&t=1993s&ref=fightingmatters.com) — The wrestling skin check form  
[36:45](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TesFP1A3w9g&t=2205s&ref=fightingmatters.com) — How gyms model and enforce safer behavior  
[40:48](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TesFP1A3w9g&t=2448s&ref=fightingmatters.com) — Advice for young competitors under pressure  
[50:22](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TesFP1A3w9g&t=3022s&ref=fightingmatters.com) — Institutional accountability vs dogpiling the athlete  
[53:02](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TesFP1A3w9g&t=3182s&ref=fightingmatters.com) — Closing thoughts