Why was Dustin Poirier hospitalized?

No.2-ranked UFC lightweight contender Dustin Poirier was hospitalized after contracting a staph infection.

Methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) or 'staph' is a bacterial infection of the skin that can manifest in forms like boils, folliculitis, carbuncles and impetigo, to name a few. Although common, an infection can prove to be fatal if the bacteria enters the bloodstream and bones.

'The Diamond' and his wife Jolie Poirier posted updates on social media about his progress, and at one point it seemed like the infection was getting serious.

It was reported that the former interim lightweight champion was not responding to antibiotics. Poirier shared images of his foot, which was swollen to seemingly twice its original size. However, his body eventually responded to the medication and Poirier was discharged from hospital on December 6.

Poirier posted videos of himself being wheelchaired out of the hospital with his wife behind him. The former interim lightweight champion could be seen walking on crutches with his left foot in a cast on his Instagram stories. He will spend the holidays recovering from the condition.

Dustin Poirier and Jolie Poirier [Centre] Poirier on crutches [Right] [Image courtesy: @dustinpoirier Instagram]

Staph infection is a common skin condition among athletes, particularly among those in close-contact combat sports. The general treatment for MRSA is antibiotic prescriptions. However, the bacteria causing staph can form a resistance to antibiotic treatment, and in severe cases - it may involve surgery if the infection becomes septic.

The condition is debilitating for athletes as antibiotic treatment can drain the body of energy and kill the good bacteria the body needs to digest food. Renowned sports physician Dr. Brian Stutterer stated that Dustin Poirier is lucky his condition didn't result in an amputation.

Other athletes who famously contracted staph infectiosn are Robert Whittaker and Kevin Lee, the latter of whom's infection was on full display in his fight against former interim lightweight champion Tony Ferguson.

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Dustin Poirier and Conor McGregor trade barbs: Will a fourth fight materialize?

While Dustin Poirier was undergoing treatment for a staph infection in the hospital, his rival Conor McGregor decided to take potshots at the man who knocked him out in a series of tweets.

'The Notorious' posted a tweet saying, "Heal up soon scruffy knickers," to which Poirier responded:

"[Are] you done filming 'Roid House' and ready to get slapped around again?"

Conor McGregor responded with a long tweet comparing himself to Jean Claude Van Damm and threatening Poirier.

The question now is will a fourth fight materialize between Poirier and McGregor? Dustin Poirier is 2-1 in his bouts against 'The Notorious', having knocked him out in their second fight, becoming the only man to do so in McGregor's entire career.

If the fight were to happen, Conor McGregor's ability make 155 pounds would also come into question should it not be made at welterweight.

With McGregor being out of the USADA testing pool, it is hard to speculate on his return or whether he will face Poirier in a quadrilogy yet.