EXCLUSIVE | Reece McEwan Details Staph Infection That Kept Him Out of Cage Warriors 152

Cage Warriors bantamweight Reece McEwan has detailed the staph infection that kept him out of Cage Warriors 152 in Manchester last week.

The Scot was scheduled to face Daan Duijs in the co-main event slot of the event, but a lower leg staph infection meant he had to withdraw from the fight.

He was replaced by Nathan Fletcher who went on to submit his Dutch opponent in the first round.

In an exclusive interview with Combat Sports UK’s Lewis Glover, McEwan spoke about how the injury first came about.

He said: “I finished my hard training on Friday night and I had a wee small lump on my shin but it was just like a bit of swelling. That was just from clashing shins I think, just whatever.

“On Saturday morning it looked a bit angry, red looking – there wasn’t even a spot really but it was just a wee bit inflamed in redness so I took Ibuprofen and I knew that could be quite potentially dangerous but it wasn’t really worrying.

“Then on the Sunday morning, I had a really bad sleep, my whole leg was pulsing and then the picture that I posted on Instagram was what came on Sunday morning. Not only that but the whole way from my shin to my ankle was swollen with fluid, so I went to A&E and they gave me antibiotics and then throughout the day it just got worse.”

What is Staph Infection?

It is caused by something called staphylococcus, a usually harmless bacteria that live on many people’s skin. However, it can cause an infection when it gets into the skin, often through a cut – this is common among MMA fighters.

The 28-year-old originally downplayed the symptoms and put it down to his weight cut.

“I was starting to feel sick, I was shivering, I was so cold but I was honestly just downplaying it thinking ‘I’m cutting weight’, in denial really.

“Then I went to the shops, me and my fiancée, and I said to her ‘something’s not right here, I’m honestly struggling to walk, my whole leg is pulsing’.

“I went back to A&E and my infection wasn’t being contained it was actually growing, the redness was going down my leg and stuff.

“I had to tell my coaches and stuff and they told me that I should tell Cage Warriors and they were like ‘there’s absolutely no way you’re gonna be able to fight’.”

McEwan on His Next Fight

The Greenock man won all three of his Cage Warriors bouts in 2022 and was looking to make it four from four in the promotion against Duijs.

McEwan is now looking towards July as a potential date for his return to the cage.

He said: “I’m not sure what specific date, obviously there is a few dates in July.

“Obviously, I was down at the show [Cage Warriors 152] and we spoke to Cage Warriors and July will definitely be the time for me to get back into it.

“July is, I think, 10 or 11 weeks away so there’s still plenty of time and I could be doing with the time to rest the infection but I did put a whole fight camp in and like I said, that fight consumed me so I need to make sure I rest myself physically and mentally in preparation for whatever date in July they give me.”