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Igor Severino recently addressed getting disqualified in his fight against Andre Lima at UFC Vegas 89 due to biting. Due to the severity of the incident, the fight was immediately stopped and Severino was cut from the UFC with his purse being withheld by the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC).
The 20-year-old Brazilian earned his spot on a UFC Fight Night card by impressing the brass with his performance against Jhonata Silva on Dana White's Contender Series last year. Severino notably finished his opponent in the second round.
After winning an opportunity to fight in the UFC's flyweight division, Igor Severino was booked against Andre Lima earlier this month. Given that he held his own in the opening round of the fight, the Brazilian's decision to sink his teeth into his opponent's arm surprised many.
In a recent interview with MMA Junkie, Igor Severino finally broke his silence on the incident and addressed his mistake. He said:
"My dream became a nightmare overnight. I’m very regretful to my opponent. I apologize to [Lima], to Dana [White], to the Nevada Athletic Commission, to Sean Shelby, who spoke to me after the fight, to Mick [Maynard] – everyone in the organization – and the fans. Sorry to everyone who was watching that on TV. They didn’t deserve to see that."
He also revealed that MMA fans have been targeting his family in the aftermath and continued:
"They have been going after my loved ones. They’re disrespecting them. There have been death threats... People are acting like I killed somebody, like I’m a criminal."
Andre Lima on Igor Severino getting cut from the UFC after biting incident
UFC flyweight Andre Lima recently spoke about his fight against Igor Severino at UFC Vegas 89 and addressed getting bitten by his fellow compatriot. Lima harbored no hard feelings for Severino and called his punishment too harsh.
During an interview with TMZ Sports (via MMA Junkie), Lima pointed out that Severino had a tough upbringing just like him and had to struggle to get by. He said:
“I feel so sorry, to be honest. I’m sad for him because he came from the same thing. He struggled a lot like I did. He has a family. He has a bright future. …I feel so much for him because I know the same journey I have, he has too. I feel bad for him.”
Watch the full video below:
After the Lima-Severino fight, Dana White announced that Lima had been awarded a $50,000 'Bite of the Night' bonus. Lima also got the bite marks on his arm tattooed in with ink.
