UFC CEO Dana White has shared his thoughts on the controversy that ensued in the Andre Lima vs. Igor Severino fight at UFC Vegas 89 on March 23.
White sent a text message to keviniole.com where he weighed in on the biting incident that took place at the UFC Apex in Paradise, Nevada. The 54-year-old criticized Severino's actions and said the UFC would be cutting ties with him.
"Those were two up-and-coming undefeated fighters. If you get frustrated and want out of the fight, there are plenty of ways to do it, but the worst thing you can do is bite your opponent. Now, you get cut and lose the biggest opportunity of your life. Not to mention, he's going to have real problems with the NSAC."
The prelims encounter featured two undefeated Brazilian fighters from 'Dana White's Contender Series'. Lima and Severino locked horns in a flyweight clash in the second fight of the night at UFC Vegas 89. The fight ended on a bizarre note in the second round when Severino bit his opponent in the arm.
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This resulted in Severino being disqualified and Lima was declared the winner.
Biting is a very rare occurence in the world of combat sports. So, Severino's actions came as a shock to many in the MMA world.
One of the most notorious incidents of biting took place in the boxing ring when Mike Tyson and Evader Holyfield competed in a rematch for the WBA heavyweight title in June 1997.
In the third round of the clash, 'Iron Mike' infamously bit his opponent's ear, which led to him being disqualified and losing the fight.