Igor Severino may always be remembered as the guy who got fired from the UFC for biting an opponent, but he wants to bounce back from this incident.
Severino, who faces a potential long-term suspension for his actions against Andre Lima at UFC Vegas 89, hopes to resume his MMA career and re-enter the UFC someday. But for now, he's also dealing with online hate and death threats.
The Brazilian talent is on MMA Fighting's list of fighters to watch in 2022 and joined the UFC after scoring an impressive knockout win in the promotion.Contender series Eighteen months later, he told MMA Fighting that he had no recollection of biting Lima because he was on “autopilot mode” after receiving an elbow to the head from Lima midway through the first round.
“There is no satisfactory explanation. [for the bite], right? ” I remember exchanging blows with him and it was a close fight, but after that elbow I was on autopilot. I don't remember anything I said after that,” Severino said. . I started to come to my senses for the first time in a while at the hotel, and the team showed me a video of what I had done, but there was no explanation.”
Watch the bite moment below.
Severino said UFC matchmaker Sean Shelby came to his locker room after the fight to talk to him and his team, but he doesn't remember the conversation. Severino has since been released by the UFC and his wallet has been seized by the Nevada State Athletic Commission pending an official hearing.
Additionally, when Severino checked his direct messages a few days after the incident, he found hundreds of messages of hate, abuse, and even death threats against him and his family.
“I started to regain consciousness in the hotel, but by then I was already hurt,” Severino said. I started digesting it all and felt sick too. I made a mistake and I apologize to everyone.
“I'm sad because the internet is so polluted. I made a mistake and I'm going to pay for this mistake, I admit this mistake, but I didn't kill anyone, I I haven't done any harm or committed a crime, you know? When I see people threatening me or threatening my family, it makes me really sad and anxious and I feel scared. It makes me sad.”
Severino and his team have saved hundreds of messages and are considering filing charges against these people. In the meantime, Severino has flown his parents from his hometown of Juliti to Bauru, where they live and train with Chute Boxe João Emilio.
Lima supported Severino after the fight, saying he “shouldn't be fired or let go by the UFC.”
“I'm just trying to process all of this and get back to normal life,” Severino said. “The most important thing is that we're OK with ourselves and that we get back to work and going out and living our normal lives. …I'm going to take another chance and get back up and show that it doesn't define me. I will try my best to do so.
“I have always done things the right way in life and always worked hard. I left my family as a teenager, spent two years without seeing my parents or older brother, and worked hard to achieve my dreams. I managed to pass the exam. candidate [Series] And the UFC. It was a dream come true and now it's gone like this. It hurts me. I may have a long future ahead of me with this organization, but I will admit my mistakes and try to come back.
“I hope it's not a long suspension. I want to go back. [to the UFC], I still have a lot to show you. A second chance is redemption because I still have a lot to evolve. I want to show my redemption to MMA fans, to UFC fans. I dream of returning to the UFC and building a career and righting this mistake I made. ”
