Ex-UFC fighter Igor Severino suspended 9 months after biting his opponent
Igor Severino has been suspended for nine months after he was disqualified for biting his opponent Andre Lima back in March, which led to his release from the UFC.
In addition to his suspension, Severino must pay a $2,000 fine, which will be pulled out of his fight purse that was withheld after the event. He also has to pay $471.12 in prosecution fees.
The remainder of his fight purse will be returned to him after the fees are withdrawn.
The Nevada State Athletic Commission handed down the punishment during a monthly meeting on Tuesday, which comes one month after a prior adjudication agreement was denied when Severino was only expected to serve a six-month suspension.
This was the moment Severino bit (yes, I said bit) Lima. You can even hear him yelling in Portuguese “He bit me, he bit me!!! #UFCVegas89 pic.twitter.com/Qvq88ghSLg
— TheMMAfoo (@TheMMAfoo) March 23, 2024
At the time, Nevada State Athletic Commission chairman Anthony Marnell argued that the punishment wasn’t stiff enough because a six-month suspension sets a precedent, which means another fight could bite an opponent under the assumption that the penalty wouldn’t be that severe.
Ultimately, the commission returned with a nine month suspension instead, which is retroactive to the date of the bout on March 23. That means Severino could be cleared for competition after Dec. 23.
Severino was issued a temporary suspension after the incident first occurred so he obviously hasn’t competed since that fateful night in March. As a result of his actions, Severino was immediately removed from the UFC roster.
Now he’ll have to wait until at least December to book another fight as Severino attempts to resurrect his career following the ugly moment in his UFC debut.