ESPN There was a bite fight in the UFC as Igor Severino clamps his teeth onto André Lima's biceps.
There was a bite fight in the UFC on Saturday, March 23 and it left one athlete disqualified, beaten and cut from the organization forever.
It all went down at the UFC Apex, an event Heavy attended on March 23, which was broadcast on ESPN+.
Igor Severino and Andre Lima fought the second of 13 fights on the entire card but their flyweight fight was called off early because of Severino’s foul.
Severino had begun the fight in good form having landed 24 of 48 strikes, with four successful takedowns from six attempted.
But things quickly went south in the second round when Severino bit Lima so hard that he left two whole rows of teeth marks on his opponent’s biceps.
Andre Lima picks up the win over Igor Severino due to a DQ from Severino, who bit Lima’s arm 😳 #UFCVegas89
The bite prompted referee Chris Tognoni to withdraw Severino from the bout.
Dana White Boots Severino From UFC
But that would have been the least of Severino’s concerns as the UFC boss Dana White had a far greater punishment in mind for the Brazilian.
Speaking to Kevin Iole via the veteran reporter’s self-named website, White said he’s booted Severino out from his organization.
“Those were two up-and-coming undefeated fighters,” said White.
“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.”
White added: “Now, you get cut and lose the biggest opportunity of your life.”
White finished by implying that Severino will encounter “real problems” with the Nevada State Athletic Commission, the sport’s regulatory body.
Lima, by contrast, received a performance-related bonus.
UFC commentator Brandon Fitzgerald, during the broadcast on ESPN+, said: “Dana White also told us he’ll get the first ever ‘Bite Bonus.’
“So, he’s going to give him a little extra something; Andre Lima — getting the first ever ‘Bite Bonus’,” in the UFC, Fitzgerald said.
Andre Lima will receive a fight night bonus after being bitten during his UFC debut. #UFCVegas89
Lima: ‘I Yelped as I Felt Pain’
“We were exchanging really well at that point and then he, well, tried to take me down, but I got up, and as I was getting up, I yelped as felt pain,” Lima told Heavy and other reporters backstage, after the official announcement of his win via disqualification.
“[It] was very sharp pain,” Lima added. “I really thought that the fence had gotten into me. That’s how I thought it happened.”
Lima told us he started yelling and saying “ow, ow, ow!” before telling the referee that he thought there was something wrong with the fence.
“Especially the way the fight was going — it had potential to be fight of the night,” Lima said.
“Later, I realized he bit me.”
The flyweight fight between Lima and Severino was not the only headline-worthy moment from the preliminary section of the show.
Julian Erosa beat Ricardo Ramos in the first round with a guillotine choke, and Jarno Errens prevailed in a three-round war with Steven Nguyen.
The UFC Fight Night was a 13-bout show with a headline match between women’s flyweight rivals Amanda Ribas and Rose Namajunas.
Other popular fighters on the card included Cameron Saaiman, who fought Payton Talbott at bantamweight, and Billy Quarantillo who fought Youssef Zalal in a featherweight bout.