Igor Severino has spoken publicly for the first time since biting his opponent Andre Lima at UFC Vegas 89.
Severino was making his UFC debut at age 20, but in the second round, he bit his opponent and was disqualified from the fight. Not only was he disqualified, but he was immediately released from the promotion.
Severino had not spoken about the incident until tonight when he did his first post-event interview with MMAJunkie and admitted he is very regretful for his actions.
“I come from humble beginnings,” Igor Severino said. “I’ve been working since a very young age. I left my home as a teenager to come over to train and to get here. Then, to see all of this go away and in the way it did, it’s something that is not part of me. It’s not who I am as a person. That’s not who I am as a fighter. I just feel very regretful. It makes me very emotional and sad about it.
“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,” Severino added.
Igor Severino says he takes full responsibility for his actions and knows what he did was wrong. He also agrees with the UFC’s decision to release him for what he did, but the Brazilian is hopeful he can get his purse which is currently being withheld by the Nevada Athletic Commission.
“I did something wrong,” Severino said. “It’s right that I be punished. I got cut. I think that’s one of the worst things that could’ve happened. The commission withheld my purse, so I’m not even sure if I’ll get paid anything. I’m not sure what they’re even going to decide because this money isn’t even for me. It’s for my whole family that depends on me. Fighting is how I make ends meet, how I’m able to pay my rent. That’s how I’m able to pay for medicine. It’s how I’m able to take care of my sick family members, how I can support them to buy food, as well. That’s all that I know how to do. It’s all that I have to make a means to live.”
Igor Severino hopes he can eventually fight in the UFC again and redeem himself for what he did.
“Please just let me have a career again. … Please give me a chance to come back and redeem myself. Please let me show you all who I really am,” Severino concluded.
With the DQ loss, Igor Severino is now 8-1 as a pro and it’s uncertain when he will compete again following this incident.
