Midnight Mania! ‘Regretful’ Biter Breaks Silence

Bringing you the weird and wild from the world of MMA each and every weeknight!

Welcome to Midnight Mania!

UFC Vegas 89 went down last weekend (Sat. March 23, 2024) from the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada, and it was mostly a pretty standard night of action. The main and co-main event were a bit dull, but the rest of the card featured some great finishes, as well as a pair of really standout performances by Payton Talbott and Youssef Zalal.

Undoubtedly, the biggest story of the evening came from the “Prelims.” In unexpected fashion, an early Flyweight bout between Igor Severino and Andre Lima started really well with back-and-forth kickboxing action. Lima pulled off to an early lead, but Severino was very much in the fight when he suddenly decided to bite his opponent.

In an instant, the fight was over. Severino was unceremoniously disqualified and later that evening cut from the promotion. The Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) is withholding his purse, and he’ll likely face a suspension in addition to his UFC release. For a genuine prospect of just 20 years of age, it’s a devastating turn of events that all stemmed from one awful decision.

The better part of a week later, Severino has broken his silence in an interview with MMA Junkie. In his first interview since the incident, Severino talks about quite a few topics, but his primary message is one of regret and apology.

“I come from humble beginnings,” 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.”

A big part of Severino’s regret stems from the fact that he doesn’t remember making the decision to bite Lima. According to the Brazilian, an elbow from Lima midway through the first hurt him badly, and he doesn’t remember much afterward. Since then, he’s faced a lot of online hate and threats towards him and his family.

One unexpected source of kindness in the whole situation has been Lima. His countryman has urged mercy, asking that UFC give Severino a second chance.

“He had every right to condemn me and to surf the wave of this moment, he’s extending his hand to me,” Severino said in response to Lima’s support. “He’s saying he doesn’t want me to be cut. He’s saying he would even offer me a rematch, and that things shouldn’t go like this. I can’t express how much admiration I’ve gained from him, how much respect I’ve gained from him. Someone who was so honorable and so graceful toward me, I just wish him the best things in the world. I don’t wish to rematch him, actually. If he ever needs a sparring partner for one of his fights, he can call me any time and I’ll be available.”

There is still some hope for Severino. This is a business of short memories and second chances. UFC CEO Dana White will hate a fighter then eventually induct him into the Hall of Fame. Heavyweight pioneer Gilbert Yvel bit people, attacked referees, and has three losses via disqualification, but he still made a UFC debut in 2010!

Severino is hoping for such a chance himself.

He concluded, “I know things look pretty bad for me right now, and I just want people to see the person that I am, to see that’s not who I am as a fighter or as a person. 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.”

Insomnia

Sean Strickland reacts to the Dricus Du Plessis vs. Israel Adesanya at UFC 305 rumors:

Tai Tuivasa is getting into the marijuana business!

When Georges St. Pierre talks, a wise man listens. “Rush” knows a thing or two about fighting!

With the Flyweight title fight booked, Muhammad Mokaev wants Kai Kara-France next.

Featherweight action added to the Apex in June:

MMA Twitter is convinced that — based on current Heavyweight match ups — Ciryl Gane vs. Marcin Tybura is heading to France.

I feel like this is staged, but I’m choosing to believe otherwise.

Slips, rips, and KO clips

I have to agree with the Twitter caption: this is very clean work! Great hip pivot.

It turns out shuffling strangely towards your opponent without throwing punches is not the ideal way to start a fight.

Shooting deeper into an already tight guillotine probably isn’t the best decision either, but at least Park has the excuse of getting rocked first.

Random Land

This game doesn’t have fall damage.

Midnight Music: Grunge, 1994

Sleep well Maniacs! More martial arts madness is always on the way.