Fighter fired from UFC for biting opponent adopts movie villain look for MMA return

Igor Severino was cut from the UFC after biting an opponent. Photo: Instagram / Igor Severino

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After being fired from the UFC for biting his opponent, Igor Severino is back in the octagon. The 21-year-old returns to action this Sunday to face Jonas Magard at Oktagon 65 in the Czech Republic. Although the bite cost him his contract with the biggest event in the world, the Brazilian used the repercussion to reformulate his persona as a fighter and embraced the villain look known in the movies.

In an interview with MMA Fighting, Severino explained that the biting incident quickly spread around the world and now he is taking advantage of this attention to have fun, using the Hannibal Lecter mask as a joke. However, he made it clear that he does not intend to repeat the mistake.

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“The bite went viral all over the world. News channels that had nothing to do with MMA were talking about it, so now I’m using it to my advantage. I have the mask, I’m having fun, but it’s just a joke, it won’t happen again,” Severino said with a laugh.

Severino reflects on suspension and says he never thought about retiring

Severino, who secured his UFC contract with a knockout on Dana White's Contender Series, said he never stopped training during his suspension and never considered retiring despite the online attacks and his release from the organization. The fighter said he was not too affected by the criticism and used the experience to learn.

“I really wasn’t that affected by any of it. People worried that I might want to quit or something after being cut by the UFC, but I never considered that. I learned a lot from all of this. It helped me see who was on my side and who wasn’t,” Severino said.

At 21 years old, Igor Severino has eight career wins, all without going to a judges' decision. The fighter, who has four knockouts and four submissions, suffered his only defeat when biting his opponent André Lima during a UFC fight in March.