Brazilian prospect Igor Severino has a new fighting home after signing with Oktagon MMA following his release from the UFC after biting his opponent in his octagon debut.
Promotion officials confirmed the news to MMA Fighting on Tuesday.
At just 21 years old, Severino sports an 8-1 record in his career, but it’s that lone loss that stands out on his resume after he was disqualified for biting Andre Lima at a UFC Fight Night event back in March.
As a result, Severino was almost immediately cut from the UFC roster and admonished for his unsportsmanlike conduct while Lima embraced the viral moment by getting the bite marks tattooed on his arm.
Following his disqualification loss and release from the UFC, Severino was punished by the Nevada Athletic Commission for the foul that cost him his job. Initially, Severino agreed to a six-month suspension but a majority of the commissioners believed that the punishment wasn’t harsh enough because that set a precedent for any future incidents.
Ultimately, Severino was suspended for nine months along with a $2,000 fine and $471.12 in prosecution fees paid to the state of Nevada.
Based on the nine-month suspension, Severino is eligible to fight again after Dec. 23.
After serving his sentence, Severino can resume his career after signing to compete in Oktagon MMA.
