- Igor Severino was disqualified during the second round against Andre Lima
- It was claimed that Severino bit Lima and left a gruesome mark on his left bicep
- Lima marked the bizarre incident in Vegas by getting a tattoo of the bite mark
Andre Lima marked his extraordinary victory over Igor Severino by getting a tattoo on the spot where he was reportedly bitten.
The two flyweights clashed at UFC Vegas 89 on Saturday night, but the fight was stopped after Lima complained to referee Chris Tognoni.
In an incident that brought back memories of Mike Tyson’s ‘bite fight’ against Evander Holyfield in 1997, Severino and Lima were locked in a struggle against the cage before Lima began shouting and signaling to the official.
It was alleged that Severino bit Lima – who held his arm up to reveal a gruesome mark on his left bicep – with Severino subsequently disqualified after Tognoni consulted the jury.
And after the fight, Lima – who earned his first UFC win in the process – went to a local tattoo studio to give himself a permanent reminder of the bizarre incident.
Andre Lima got a bizarre tattoo of the bite marks left by UFC Vegas 89 opponent Igor Severino
Lima had won the fight on Saturday night after Severino was disqualified for his actions
Lima shows off the gruesome bite wound he suffered during the flyweight fight in Las Vegas
In the aftermath, UFC CEO Dana White reportedly promised Lima a $25,000 (£19,842) bonus for his troubles.
Lima’s new ink showed the marks and took a playful stab at White’s promise, circled by the words “I Got F***ing Bit Bonus.”
On Instagram, White doubled his proposed bonus after seeing Lima’s tattoo, saying: ‘I wanted to give him 25k @andremascote. Now I give him 50,000 euros (£39,685). This is amazing!’
Severino has also reportedly been suspended by the UFC following his disqualification, White said KevinIole.com: “If you get frustrated and want to get out of the fight, there are plenty of ways to do that, but the worst thing you can do is bite your opponent,” he said.
‘Now you are suspended and you lose the biggest opportunity of your life. Not to mention he’s going to be in real trouble with the NSAC (Nevada State Athletic Commission).”
Severino – who made his UFC debut in Sin City – tried to deny nipping his opponent when confronted by the referee.
But the Brazilian’s protests were in vain. He is believed to be the first ever UFC fighter to be disqualified for biting his opponent. In fact, biting was one of the few restrictions put in place when the UFC was founded thirty years ago.
“You bit him,” Tognoni told Severino, who insisted: “No.”
UFC chief Dana White loved Lima’s new tattoo and promised to double his proposed bonus
Lima shows off referee Chris Tognoni’s injury during the second round of the fight
Severino – making his UFC debut – tried to deny nipping his opponent
“Yes, you bit him,” the referee continued before explaining to one of the flyweight team, “Explain to him: any time there is an imprint on the upper and lower teeth, that is a bite.”
The defeat is the first of Severino’s professional career in mixed martial arts.
Lima, who was also making his UFC debut, told ESPN afterwards: “I was able to hit him really hard, but then he bit me when I tried to take him down.
“I wanted to keep damaging him, keep touching him and end the fight, but as you saw, that’s why I screamed. He bit me.’