NAC Rejects Plea Deal for UFC Fighter Who Bit Opponent
Sports Commission Seeks Harsher Penalty for Brazilian Fighter
The Unthinkable Act
In his UFC debut, Brazilian fighter Igor Severino did the unthinkable—biting his opponent, resulting in immediate disqualification. This controversial incident was set to be addressed at the monthly meeting of the Nevada Athletic Commission (NAC).
Decision at the Nevada Athletic Commission
Despite a proposed settlement between the Nevada Attorney General’s Office and Severino’s legal team, which included a six-month suspension (retroactive from the incident) and a fine of $3,314 (about 36,500 SEK), the NAC voted against the proposal. This fine represented 30% of his base salary of $10,000, along with legal fees.
Commission’s Concerns
The NAC expressed serious concerns regarding the leniency of the proposed suspension. Commissioner Anthony Marnell highlighted the dangerous precedent that approving such a punishment might set:
“I fear that by accepting this, we’re setting a precedent for this kind of behavior—six months on record and that’s the guideline moving forward,” Marnell commented. “I don’t agree with just six months. What UFC decides is up to them. He might go to Bellator. But if we set the precedent that you can bite someone in the ring and only get six months off, which is essentially no punishment—since a fighter usually competes only twice a year—it’s no real penalty besides the fine. The bigger issue is the precedent we set for the future. If it happens again, it’s six months. That’s incredibly risky for this commission.”
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Outcome and Reactions
Following the incident, Severino was disqualified and swiftly lost his UFC contract. He has expressed deep regret, claiming no memory of the incident. Meanwhile, Andre Lima, the bitten opponent, has forgiven Severino. In a twist, Lima tattooed the bite mark and even received a substantial “Bite of the Night” bonus from the UFC president.
“I fear that by accepting this, we’re setting a precedent for this kind of behavior—six months on record and that’s the guideline moving forward,” – Anthony Marnell, Nevada Athletic Commission.
“He might go to Bellator. But if we set the precedent that you can bite someone in the ring and only get six months off, which is essentially no punishment—since a fighter usually competes only twice a year—it’s no real penalty besides the fine. The bigger issue is the precedent we set for the future. If it happens again, it’s six months. That’s incredibly risky for this commission.” – Anthony Marnell, Nevada Athletic Commission.
This article provides an insight into a unique disciplinary case within the UFC, highlighting the challenges sports commissions face in maintaining discipline and setting precedents for future conduct.
🚨Igor Severino has been suspended for 6 months by the NSAC and fined a total of $3,314.08 for biting Andre Lima at UFC Vegas 89:#UFC #MMA https://t.co/mjFHGgNvdL pic.twitter.com/dhtHCFd3GW
— FightCrack (@FightCrack) April 30, 2024
