Tarnished UFC Athlete Embracing Darker character Image, Post-Suspension
Tarnished UFC Athlete Embracing Darker character Image, Post-Suspension
Igor Severino was given a nine-month suspension and was let go by the UFC after biting opponent Andre Lima during a fight in March. Severino was heavily criticized in the media and by the general public as a result of his actions, and rightly so.
Since the backlash started, Severino has chosen to embrace his negative image by wearing the Hannibal Lecter mask made famous by Sir Anthony Hopkins in the Silence of the Lambs movie.
For those not in the know, Lecter is a fictional cannibalistic serial killer in the film, inspired by a real-life serial killer named Alfredo Ballí Trevino. The similarity in Severino's name and the real-life killer's is a bit strange.
According to Severino, "the bite went viral." He plans to wear the Lecter mask during his cage walk for his upcoming fight at OKTAGON 65 on December 29 in Prague.
"It was a worldwide mess, wasn't it?," Severino said, translating his comments through MMA Fighting and Guillermo Cruz. "It caught the attention of a news channel that usually doesn't report on fights, and they talked about it. Now I'm using it to my advantage. People said, ‘oh, I wanted you to do something involving this' but I thought it was too recent. I was going to wait for it to blow over. I put on the mask, took a wave, made a joke about whether I was going to bite again or not. But that was just a joke. It wasn't going to happen again. I'm going in with the mask more for the show. But I don't intend to take that nickname for myself because there are many athletes with that nickname. It's normal to see guys with it. I want something in the future that will be just mine. So, you know, I'm not sure yet, but I'm going in with the mask for my walk."
I'm all for turning lemons into lemonade, but this move seems a bit strange. One MMA fan told me, "this is a blueprint for how not to get your job back."
I responded, "the UFC doesn't adhere to those kinds of rules." If Severino can pull off his gimmick, attract attention, build a following–and most importantly–win, he'll be back in the UFC.
We shouldn't forget, Severino earned his spot in the UFC's roster with a knockout victory over Jhonata Silva on the Contender Series in September 2023. The bite fight with Lima was his first bout as a part of the UFC's main roster.
Severino is only 21. People make mistakes. Young people tend to make more.
We get punished for our mistakes and are given the opportunity to prove that we've changed. If Severino can make it back to the UFC, that'll be his second chance.
Severino will face Jonas Mågård in his first opportunity, and you can buy the event here. If you're like me and are craving some MMA action with the UFC on a break for three weeks, you might want to take a look.
Igor Severino mentioned that the bite during his fight with Andre Lima went viral, leading to his decision to wear the Hannibal Lecter mask during his cage walk for his upcoming fight at OKTAGON 65.
Alfredo Ballí Trevino, a real-life serial killer, served as inspiration for the fictional character Hannibal Lecter, whose mask Igor Severino now dons.
Despite the controversy surrounding his UFC suspension for biting Andre Lima, Severino earned his spot in the UFC's roster with a knockout victory over Jhonata Silva on the Contender Series in September 2023.
In his first opportunity back in the UFC, Severino will face Jonas Mağård at OKTAGON 65, offering an intriguing match-up for MMA fans craving action during the UFC's three-week break.