Report: Igor da Silva’s Purse Withheld After Biting Incident at UFC on ESPN 53

It just keeps getting worse for Igor da Silva.

According to a report from MMAFighting.com, da Silva had his fight purse withheld by the Nevada State Athletic Commission after biting Andre Lima’s arm in the second round of their flyweight clash at UFC on ESPN 53 this past Saturday. Da Silva, who is commonly referred to as Igor Severino, was disqualified at the 2:52 mark of Round 2 once it was determined there were bite marks on Lima’s arm.

It is unclear how much da Silva was set to earn because purses are no longer disclosed by the Nevada State Athletic Commission. Da Silva was subsequently cut by the UFC, and he could face further discipline at the next NSAC meeting. A similar incident in combat sports occurred on June 28, 1997, when Mike Tyson bit off part of Evander Holyfield’s ear in their boxing rematch. As a result, Tyson had his boxing license revoked — it was reinstated on appeal in 1998 — and he was fined $3 million.

Da Silva, who at 20 years old was the second-youngest fighter on the UFC roster, has yet to issue a statement on the situation. The Brazilian prospect had been victorious in his first eight professional appearances prior to Saturday night, earning a contract with the promotion thanks to a second-round stoppage of Jhonata Silva on Dana White's Contender Series in September 2023.

Lima, meanwhile, reaped the benefits of the bite in the aftermath. In addition to his first UFC triumph, “Mascote” received a $50,000 “Bite of the Night” bonus from the promotion, in part because he elected to get a commemorative tattoo where the bite occurred.