MMA star reveals he has received death threats after being cut from the UFC by Dana White for BITING his opponent

Brazilian MMA star Igor Severino has revealed he's received online death threats after being disqualified for biting his opponent during a fight last month.

Severino, 20, faced his fellow countryman Andre Lima in a flyweight bout at UFC Vegas 89, but the fight was brought to an abrupt halt in the second round when Severino bit into Lima's bicep while attempting a takedown.

He was swiftly disqualified, and was cut from the UFC by the organisation's president Dana White within hours.

He has received backlash in the days since the incident, and Severino claimed threats had been made to him and his family. 

'My social media was flooded with hateful comments, mean messages, people angry at what happened, and also threats,' he told MMA Fighting.

Igor Severino bit Andre Lima during their fight at UFC Vegas 89 last month

Lima was left with a gruesome bite mark on his bicep, while Severino was disqualified

Severino (pictured) has now been cut from the UFC, and revealed he has also received death threats

'I started to digest all that and feel bad too. I’ve made a mistake and I apologise to everyone. 

'I’m sad because the internet is so polluted. I’ve made a mistake and I’m willing to pay for this mistake, recognise this mistake, but I haven’t killed anyone, I haven’t caused any harm or committed any crime, you know?

'To see people threaten me, threaten my family, makes me really sad and apprehensive, afraid. It leaves me heartbroken.'

Reflecting on the bite itself, Severino was at a loss to explain why it happened.

'There’s no plausible explanation [for the bite], right?' he said

'I remember exchanging strikes with him, a close fight, but I was in autopilot mode after that elbow.

'I don’t remember anything after that, the things I’ve said.

'I only started getting back to myself at the hotel, after a long while, and my team showed me the video of what I’ve done, and there’s no explanation.'

Severino was unbeaten before being disqualified against Lima, having won his previous eight fights.

Dana White cut Severino from the UFC, but the Brazilian star hopes he will be given a second chance

He opened up on the sacrifices he made to make it to the UFC, and still hopes he will get a shot at redemption in the future.  

'I left my family as a teenager and spent two years without seeing my parents and my brother, working toward my dream, and managed to get to [Dana White's] Contender [Series] and the UFC,' he explained.

'That was a dream come true, and now it’s gone like this. That hurts me inside. I could have a long future in the organization, but I’ll own my mistakes and try to come back.

'I hope it’s not a long suspension. I want to come back [to the UFC], I still have a lot to show.'