Ex-UFC Flyweight Igor da Silva Suspended 9 Months for Biting Foe

Igor da Silva has been suspended nine months for biting Andre Lima during the bout at UFC on ESPN 53 on March 23.

The 21-year-old Brazilian was also fined $2,000. The sanctions were announced during a Nevada State Athletic Commission meeting on Tuesday. Da Silva’s suspension is retroactive to the date of his fight, which means he would be eligible to return on Dec. 23.

During a previous commission meeting, Nevada deputy attorney general Matthew Feeley proposed a six-month term for da Silva, who is commonly known as Igor Severino. However, the commision rejected that proposal out of concern that a relatively short term might set a bad precedent for future incidents. While it was initially recommended that da Silva’s suspension be extended to one year, the NSAC ultimately settled on nine months.

Da Silva was released from the UFC for the bite, which occurred at the 2:52 mark of Round 2 and left a visible mark on Lima’s arm. Silva began his professional career with eight straight triumphs, earning a UFC contract on Dana White's Contender Series in September 2023.