Max Holzer says Igor Severino “had to bite his opponent like a little bitch” in the UFC
Severino, disqualified for biting Andre Lima in 2024, answered at the OKTAGON 97 press conference: “I did my mistakes, but I also was punished for them.”
Max Holzer went at Igor Severino's UFC disqualification at Friday's OKTAGON 97 press conference in Hannover, the day before he challenges the Brazilian for the bantamweight title in front of his home crowd.
Asked about their heated face-off that morning, Holzer answered in German, and the press conference interpreter gave his words in English: “At the end of the day, he does not respect what I stand for and what I have accomplished.” In the UFC, he said, Severino “had to bite his opponent like a little bitch”.
Holzer said Severino “didn't respect my win against Taha, who is also a UFC veteran”, and claimed of the champion's last opponent: “he had to punch in the balls to make the fight end.” He added: “he will find out that it's a different story on Saturday night.”
Severino was disqualified for biting Andre Lima on the left arm in the second round of their flyweight fight at UFC Vegas 89 in March 2024, and was cut by the UFC. He has since taken the nickname “The Hannibal”. His last fight, his first title defence against Zhalgas Zhumagulov at OKTAGON 89 in June, ended in a second-round no contest after a low blow.
Severino answered through the interpreter: “Well, this is all past. I came later than him and I turned champion, so why didn't he turn champion first? I did my mistakes, but I also was punished for them... and I will show him tomorrow.” Earlier he said: “I came from another continent to defend what's mine and for a real war.”
In OKTAGON's build-up video for the fight, shown at Friday's weigh-in, Severino told Holzer: “I'm going to kill you, I mean it.”
Holzer, 24, is 12-0 and stopped Khalid Taha in the first round of the OKTAGON 88 main event in May. Severino, 23, is 10-1 with one no contest and won the vacant title at OKTAGON 85 in Hamburg in March, stopping Khurshed Kakhorov in the second round. The title fight tops Saturday's card at the ZAG Arena, which starts at 5pm UK time and streams on OKTAGON.TV.
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