Andre Lima: More Than a Bite Victim
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Some two months after Igor da Silva was disqualified for biting him, the undefeated 25-year-old Brazilian will return to the Octagon to confront Mitch Roposo as part of the UFC 302 undercard this Saturday at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. Lima hopes to put the da Silva incident behind him, even though a post-fight tattoo—it outlines the bite mark below his left biceps—serves as an enduring reminder.
“Everything was going well until my opponent bit me, as everyone
saw,” Lima told Sherdog.com. “The fight wrapped up in the second
round, so I wasn’t able to show everything I trained to do. It
doesn’t bother me. Some folks felt I was losing the second round,
even though they also felt I won the first. In my mind, I was still
going to win that fight. I damaged him more in the first round, and
prior to being taken down in the second, I landed two good elbows
on him.
“Of course, I wished to win in a different way, but the result would have been the same,” he added. “I believe this next time around I’ll be able to show my work.”
“He’s my third opponent for this card,” Lima said. “He’s someone who’s competed in wrestling since he was young, but he prefers to strike. I believe this matchup favors me, as he’ll want to keep it standing. I also believe I’m a step ahead in jiu-jitsu. His loss by submission shows me that. I can also submit him after showcasing my striking arsenal.”
Even as he makes short-term gains, Lima remains focused on his long-term goals.
“I wish to take things one step at a time,” he said. “I want to put on good fights. My first goal is to break into the Top 15 in the UFC after three or four wins. Then we’ll see what the future holds.”
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