Andre Lima: More Than a Bite Victim

Order Now! UFC 302 “Makhachev vs. Poirier” Saturday at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+

Advertisement

Andre Lima wants to be remembered for much more than the bizarre manner in which his Ultimate Fighting Championship debut concluded.

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.”

Order Now! UFC 302 “Makhachev vs. Poirier” Saturday at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+

Raposo steps in as a short-notice replacement for Nyamjargal Tumendemberel, who, in turn, was scheduled to fill in for Hyun Sung Park. Lima relishes the opportunity to compete, no matter the circumstances. Raposo heads into his promotional debut on the strength of a four-fight winning streak. The 25-year-old Fall River, Massachusetts, native last appeared at a Cage Titans Fighting Championship show on Jan. 27, when he put away Justin Valentin with fourth-round punches and captured the organization’s vacant flyweight crown. Raposo suffered his only career defeat on Dana White’s Contender Series, as he bowed to a rear-naked choke from Jake Hadley in October 2021.

“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.”

Order Now! UFC 302 “Makhachev vs. Poirier” Saturday at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+