The Nevada Athletic Commission found “no conclusive video evidence” of a groin strike to overturn the official result between Jamie Pickett and Bo Nickall at UFC 285.
Pickett’s rep, LaMont Chappell, on Wednesday told MMA Fighting he is undecided on appealing the result after speaking with the Nevada Athletic Commission, which regulated this past Saturday’s pay-per-event at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Chappell initially told MMA Junkie he planned to contest the result, but said he will make a final decision on Thursday.
NAC Executive Director Jeff Mullen told MMA Fighting that Pickett is still welcome to appeal. But he said he informed Chappell on Wednesday that the commission reviewed the fight cageside, including the sequence where Pickett said referee Keith Peterson missed an illegal knee to the groin from Nickal, and determined they “did not find indisputable video evidence that showed the knee strike hit the groin from the video angles we were provided.”
“The review official cannot overturn the in-cage referees decision without indisputable video evidence,” wrote Mullen via text message.
In general, the NAC cannot overturn an official result unless it is proven there is collusion, a scoring error, or a misapplication of the rules. The latter is most frequently used to contest results, which is why the commission appointed a review official for controversial calls.
Nickal submitted Picket via arm-triangle choke at the 2:54 mark of the first round. When informed that Chappell intended to appeal the result, the undefeated up-and-comer denied illegally kneeing his opponent and added he wasn’t a “cheater.”
In an interview Wednesday with Middle Easy, Pickett claimed the NAC didn’t review the controversial sequence and blamed Peterson for missing the alleged foul.
“I just kind of felt like no one gave a damn about me or what I was doing,” he said. “They just wanted him to look good and you know he’s bringing the money, and I mean, I ain’t hating on nobody, I get it, you know, I’m expendable, he’s not, it is what it is. But I wish I could have capitalized the way I wanted to. But hey, I don’t want nothing bad for the guy.”
UPDATE: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated that Pickett manager Chappell would no longer appeal the decision. He said in a follow-up interview that his team plans to make a decision on Thursday.
MMA Fighting’s Mike Heck contributed to this report.