The California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) unanimously denied Thomson’s appeal of the result of his fight with Freire from Bellator 172 on Feb. 18 at its meeting Tuesday here.
Thomson lost by second-round knockout, but cited an illegal headbutt from Freire that dropped him in his appeal letter. Thomson believed that, while the headbutt did not directly cause the knockout, the illegal blow contributed significantly to his eventual loss and he was not given any time to recover after it.
In the course of the fight, referee John McCarthy did not halt the action when the incidental headbutt occurred, because it happened so quickly and McCarthy was unsure if a legal or illegal blow dropped Thomson.