Nico Carrillo’s First Title Defense Brings Back The Man Who Dropped Him Three Times
Nico Carrillo has rebuilt almost everything since January 2025. Now the one result he has never been able to erase is standing in his way.
“King of the North” makes his first defense of the ONE Featherweight Muay Thai World Title against Nabil Anane at The Inner Circle 43 on Friday, December 18, at Bangkok’s Lumpinee Stadium. The rematch streams for subscribers at live.onefc.com.
Their first meeting came at ONE 170, when the Scot arrived on a 15-fight winning streak and one of the most feared reputations in the sport. Anane, just 20 at the time, floored him three times and finished him in the opening round to win the ONE Interim Bantamweight Muay Thai World Title.
Carrillo answered by moving up to featherweight, where he has gone 4-0. He stopped Sitthichai Sitsongpeenong and Luke “The Chef” Lessei, then outworked Shadow Mavinn over five rounds at ONE Fight Night 40 in February to claim interim gold.
When Tawanchai PK Saenchai vacated the title in July, the Deachkalek Muay Thai Academy representative was elevated to undisputed champion. In August, he also opened his kickboxing account with a second-round knockout of Zhou “Qilin” Jiaqiang at ONE Fight Night 46.
Anane’s path since their first fight has been less straightforward. He outpointed “The Kicking Machine” Superlek and was later elevated to undisputed bantamweight Muay Thai king, but Rambolek Chor Ajalaboon took that belt and Suakim Pongsuphan PK edged him in August.
The Algerian-Thai star got back on track with a unanimous decision over Yuki Yoza at ONE SAMURAI 4 earlier this month. Now the #3-ranked bantamweight Muay Thai contender moves up in weight with a chance to go 2-0 against Carrillo.
The rematch shares top billing with a strawweight Muay Thai title unification bout between Prajanchai Pongsuphan PK and Aliff Sor Dechapan. Together, they give the card two world title fights.
For Carrillo, the meaning is simple. A win would square the series, put a trilogy firmly on the table, and let him chase his two-sport ambitions without the shadow of that first night hanging over him.
READ MORE: “Let Them Fight”- Islam Makhachev Explains Why He Didn’t Fight Carlos Prates Amid Criticism
Recent posts
