"He's a nice guy" - Nico Carrillo labels three-division conqueror Anatoly Malykhin 'the nicest person in martial arts'

Nico Carrillo made a huge impact in 2023 as he emerged as one of the latest names to keep an eye on under the ONE Championship banner.

The Scotsman will have encountered some larger-than-life characters during his rapid rise to the top of the ONE bantamweight Muay Thai division.

In a recent interview with the South China Morning Post, he was asked to name who he would award with the title of being the nicest person in martial arts.

His pick went to one man who may appear to be a ruthless force of nature, but he's one of the most energetic and positive guys on the roster.

Three-weight world champion Anatoly Malykhin is one hell of a character, and it shows every single time he arrives for fight week.

Carrillo echoed that sentiment in his recent interview:

"The nicest person in martial arts? The nicest person... hey, you know what, big Anatoly is quite a character. He's a bit mental but he's a nice guy. He's always talked to you and I know he's a nice guy. So I'll say big Anatoly."

Watch the full interview below:

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Nico Carrillo is making a lot of noise in ONE Championship

It's no surprise to see how well Nico Carrillo has fitted in as part of the ONE Championship family when you take a look at the past year of his career.

'The King of the North' has left such an impression with each one of his performances inside the Circle.

While he may be yet to become a belt collector like Anatoly Malykhin, ONE appears to have been a perfect fit for Carrillo.

Crucially, it also appears to have arrived in his life at the perfect time when he is already competing at the highest level.