“Chapter 1 of the new year” - Nico Carrillo ready to claim interim bantamweight Muay Thai gold in his first match of 2025

Nico Carrillo is already looking at a potential gold rush in 2025.

The Scottish knockout monster is set for his first shot at gold when he takes on Nabil Anane for the ONE interim bantamweight Muay Thai world title at the stacked ONE 170 card on Jan. 24 at Impact Arena.

Anane, though, wasn't the original opponent Carrillo had.

Carrillo was supposed to challenge double-champ Superlek Kiatmoo9 for the ONE bantamweight Muay Thai world title, but the Thai megastar had to pull out of the card after suffering an injury in training camp.

Nevertheless, Nico Carrillo is determined to capture interim gold against Anane in Bangkok.

He posted on Instagram:

"Chapter 1 of the new year. The year of the KOTN [King of the North]."

Carrillo embarked on a violent four-fight winning streak, with all four of his wins coming via concussive knockout.

The 5-foot-10 Scotsman sent Furkan Karabag, Muangthai PK Saenchai, former ONE bantamweight Muay Thai world champion Nong-O Hama, and Saemapetch Fairtex to the shadow realm en route to his world title challenge against Superlek.

An injury to Superlek, who also holds the ONE flyweight kickboxing world title, ultimately derailed Carrillo's plan.

Carrillo needs to get past the surging Anane, who's on a five-fight winning streak, if he wants to face Superlek in a potential world title unification match at ONE 172 on March 23 at the historic Saitama Super Arena.

---

Nico Carrillo says he was destined for world title success in ONE Championship

Nico Carrillo always knew he was meant for the pantheon of ONE Championship's greatest-ever fighters.

In an interview with the promotion, Carrillo admitted that his goal one day was to challenge for a piece of ONE Championship gold.

Carrillo always went all-in every time he stepped between the ropes, and that dogged determination ultimately landed him a shot at the world's biggest stage.

He said:

"This is why I signed with ONE. I told my fiancee, before ONE even knew who I was, that I was going to be the biggest star in the organization. I’ve always had that vision.”