FREE FULL FIGHT: Nico Carrillo bludgeons Thai star Saemapetch Fairtex in brutal knockout finish

As Nico Carrillo gears up for the biggest fight of his professional career to date, ONE Championship has revisited the emphatic performance that earned him a shot at Muay Thai gold.

“King of the North” made his case for a world title opportunity at ONE Fight Night 23 in July 2024, where he faced then-ranked contender Saemapetch Fairtex at Bangkok’s iconic Lumpinee Stadium.

Check out the highlights of that matchup below:

The Scottish sensation delivered a masterclass, dismantling the Thai powerhouse in front of a home crowd and leaving no doubt that he belonged in the championship conversation.

From the opening bell, Carrillo imposed his will, unleashing a relentless assault of heavy punches and punishing knees that overwhelmed Saemapetch. The Fairtex representative tried to fight back with his own offensive bursts, but Scotsman’s precision and power proved too much to handle.

The turning point came in the second round when Carrillo landed a perfectly timed left hook that sent Saemapetch crashing to the canvas. Sensing the finish, he pressed forward and delivered two more knockdowns, forcing the referee to wave off the contest and securing a dominant technical knockout victory.

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Nico Carrillo vies for interim crown at ONE 170

Now, Nico Carrillo is on the brink of realizing his dream as he prepares to battle Nabil Anane for the ONE interim bantamweight Muay Thai world championship in the co-feature attraction of ONE 170 this Friday, January 24, at a sold-out Impact Arena in Bangkok, Thailand.

The stakes couldn’t be higher. The winner will move on to challenge reigning divisional king Superlek Kiatmoo9 at ONE 172 on March 23.

Originally, Carrillo was scheduled to face Superlek this Friday, but an injury forced the Thai superstar to withdraw, delaying their inevitable clash.

Despite the setback, Carrillo remains confident that his path is destined to cross with Superlek—and when it does, he intends to seize the moment:

"It's inevitable that I'll become king. This is just another chapter to tell in my story. In order for me to become the undisputed champion, I had to take the hardest road to get there."