“He’s like my older brother” - Nabil Anane credits his coach and mentor Mehdi Zatout for his rapid success in ONE Championship

Nabil Anane knows he wouldn't have reached the heights he's in without the mentorship of his coach Mehdi Zatout.

The pair have worked together even before Anane arrived at ONE Championship, and their partnership will enter its new chapter when the ONE interim bantamweight Muay Thai world champion seeks undisputed gold in Japan.

Anane will take on Superlek Kiatmoo9 in a unification match for the undisputed ONE bantamweight Muay Thai world championship on the loaded ONE 172 card on March 23 at Saitama Super Arena.

Ahead of the biggest fight of his career, Anane recalled how Zatout became an instrumental part of his life.

Nabil Anane said in an interview with ONE Championship:

"He's like my older brother, my coach, my everything. I wouldn't have had this day if I didn't have him."

Zatout is one of the greatest Muay Thai fighters from Algeria, but he has since retired and is now the head coach of Team Mehdi Zatout and Venum Training Camp.

Of the loaded roster that calls the Pattaya gym their second home, Anane stood head and shoulders above his teammates.

Anane, who stands at 6-foot-4, is on an unstoppable six-fight winning streak that culminated in a stunning first-round stoppage of Nico Carrillo for the ONE interim bantamweight Muay Thai world title at ONE 170.

Now on the precipice of history, Anane and Zatout will set out for Japan to exorcise the Thai-Algerian phenom's demons.

Anane lost just one match in ONE Championship, and that was his debut against now-reigning ONE bantamweight Muay Thai and flyweight kickboxing world champion Superlek.

ONE 172 is available live on pay-per-view at watch.onefc.com.

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Nabil Anane tells Superlek that he's evolved from his ONE Championship debut loss

Nabil Anane is confident he's not the same fighter who lost to Superlek Kiatmoo9 in Bangkok in 2023.

In an interview with ONE Championship, Anane said he's improved since his promotional debut loss to Superlek and promised that a better version of himself would stop 'The Kicking Machine' at ONE 172:

"Two years ago, I didn’t know nothing about small [4-ounce] gloves. I didn’t have this experience. I’m totally different. Very different."