“I should’ve shown some restraint” - Liam Nolan admits he didn’t fight smart in previous loss to Nauzet Trujillo

'Lethal' Liam Nolan has never been the type to sugarcoat a bad performance, and heading into his rematch with Nauzet Trujillo at ONE Fight Night 31, he's clear on what went wrong the first time.

Nolan and Trujillo first met at ONE Fight Night 19 in early 2024, where the Spanish brawler's relentless pressure handed Nolan a unanimous decision loss and, for a moment, looked like it might have ended the Brit's career. Nolan briefly stepped away from the sport after that bout.

But now that he's back and going for revenge, he's taking full accountability for his tactical missteps.

Speaking with ONE Championship in an exclusive interview, he said:

“I was trying to land too many big shots one after the other. I should’ve shown some restraint and fought smart.”

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"I was too eager for the knockout" - Liam Nolan reveals tactical error in first meeting with Nauzet Trujillo ahead of rematch

The fast-paced firefight in February saw Liam Nolan trying to overpower Nauzet Trujillo early with aggressive entries, only to walk into a second-round knockdown that changed the tone of the match. It was a strategy fueled by emotion, and it cost him dearly.

"In the first round, I think I pushed a little too hard and was too eager to get the knockout," Nolan said.

Now wiser with that loss behind him and perspective gained from time away, Nolan says he's approaching the rematch with a smarter game plan. At only 27 years old, he knows there's more to prove against a dangerous opponent who has already beaten him once.

"I do think my overall game is better, but [Trujillo has] shown me that he's dangerous firsthand, and I have to prove something now".

ONE Fight Night 31 takes place in the iconic Lumpinee stadium on May 2. Stream it live with an active Prime Video subscription in North America