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Nico Carrillo was impressed with the performance of Thai superstar Saemapetch Fairtex.
After earning noteworthy knockouts against Furkan Karabag, Muangthai, and former ONE world champion Nong-O Hama, the 'King of the North' returned to the legendary Lumpinee Stadium on July 5 for a clash with the 127-win veteran.
Following an entertaining opening round between the two strikers, Carrillo finished the job in round two, securing his fourth-straight win by way of knockout under the ONE Championship banner.
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Speaking with Sportskeeda MMA after his big win, Carrillo admitted to being impressed with Saemapetch's performance, but he knew that if he was patient, his moment to finish things would eventually come.
"He did [impress me]," Carrillo said. "He came to fight, he was trying to wipe me with that left hand, but I know that's all he had, really, to be honest, and I was just calculated. I waited for my moment."
If you missed any of the action, ONE Championship fans in the United States and Canada can watch the ONE Fight Night 23 replay on demand via Amazon Prime Video.
Nico Carrillo is in pole position to challenge the winner of Haggerty vs. Superlek at ONE 168
Already sitting as the top-ranked contender in the bantamweight Muay Thai division, Nico Carrillo is all but guaranteed a shot at the division's top dog and reigning two-sport king Jonathan Haggerty.
However, before that can happen, 'The General' will meet 'The Kicking Machine' Superlek in one of the most anticipated Muay Thai clashes in ONE Championship history.
Their can't-miss clash will go down on Friday, September 6 when ONE Championship returns to the United States for ONE 168, emanating from The Mile High City—Denver, Colorado.
It remains to be seen if Carrillo will be in attendance, but it's hard to imagine anyone else leapfrogging the 'King of the North' and snatching away a title opportunity that undoubtedly belongs to him.
Follow this link for tickets for ONE 168: Denver on September 6 at Ball Arena.
