“In order to get that good, we must suffer” - Nico Carrillo details the somber reality behind a hunting for martial arts glory

Nico Carrillo's triumphant return to the featherweight division has come with a powerful reminder of his unseen sacrifices.

‘King of the North’ delivered a statement performance when he folded Sitthichai Sitsongpeenong with a nasty liver shot in the second round of their featherweight Muay Thai clash at ONE Fight Night 30 this past weekend at the iconic Lumpinee Stadium.

The victory marked an impressive bounce-back win for the Scottish mauler after suffering his first ONE Championship defeat against Nabil Anane for the ONE interim bantamweight Muay Thai world title at ONE 170.

While fans witnessed the glory of Carrillo's hand being raised against the eight-time Muay Thai and kickboxing world champion, he revealed that such moments represent only the visible tip of a much deeper journey.

"I love the picture of an iceberg. So what people see in the ring is this part of the iceberg. You're getting your hand raised. Woohoo, alright," Nico Carrillo explained in an interview with ONE Championship. “What they don't see is underneath that water, underneath that dark blue mystic water. The hard work, the sweat, the tears, the injuries, the sacrifice, the parties that you missed, the family events that you missed, the birthdays that you missed, the Christmases that you missed, the time with family you that you missed. That's what they don't see.”

He added:

“But in order to get that good, we must suffer. At the other side of suffering, there is something beautiful."

The victory improved Carrillo's ONE Championship record to an impressive 5-1, with all five wins coming by knockout, a testament to his devastating power in whichever division he resides in.

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Nico Carrillo's power and persistence proved too much for Sitthichai

After announcing his return to the featherweight division, Nico Carrillo was immediately tested against one of the most decorated strikers in combat sports history.

Nevertheless, Carrillo's punishing style gradually wore down the Thai veteran before finding the finish:

"So no, I wasn't surprised [by the knockout win]," Carrillo reflected in his post-fight press conference. "And that happened with some big elbows, though, I was surprised when he was still standing, because I threw the kitchen sink with some of them."

For Carrillo, this redemption represents the beauty that can emerge from the darkest moments of a fighter's journey.

With this victory, Carrillo has reestablished himself as a force in the featherweight Muay Thai division and taken another step forward in his quest for championship glory.