“My legs weren’t under me” - Nico Carrillo rues his inability to withstand Nabil Anane’s flurry in upset loss at ONE 170

It was a rough night for Nico Carrillo at ONE 170.

Riding a four-fight knockout streak, 'King of the North' was primed to leave Impact Arena in Bangkok with the interim ONE bantamweight Muay Thai world championship and a future date with the division's undisputed titleholder Superlek Kiatmoo9.

Instead, the Scottish star suffered his first career loss inside the Circle, suffering a brutal first-round TKO at the hands of 6'4" sensation Nabil Anane.

It was an uncharacteristically poor performance from Carrillo, one he was quick to blame on an especially brutal weight cut that had his legs, his brain, and his chain all compromised even before he stepped inside the cage.

Speaking in an Instagram video, Carrillo said:

"In the end, my body couldn’t take shots I could normally brush off. Getting caught with a right hand put me on my back. My legs weren’t under me. Clearly, my brain - cutting that weight obviously affected my brain and my chin."

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Nico Carrillo plots move up to featherweight following ONE 170 setback

Recognizing that his body simply can't handle the cut down to bantamweight, Nico Carrillo announced that he will be making the move to the featherweight Muay Thai division:

"Featherweight is where my focus will go to now. Same destination, different journey. Now watch me climb to the peak of the mountain all over again."

While the move up a weight class may set Carrillo's dreams of holding 26 pounds of ONE Championship gold back a bit, 'King of the North' is sure to find a slew of intriguing matchups at featherweight.

The division's top five alone is chalked full of potential opponents, including Dubuque, Iowa native Luke Lessei, Thai legend Sitthichai Sitsonpeenong, surging contender Bampara Kouyate, and the top-ranked fighter in the featherweight Muay Thai division, Superbon.

Who would you like to see Carrillo face when he makes his featherweight debut?

If you missed any of the action, you can watch the full ONE 170: Tawanchai vs. Superbon II replay on demand via watch.onefc.com.