Nong-O applauds former tormentor Nico Carrillo’s decision to go up a division: “He’s probably too big for bantamweight”

Former ONE world champion Nong-O Hama fully supports Nico Carrillo's decision to move up a weight class following his first loss inside the Circle.

Going into ONE 170, Carrillo was considered the odds-on favorite to come out on top against Nabile Anane and capture the interim ONE bantamweight Muay Thai world championship.

Instead, Anane came out guns blazing and delivered a shocking first-round TKO against 'King of the North' to claim interim gold.

Shortly after the loss, Carrillo revealed that he had been feeling the effects of an especially brutal weight cut which compromised his legs and his chin even before he stepped inside the cage.

Instead of pushing his luck at bantamweight, the Scottish scrapper will instead make the move to featherweight, mitigating the hard weight cut and giving himself the best chance to compete at 100% capacity.

Speaking with the Bangkok Post ahead of his return to the ring on February 7, Nong-O commended Carrillo for choosing to move up.

"I can’t say for him, but if he and his team think that it’s a good decision for him, then it would be best for him," Nong-O said. "But if you ask me, I think he’s probably too big for bantamweight.”

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Nong-O makes his flyweight debut against Kongthoranee at ONE Fight Night 28

While Nico Carrillo is moving up from the bantamweight division, Nong-O is going in the opposite direction.

Returning to the legendary Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, the former ONE bantamweight Muay Thai world champion will make his flyweight debut when he meets Thai prospect Kongthoranee Sor Sommai at ONE Fight Night 28 on Prime Video.

Nong-O's move to flyweight comes following a 1-3 run in his last four fights, including a pair of brutal back-to-back knockout losses against ONE bantamweight kickboxing king Jonathan Haggerty and Nico Carrillo. Nong-O bounced back at ONE Friday Fights 58 with a win over Kulabdam in April 2024, but a loss against Kiamrian Nabati ultimately ended his 14-fight run in the bantamweight division.

Now, the eight-time titleholder will look to start anew in a fresh division with a crop of exciting matchups and a flyweight Muay Thai title ripe for the taking.

ONE Championship fans can watch ONE Fight Night 28 live on Amazon Prime Video in both the United States and Canada in U.S. primetime on Friday, February 7.