"Smashed it" - Bantamweight kickboxing king Jonathan Haggerty proud to see Nico Carrillo's reinvention at featherweight

As the saying goes, "real recognizes real," and that was on full display when Jonathan Haggerty offered Nico Carrillo a congratulatory pat on the back following his sensational featherweight Muay Thai return at ONE Fight Night 30 last Friday, April 4.

Once teased to be potential opponents in the bantamweight Muay Thai ranks, Haggerty set aside any sense of rivalry or personal stake, showing nothing but respect for Carrillo's demolition of Thai legend Sitthichai Sitsongpeenong in front of a passionate home crowd at the iconic Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.

From the dugout, the reigning ONE bantamweight kickboxing world champion had his eyes locked on Carrillo, watching closely as the Scottish warrior showcased explosive strength during his padwork with his trainer.

Check the clip below:

When "King of the North" finally entered the ring, he brought that same intensity with him — wasting no time by finishing the bout in under two rounds.

Carrillo struck first, opening a horrendous cut on the forehead of Sitthichai with a sharp elbow. In the second frame, he turned up the heat, landing a solid body shot for the first knockdown, then sealing the deal with an agonizing left hook to the midsection that put Thai veteran away for good.

Backstage, Haggerty was glued to the monitor, reacting to every strike Carrillo landed during the finishing sequence:

In an interview with ONE Championship, "The General" shared his thoughts on Carrillo's impressive performance against Sitthichai:

"Yeah, great work. I did tell him that moving up in weight, he'll feel a lot better. Obviously, he listened to my advice. Great win. Smashed it!"

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Nico Carrillo willing to face all comers at featherweight

Nico Carrillo's emphatic victory over No. 5-ranked contender Sitthichai Sitsongpeenong at ONE Fight Night 30 has sparked intrigue about who might be next for the Scottish striker.

However, during his post-event interview, Carrillo revealed that he has no specific opponent in mind, expressing his willingness to take on anyone who steps up:

"Whatever ONE Championship offers me. I'm sure it'll be the right fight. I'll be ready to take that."