WATCH: Nico Carrillo’s tremendous display of unbreakable will against Thai legend Nong-O in Bangkok

If there’s one victory that cemented Nico Carrillo’s status as a rising force in Muay Thai, it was his jaw-dropping demolition of Nong-O Hama.

Before “King of the North” steps back into action this Friday, January 24, ONE Championship takes a look back at his stunning dismantling of the former bantamweight Muay Thai kingpin at ONE Friday Fights 46 in December 2023.

Watch the highlights below:

Carrillo wasted no time asserting his dominance. Utilizing his reach advantage, he stayed on the outside, peppering the Thai legend’s face with crisp punches.

Nong-O, a battle-hardened veteran, responded with vicious low kicks, a strategy that seemed to pay off as Carrillo hobbled to his corner after the opening salvo.

But everything changed in round two. Carrillo turned up the intensity, unleashing a relentless barrage of punches that left Nong-O reeling against the ropes. Then came the exclamation point — a perfectly timed step-in left elbow that floored the Thai, sealing the TKO at 1:28 of the round.

That shocking upset was just the beginning. Seven months later, Carrillo followed it up with another statement win, stopping then-ranked contender Saemapetch Fairtex in the second round.

With back-to-back dominant performances, he made his case as the rightful next challenger for divisional gold.

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Nico Carrillo aims to secure dream fight with Superlek in March

Now, Nico Carrillo stands on the brink of fulfilling his championship aspirations. On Friday, he will square off against Nabil Anane for the ONE interim bantamweight Muay Thai world championship in the co-main event of ONE 170, set to take place at a sold-out Impact Arena in Bangkok, Thailand.

The stakes couldn’t be higher. The winner will earn the right to challenge reigning champion Superlek Kiatmoo9 at ONE 172 on March 23.

Originally, Carrillo was slated to face Superlek this Friday, but an injury forced the Thai superstar out of action, delaying their highly anticipated showdown.

Still, Carrillo remains unfazed. He firmly believes his moment with Superlek is inevitable — and when it comes, he plans to seize it with both hands:

"It's inevitable that I'll become king. This is just another chapter to tell in my story. In order for me to become the undisputed champion, I had to take the hardest road to get there."