“I put my neck out there every time” - Nico Carrillo beaming with confidence ahead of title clash with pound-for-pound great Superlek
If there's anything Nico Carrillo lacks, it definitely isn't confidence.
Storming onto the scene in 2023, 'King of the North' has put together four straight knockouts, including highlight-reel-worthy finishes against Thai legends Nong-O Hama and Saemapetch Fairtex in his last two outings.
On Jan. 24, 2025, Carrillo will attempt to take out another Thai icon when he meets two-sport king Superlek Kiatmoo9 for the ONE bantamweight Muay Thai world championship at ONE 170.
Emanating from Impact Arena in Bangkok, it will be a first-ever meeting between the two and Superlek's first time defending the bantamweight Muay Thai crown since scoring a stunning 49-second KO against Jonathan Haggerty to bring the belt back to The Land of Smiles at ONE 168: Denver.
Making an appearance on the Leather'd podcast, Carrillo was brimming with confidence ahead of his first ONE world title opportunity.
"I have said a lot of things in the past, and I put my neck out there every time," Carrillo said. "But, you know, there's confidence and belief that comes from doing things like saying that you're going to do things and you go and do them, you know, what I mean."
Nico Carrillo ready to cash in on long-awaited ONE world title opportunity
After his destructive second-round knockout of Nong-O at ONE Friday Fights 46 last year, Nico Carrillo appeared to be next in line for a shot at the ONE bantamweight Muay Thai world title.
Instead, then-champion Jonathan Haggerty opted to put his gold on the line against Superlek which forced Carrillo to take another fight and potentially put his spot at the top of the divisional rankings at risk.
Of course, we know how it all played out—Carrillo KO'd Saemapetch at ONE Fight Night 23 and Superlek stunned 'The General,' putting the Thai and the Scot on a collision course that leads to Bangkok.
"I was meant to be next in line anyway after I beat Nong-O," Carrillo added. "And then Superlek wasn't even at 145, he's at 135, and he just jumped the queue and just fought for the title. But fair enough because he's then won it. He knocked Haggerty out in 50 seconds."
Will Nico Carrillo cash in on his golden opportunity and bring a ONE world championship back home to Scotland, or will 'The Kicking Machine' continue to dominate the world of Muay Thai regardless of weight class?
Fans in the United States and Canada can watch ONE 170: Tawanchai vs. Superbon II will air live on Amazon Prime Video on Friday, Jan. 24 in U.S. primetime.