Nico Carrillo set out to topple a Muay Thai legend at ONE Friday Fights 46. That is precisely what he did. The Scottish striker pasted Nong-O Hama in the second round of their bantamweight bout to prove he is among the elite in ONE Championship‘s bantamweight division.
The result was even more special because the finish seemed unlikely after the first three minutes. Nong-O careened kick after kick into “The King of the North’s” leg, leaving him limping back to his corner between rounds. It seemed as if he would be on borrowed time.
Perhaps knowing his leg was damaged inspired him to come out more aggressive. As they exchanged leather, Carrillo changed the complexion of the match when he stunned Nong-O. With the Thai star hurt, “King of the North” finished him off with a crushing elbow.
“I go through this every single day. That gives me confidence to come out and say these things. Look how beat up my leg was, but I’ve got that dog in me. I’ve got no quit whatsoever, doesn’t matter how hot I am,” Carrillo told the South China Morning Post.
The victory puts Carrillo right at the gates of a title shot. Standing atop the bantamweight mountain is Jonathan Haggerty. The potential title tilt would be a massive meeting for the United Kingdom.
However, fellow UK standout Liam Harrison does not believe it will be a five-round firefight. “The Hitman” is clearly in the challenger’s camp in the prospective matchup. Harrison posted on Twitter that Haggerty would be dethroned emphatically by the talented Scotsman.
No one is beating Nico at that weight …haggerty will get splattered
— liam harrison (@LiamBadco) December 22, 2023
Carrillo expressed that the result would be the same for Haggerty as it was for Nong-O after his match. He put “The General” on notice in his post-match interview, and Britain’s Muay Thai king responded on social media. It seems all of the pieces for this colossal title clash are falling into place.
With 2024 on the horizon, Haggerty vs. Carrillo is an enticing match to make. As ONE has recently inked a broadcast deal with Sky Sports in the UK, it makes it even more considerable for the region. The ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Title showdown is set up to be one of the new year’s most significant bouts.
