Nico Carrillo Gets His Rematch with Nabil Anane, Defends Featherweight Muay Thai Belt at The Inner Circle 43

Reigning ONE Featherweight Muay Thai World Champion Nico Carrillo will defend his crown against former bantamweight titleholder Nabil Anane at The Inner Circle 43. It streams exclusively via live.onefc.com from Bangkok’s Lumpinee Stadium on Friday, December 18.

The card already features the ONE Strawweight Muay Thai World Championship unification match between Prajanchai Pongsuphan PK and Aliff Sor Dechapan, confirmed last week, and the Carrillo-Anane rematch makes December 18 one of the most loaded nights of the year.

Carrillo and Anane first crossed paths at ONE 170 in January 2025 in one of bantamweight Muay Thai's most dramatic bouts, and the rematch at featherweight with an undisputed ONE World Title on the line gives The Inner Circle 43 a personal edge that has been building for nearly two years.

Carrillo Defends Belt Against the Man Who Gave Him His Only ONE Championship Loss

The 28-year-old Scottish knockout artist suffered his only promotional defeat when he challenged Anane for the ONE Interim Bantamweight Muay Thai World Championship at ONE 170 in January 2025, a fight widely expected to go Carrillo's way given his string of knockouts heading into the contest.

Anane, who was on a five-bout winning run of his own, dropped Carrillo three times en route to a first-round TKO, handing the Scot a setback that appeared to halt his momentum.

Carrillo's response was to move up a division to featherweight and rebuild with purpose. He kicked off a flawless run, ultimately defeating Thai veteran Shadow Mavinn via unanimous decision across five rounds in February 2026 to claim the interim featherweight strap. The “King of the North” was elevated to undisputed champion in July when Tawanchai PK Saenchai vacated the belt.

December 18 is his first title defense, and the opponent across from him is the one man who managed to stop him inside the ONE Championship ring.

Anane Bounced Back with a Win Over Yoza, Arrives Hungry to Claim Gold

Anane's 2026 was the most turbulent of his career. The 22-year-old Algerian-Thai, who stands at 6-foot-4 and plies his trade at Venum Training Camp, had gone unbeaten from September 2023 to November 2025 before losing his ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Title. Then, he suffered another defeat, the first back-to-back losses of his professional career.

His 9-3 ONE Championship record reflects a fighter navigating adversity that shapes champions in the long term, and his response was exactly what his camp needed.

A victory over Yuki Yoza earlier this month in bantamweight kickboxing has rebuilt Anane's momentum heading into December 18, and his 42-7 career record still speaks to a young talent operating at a level most fighters do not reach in their careers. The Carrillo rematch gives him the opportunity to claim featherweight gold against a familiar name.

Two Fighters Who Have Both Grown Since Their First Meeting Collide for Gold

Their first fight was one of the most dramatic bantamweight Muay Thai bouts the division had produced in years, with Anane dropping Carrillo three times before the three-knockdown rule brought the contest to a close.

A rematch between two fighters who have both grown significantly since that night, now contesting a featherweight world title with unfinished business driving both camps, has all the ingredients to surpass it.

Carrillo has assembled a four-bout winning streak since the loss, knocking out opponents at a rate that confirms the power was never the issue in their first meeting.

Anane has bounced back from the worst stretch of his career. Both men arrive at The Inner Circle 43 as improved, motivated, and fully primed versions of the fighters who shared the ring in January 2025.