Nico Carrillo delivered a remarkable performance with his second-round knockout of #5-ranked featherweight Muay Thai contender Sitthichai Sitsongpeenong at ONE Fight Night 30.
“The King of the North” detailed what his opponent did right before making the adjustments to change the direction of the action at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, on April 5.
“Yeah, I was surprised at his movement on the back foot. And he was pretty good at getting away from those power shots when I was going in straight lines, when I was hammering that right hand on him, it didn't land much,” Carrillo said following the match.
Carrillo expected Sitthichai’s durability to make him tough, but given past performances he knew he could find the knockout blow if he kept the pressure up.
By opening a cut on his Thai opponent, Carrillo felt the shift in the match swing fully in his favor.
“Yeah, I think it affected him big, because it was going to his eyes. And then I think I opened it up a little bit again in the same round, so I do think it affected him,” Carrillo said.
“Yeah, when I saw the cut, he looked a little bit in distress, and I hit my goal from that point on.”
The Scotsman left Lumpinee Stadium on cloud nine. Carrillo put his loss to Nabil Anane in the rearview and set course for a new life in the featherweight division.
“This victory means more to me than any victory I've had in my full career,” Carrillo said.
“I lost a lot of confidence, and I'm so grateful to ONE Championship. [They] allowed me to come back, to right that wrong.”
After dispatching of Sitthichai, Carrillo is an instant threat at featherweight. He is ready for whatever challenge awaits, and he hopes to see his name against any of the talent-rich division in the ring soon.
“To be honest, everybody above me is such an amazing fight for me, and I'm sure ONE Championship will make the right decision,” he concluded. “And [as for] who's next for me, I'll be ready for it.”
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