Nico “King of the North” Carrillo, the reigning ONE Featherweight Muay Thai World Champion, just dropped a bomb on the kickboxing world. He made his debut in the sport at ONE Fight Night 46 on Prime Video and straight-up dominated, overcoming some early trouble to knock out Zhou “Qilin” Jiaqiang within two rounds. That win, inside Bangkok’s legendary Lumpinee Stadium no less, boosted his pro record to an insane 30-4 and showed everyone his two-sport ambitions are for real.
“King of the North” Ain’t Holding Back
This dude is on a mission, seriously. Carrillo has made it crystal clear: he’s not just sticking to one discipline. He wants to be a two-sport World Champion, whether that’s in kickboxing or even mixed martial arts, all while still holding down his Muay Thai crown. We’re talking about a fighter who’s already floated the idea of making his MMA debut next year. That’s a guy who believes in his own hype, and after that kickboxing performance, who can blame him? He just proved he can walk the walk, not just talk the talk.
The Showdown Everyone Needs to See
If Carrillo hops back into Muay Thai, there’s one fight that stands above all others: Tawanchai PK Saenchai. Tawanchai ruled the featherweight division for years with an iron grip. He only gave up his ONE Featherweight Muay Thai World Title this past July because of a nasty leg injury from December 2025. That decision, him letting go of the belt to rehab, is what bumped Carrillo up to undisputed status after Nico already snagged the interim belt against Shadow Mavinn in February.
But here’s the kicker: Tawanchai never lost his title inside the ring. Carrillo never directly beat him for it. So, when Tawanchai gets healthy, he’s coming for that belt. This isn’t just about gold; it’s about settling who truly owns the featherweight Muay Thai throne. Imagine the fireworks. Both these guys have built reputations on devastating power and ruthless finishing instincts. You know they’d turn that cage into an absolute warzone. This is the definition of high stakes.
What’s Next for the Reigning Champ?
With Carrillo’s destruction of Zhou, he’s officially introduced himself to the featherweight kickboxing scene. One win is a great start, but if he wants that second belt, he’s got a road ahead. The ONE SAMURAI Featherweight Kickboxing Tournament is currently running to find the next challenger for reigning champion Superbon. Does Carrillo jump into that fray, or does he pick off contenders? Either way, the man’s got options. What’s for sure is that Nico Carrillo isn’t just defending his title; he’s coming for every belt, in every sport. Get ready, because the featherweight divisions are about to get real interesting.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
Leave a Reply