The announcement is officially out, and reigning ONE Featherweight Muay Thai World Champion “King of the North” Nico Carrillo has plenty on his mind as he prepares to aggressively defend his crown against a familiar foe in Nabil Anane.
Their highly anticipated five-round World Title rematch is locked in for The Inner Circle 43 inside Bangkok’s historic Lumpinee Stadium on Friday, December 18. The complete Asia primetime spectacle will be exclusively available to subscribers at live.onefc.com.
Back-to-back finishes of Sitthichai Sitsongpeenong and Luke “The Chef” Lessei emphatically announced Carrillo’s arrival at featherweight, and a stellar five-round display against Shadow Mavinn at ONE Fight Night 40 secured the interim strap.
In July, longtime divisional king Tawanchai PK Saenchai vacated the belt to properly recover from injury, elevating the Scotsman to undisputed World Champion status. Now, the man who ended his bantamweight run is standing directly in front of him once again.
Carrillo told onefc.com:
“I was absolutely buzzing when I knew it was Nabil. We’ve always wanted this fight – I’ve always wanted this fight. Since I moved up weight, I’ve always said whenever Nabil comes up, I will welcome him to the division.”
The reigning ONE Featherweight Muay Thai World Champion is not just hunting for a fifth straight victory in his first title defense. He is actively chasing deep-rooted redemption, finally receiving the exact opportunity he has been waiting for since ONE 170 in January 2025.
That evening, the Scottish knockout machine arrived riding a staggering 15-fight winning streak with the interim ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Title on the line.
Carrillo professionally made weight and passed hydration, but he knew internally that his rapidly growing frame no longer belonged in the 145-pound division.
What followed only underlined that harsh reality. Anane utilized his massive length to drop “King of the North” three times, forcing a referee stoppage at 2:35 of round one.
That devastating loss sent Carrillo up to featherweight, where he has stayed absolutely flawless across three Muay Thai wars and a lone kickboxing foray against Zhou “Qilin” Jiaqiang at ONE Fight Night 46 this past August.
Nearly two years on, the 28-year-old maintains a crystal-clear view of the choices he made at ONE 170 and exactly what has changed since.
He explained:
“The only reason I fought is that I’m so headstrong, and I didn’t want to let the company down. But, obviously, I should never have fought. I was too unhealthy.
“This time, I’m much healthier, fitter, and stronger. He’s going to be up against someone totally different.”
Carrillo Has A Chapter To Close
Nico Carrillo possesses the terrifying track record to back up that bold promise. Before colliding with Nabil Anane, rendering opponents unconscious was the standard. All four of his bantamweight victories in ONE arrived by knockout, highlighted by a star-making finish of former ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Champion Nong-O Hama.
Those heavy hands followed him directly to featherweight. Three of his four outings in the heavier weight class have ended in spectacular finishes. Now, Anane is the one making the difficult move up, and Carrillo is supremely confident that the raw finishing power that never found its mark in their first meeting will be front and center this time around.
“King of the North” said:
“I have nothing but respect for Nabil, but when it comes to fight night, I’m going to separate him from his consciousness.”
Delivering on that promise would do far more than just add to his impressive gallery of highlight-reel wins on the global stage.
A triumph at The Inner Circle 43 would level their high-stakes series at one apiece, give his undisputed reign a definitive statement start, and put a massive trilogy on the table — all while freeing him to turn his attention back toward two-sport glory.
Anane’s victory remains the sole blemish on the Scotsman’s promotional career, lingering in his mind throughout his entire featherweight rise. He possesses a clear sense of what a rematch victory would mean for his legacy.
Carrillo added:
“I get to right the wrong. I get to right one of the biggest wrongs of my life, and finally move on from it.”
