Superlek Out, Nico Carrillo To Battle Nabil Anane For Interim Bantamweight Muay Thai World Title At ONE 170

A battle for interim gold is slated to go down on January 24 at ONE 170.

That night, live in Asia primetime from Impact Arena in Bangkok, Thailand, #2-ranked bantamweight Muay Thai contender Nico “King of the North” Carrillo will step forward into the biggest opportunity of his career when he squares off with surging 20-year-old phenom Nabil Anane for the ONE Interim Bantamweight Muay Thai World Title.

The Scottish knockout artist was originally set to face reigning bantamweight Muay Thai king “The Kicking Machine” Superlek Kiatmoo9 for the undisputed World Title at the event. However, a knee injury to the Thai has forced Superlek off the card.

This opened the door for Anane to take his shot at 26 pounds of gold and now Carrillo will have to deal with the 6-foot-4 phenom.

Whoever emerges victorious at ONE 170 will go on to fight Superlek in a World Title unification bout at ONE 172: Takeru vs. Rodtang in Japan.

The towering Anane has enjoyed a meteoric rise through the world’s largest martial arts organization. After suffering defeat in a non-title bout against “The Kicking Machine” in his promotional debut, the Thai-Algerian prodigy has since reeled off five straight wins, including dominant victories over former World Title challenger Felipe “Demolition Man” Lobo and accomplished Lethwei star Soe Lin Oo.

Those performances earned Anane the #5 spot in the bantamweight Muay Thai rankings and solidified him as the most dangerous young talent striking fans have seen in recent years.

For his part, Carrillo has rocketed to the top of the division in similarly spectacular fashion.

Armed with show-stopping punching power, underrated Muay Thai technical prowess, and unflappable determination, the 26-year-old has destroyed every man who’s stood in front of him in ONE, rattling off four highlight-reel knockouts in as many performances.

“King of the North” will come into the contest loaded with momentum following back-to-back finishes of decorated Thai veterans Nong-O Hama and Saemapetch Fairtex.

Carrillo’s awe-inspiring power and savage finishing instincts will now be put to the test against the long-range weaponry and vicious clinch game of Anane.

And, with an interim belt and a guaranteed shot at top pound-for-pound striker Superlek on the line, fans can expect an all-out war for as long as it lasts on January 24.