Who Is Nico Carillo? | Evolve Daily

Scotsman Nico Carillo is a relative newcomer to the ONE Championship stage, having solely fought on the promotion 4 occasions. Regardless of this, he has left a considerable impression on world Muay Thai followers. He has confronted among the greatest names and most skilled Thai legends on the promotion’s roster and has come away with an electrical knockout victory in every considered one of his outings.

These devastating finishes haven’t solely resulted in 4 large efficiency bonuses, however in addition they earned him the #1 ONE Championship bantamweight contender rating and, subsequent January, a shot at reigning Muay Thai Champion, Superlek Kiatmoo9, for the coveted gold belt.

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Within the subsequent few paragraphs, we’re going to provide you with an introduction to ONE Championship’s subsequent Bantamweight Muay Thai World Title challenger. We’ll provide you with a glimpse into his background, early profession, and imposing struggle model so that you just’ll know precisely why Nico Carillo is hailed because the “King of The North” when he walks into the middle ring at ONE 170 on January twenty fourth.

Background

Carillo’s Muay Thai journey began on the age of 15 when he walked into Glasgow Boxing Academy for the primary time. Three years later, in 2016, he made his ring debut and walked away with a unanimous factors victory, paving momentum for a lot of wins to come back. He would later transfer to Deachkalek Muay Thai Academy and beneath the watch of coach, J.P. Gallacher, took the UK and Europe by storm.

Early Profession

Previous to getting referred to as as much as ONE Championship’s world stage, Carillo had racked up an incredible document of 23 wins, 3 losses, and a single draw.

Throughout this run, Carillo developed his managed and imposing Muay Mat model, combating the likes of WMO European Champion, Mo Abdurahman, ISKA World Champion, Jack Kennedy, and even “The Man Who Yields To No One,” Seksan Or Kwanmuang.

For his efforts, he was rewarded with, amongst different accolades, each the WMO Welterweight World Title and the ISKA 65kg World Championship crown.

Carillo’s Battle Type

Nico has an intriguing Muay Mat model that bends expectations. Not like many historic punch-dominant fighters reminiscent of Pornsanae Sitmonchai who outlined the model on the flip of the millennium, Carillo is much less of a bull in a store and extra of a drawn bow ready for the proper alternative to unload his highly effective arms.

This doesn’t imply that the Scotsman is hesitant, nor does it imply that he normally makes an attempt to fireside off the again foot. As an alternative, he meticulously stalks ahead, slowly constructing stress till his opponent is backed onto the ropes whereby, he confidently vegetation himself inside their efficient putting vary and goads them into throwing the primary strike. As soon as they’ve opened hearth, Carillo springs his entice and unloads a brief burst of devastating punches, mixing looping hooks with brutal straights that mixed, typically end in devastating knockdowns.

This spectacular technique will be witnessed in its purest kind in Carillo’s most up-to-date bout in opposition to fellow Muay Mat, Saemapetch Fairtex, final July

Whereas this tried and examined recipe has brewed lots of Carillo’s iconic victories, this distinctive expression of the Muay Mat kind doesn’t make him resistant to the frequent weaknesses of the model reminiscent of counter leg-kicks.

When confronted with this frequent Muay Thai antidote to ahead aggression, Carillo has a number of methods up his sleeve. The primary of which is to change gears and retreat. In doing so he methods his opponent into charging ahead the place he permits them to construct momentum earlier than planting himself and returning hearth together with his trademark punches. It was this technique that allowed him to cease Jack Kennedy throughout the opening spherical of their 2021 conflict.

Whereas backing up is a strong choice that can assist you defend leg kicks and persuade your opponent to take the aggressive position, you’ll want some extra methods up your sleeve if you’re going through an clever or reserved fighter. Carillo unveiled a number of extra ways for overcoming defensive leg kicks when he confronted former ONE World Champion, Nong-O Hama final December. Nong-O induced Carillo a world of hassle within the opening spherical of their conflict by booting his leg off at any time when he stepped ahead to provoke an alternate. When retreating didn’t encourage Nong-O to throw warning to the wind, Carillo confirmed each his mettle and well-honed IQ by switching stances to confuse his opponent’s distancing, hopping to make blocking simpler when he was on the entrance foot and altering tempo to make timing leg kicks unpredictable. Coupling these methods with persistent ahead stress allowed him to finally break via the previous Champion’s defenses to land a fight-ending elbow halfway via the second spherical. Watch Carillo’s phenomenal come-from-behind victory in opposition to Nong-O above.

In Abstract

Many fighters get anointed with the title of “Phenomenon” however, in Nico Carillo’s case, this seems to be true. “The King Of The North,” is using excessive on a 15-fight win streak during which his barely unorthodox Muay Mat model has awarded him knockout victories over among the biggest contenders on the ONE roster.

Whereas he could have proved himself a worthy successor to the Bantamweight crown by defeating the previous champion and a cohort of extremely aggressive rivals, Carillo’s hardest problem nonetheless looms forward of him.

Superlek Kiatmoo9 just isn’t solely a multi-sport world champion within the realm of martial arts, however his counter-kicking and impeccable defensive technique has granted him the longest present win streak on the ONE roster for a purpose.

Will Carillo’s in depth attain, highly effective arms, and tough range-closing ways give him the talents wanted to interrupt via “The Kicking Machine’s” namesake weapon? Or will Superlek’s unbelievable timing and impeccable defensive methods present sufficient armor to cease the Scotsman from usurping his ONE bantamweight Muay Thai throne?

You’ll need to tune into ONE 170 on January twenty fourth to seek out out!