Nico Carrillo will still get a shot at ONE Championship gold at ONE 170 on Friday, Jan. 24, following a knee injury to Superlek Kiatmoo9.
The reigning ONE Flyweight Kickboxing and Bantamweight Muay Thai Champion had to withdraw from the title defense. In his place, 20-year-old phenom Nabil Anane stepped up to the plate. Carrillo and Anane will now compete for the ONE Interim Bantamweight Muay Thai Title.
Carrillo is currency ranked #2 in the bantamweight division after a stellar 4-0 campaign on the global stage.
After a standout debut against Furkan Karabag, “The King of the North” returned with a finish against Muangthai PK Saenchai.
Carrillo’s run took its next step when he ousted Muay Thai legend Nong-O Hama by second-round KO at ONE Friday Fights 46. The title shot was finally secured with a second-round TKO of Saemapetch Fairtex at ONE Fight Night 23.
While the opponent has changed, the dangers have not. Anane steps in as one of the hottest strikers in the sport.
The Thai star made his ONE debut as a teenager against Superlek, and although he lost, many lessons were learned. He applied those lessons to his subsequent bouts and has been on an impressive five-match winning streak since.
Anane is known for his height and reach, which could pose an interesting challenge to the towering Scotsman.
The interim title clash is expected to be a war with how both men have competed as of late, and the winner will already know when the unification match will come.
In addition to the lineup change, ONE announced that the winner will meet Superlek at ONE 172 in Japan on Sunday, Mar. 23, to unify the belts.
ONE 170 is set to be a special night and keep the bantamweight division rolling in the new year. The event airs live at 6 a.m. EST/3 a.m. PST on Friday, Jan. 24.