Scottish fighter Nico Carrillo challenges Jonathan Haggerty for the Muay Thai belt. Carrillo, the No. 1 ranked bantamweight Muay Thai fighter, believes he is the rightful contender and questions the purpose of rankings if someone else jumps ahead.
| Key Points |
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| Scottish fighter Nico Carrillo aims to challenge Jonathan Haggerty for the Muay Thai belt. |
| Carrillo questions the purpose of rankings if someone else jumps ahead. |
| He criticizes Haggerty’s interest in MMA and kickboxing, stating that Muay Thai fans are not interested in seeing their champion in a different discipline. |
| Carrillo believes he has identified weaknesses in Haggerty’s game, particularly when fighting on the back foot. |
| He contrasts Haggerty’s performance against Felipe Lobo with Fabricio Andrade’s strategy. |
| Carrillo supports Hiroki Akimoto’s shot at the kickboxing title. |
| He anticipates Nong-O’s success in an upcoming fight against Vladimir Kuzmin. |
| Carrillo clarifies that his rivalry with Haggerty is solely focused on the belt and not personal. |
| He believes he is the standout candidate for the Muay Thai belt. |
Scottish Fighter Nico Carrillo Aims for Muay Thai Belt
Nico Carrillo, the No. 1 ranked bantamweight Muay Thai fighter from Scotland, is determined to challenge Jonathan Haggerty for the championship title. Haggerty recently defended his belt by defeating Felipe Lobo at ONE Fight Night 19. However, Carrillo believes that he is the rightful contender and questions the purpose of rankings if someone else jumps ahead. While Haggerty expressed interest in facing other opponents in MMA and kickboxing, Carrillo feels that the champion is intentionally avoiding him. Despite this, Carrillo supports Hiroki Akimoto’s shot at the kickboxing title. Carrillo also criticizes Haggerty’s decision to compete in MMA, stating that Muay Thai fans are not interested in seeing their champion in a different discipline. Carrillo has been following Haggerty’s career for years and believes that he has identified weaknesses in the champion’s game, particularly when fighting on the back foot. Carrillo contrasts Haggerty’s performance against Lobo with Fabricio Andrade’s strategy, emphasizing the importance of taking the fight to the champion. Carrillo is coming off a victory against former ONE Championship bantamweight champion Nong-O Gaiyanghadao and sees himself as the only suitable opponent for Haggerty. He anticipates Nong-O’s success in an upcoming fight against Vladimir Kuzmin. Carrillo clarifies that his rivalry with Haggerty is solely focused on the belt and not personal. As Haggerty holds multiple titles and aims for a third, Carrillo believes he is the standout candidate for the Muay Thai belt and eagerly awaits his opportunity to compete for it.
