ONE Championship

A newly crowned champion is stepping into unfamiliar territory instead of taking a victory lap.

Nico Carrillo makes his ONE Championship kickboxing debut against Chinese newcomer Zhou Jiaqiang at ONE Fight Night 46, broadcasting live in US primetime this Friday, August 14, from Bangkok’s Lumpinee Stadium. The 27-year-old Scot went from interim titleholder to undisputed ONE Featherweight Muay Thai World Champion last month. This happened after Tawanchai PK Saenchai vacated the belt to continue rehabbing a serious leg injury.

Carrillo earned that opportunity by outworking Shadow Mavinn across five rounds at ONE Fight Night 40 in February. He now carries a 29-4 record and a relentless finishing instinct into this new discipline. A win over Zhou would put him on course to chase two-sport World Champion status. It would also add kickboxing gold to a Muay Thai throne he now holds outright.

“Nothing has changed. I have an opponent in front of me that I have to deal with, and I’m locked on that task. The news of me being officially crowned has nothing to do with this fight camp,” he said.

Nico Carrillo eyes bigger picture beyond Friday

Carrillo has already mapped out a path that extends well past this weekend, with plans to defend his Muay Thai title later this year before pursuing an MMA debut in Qatar as early as March, part of a renewed three-year partnership between ONE Championship and Visit Qatar.

Stacking disciplines immediately after inheriting undisputed gold is a bold call, but it fits a fighter who has built his career on seeking out the toughest available test rather than the safest one.

“I’m already a ONE World Champion, and the next obvious step is to become a two-sport World Champion, kickboxing or MMA alongside Muay Thai. For now, it’s one step at a time,” he said.

This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM