OFICIAL ONE Championship

What’s Next For Nico Carrillo? 3 Potential Fights Across Muay Thai, Kickboxing, And MMA

What happened
Based on ONE Championship · Aug 17, 2026

Nico Carrillo’s ONE Featherweight Muay Thai World Title success and kickboxing debut have opened pathways to potential fights in Muay Thai, kickboxing, and MMA. Three opponents across these disciplines are now in focus.

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Key points
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The dramatic victory improved Carrillo’s professional record to an impressive 30-4 and immediately gave his two-sport ambitions undeniable credibility.
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The Scottish powerhouse has made it abundantly clear that he does not intend to limit himself.
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Before facing Zhou, Carrillo described becoming a two-sport World Champion in either kickboxing or mixed martial arts as the next logical step alongside his ongoing Muay Thai reign.
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He has also actively floated the exciting possibility of making his MMA debut next year while continuing to defend his current crown.
Key numbers
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In kickboxing, Carrillo could target Kaito, a Japanese fighter with a 62-12 professional record and a background as a two-division SHOOT BOXING Champion.
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The Brazilian, with a 6-0 MMA record and a striking-heavy background, has finished all but two of his professional fights within two rounds.

Nico Carrillo, the reigning ONE Featherweight Muay Thai World Champion, made a successful kickboxing debut at ONE Fight Night 46, knocking out Zhou Jiaqiang in two rounds. The victory, his 30th win in 34 professional bouts, reinforced his ambition to pursue titles in multiple combat sports. Carrillo has indicated plans to defend his Muay Thai crown while exploring opportunities in kickboxing and mixed martial arts, with potential debuts in 2025.

A rematch with Tawanchai PK Saenchai stands as the most compelling Muay Thai option for Carrillo. Tawanchai, the former long-reigning featherweight champion, voluntarily relinquished his title in July due to injury after losing to Liu Mengyang in December 2025. Though Carrillo defeated Shadow Mavinn for the interim belt, a showdown with Tawanchai would settle lingering questions about the division’s top fighter, given neither has lost the title in competition.

In kickboxing, Carrillo could target Kaito, a Japanese fighter with a 62-12 professional record and a background as a two-division SHOOT BOXING Champion. Kaito, currently winless in ONE after losses to Mohammad Siasarani, would present a stylistic challenge distinct from Carrillo’s recent opponent. A victory over Kaito could validate Carrillo’s crossover ambitions and elevate his standing in the ONE Featherweight Kickboxing division.

For a potential MMA debut, Pedro “Guerreiro” Dantas emerges as a logical first opponent. The Brazilian, with a 6-0 MMA record and a striking-heavy background, has finished all but two of his professional fights within two rounds. Though Dantas has struggled in ONE with losses to Ibragim Dauev and Mohammad Siasarani, his combination of striking and grappling could test Carrillo’s adaptability in a new discipline.

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