Nico Carrillo was born on October 17, 1998, in Scotstoun, Glasgow. He began his combat sports journey in boxing, but discovered Muay Thai at the age of fifteen at the Glasgow Thai Boxing Academy, after which he shifted his full focus to the sport. Under the guidance of J.P. Gallacher at the Deachkalek Muay Thai Academy, he built an impressive amateur and professional record in the United Kingdom and Europe, including an eleven-fight winning streak and titles such as ICO European champion (-65 kg, 2019), ISKA Intercontinental and WBC European welterweight champion (2021), and ISKA world champion at 65 kg, along with a WMO super-welterweight title (2022).
That impressive run earned him a contract with ONE Championship in 2023, where he made his debut in April of that year. His “devastating power,” as the organization itself described it, resulted in a series of convincing wins on the ONE Friday Fights cards, including victories over established names such as Sitthichai Sitsongpeenong, and earned him four Performance of the Night bonuses and a lucrative new contract.
On February 13, 2026, Carrillo achieved his first major breakthrough: at ONE Fight Night 40, he defeated Shadow Singha Mawynn by unanimous decision after a spectacular comeback and captured the interim ONE Featherweight Muay Thai World Championship. His chance to turn that interim status into the undisputed title came sooner than expected: on July 21, 2026, reigning champion Tawanchai PK Saenchai announced that he was relinquishing his title after a severe calf kick from Liu Mengyang in a kickboxing bout required surgery and an extended recovery. Carrillo was therefore automatically elevated to undisputed ONE Featherweight Muay Thai World Champion, even though he had never defeated Tawanchai directly.
As of September 2026, Nico Carrillo holds the undisputed title and is actively broadening his horizons: on August 14, 2026, he made his kickboxing debut for the organization at ONE Fight Night 46 in Bangkok, winning by knockout against Chinese newcomer Zhou Jiaqiang. His ambition is now clear: he wants to become a two-sport world champion, with potential upcoming bouts against a recovered Tawanchai, the Japanese kickboxer Kaito, or even a move to MMA. His head coach is J.P. Gallacher at the Deachkalek Muay Thai Academy in Glasgow.
Scotland
