“It was probably the happiest I’d ever felt getting my hand raised. You don’t really know what true happiness is until something bad happens to you. When good things come around again, it makes it so much sweeter, and I felt that.”
Scottish Muay Thai fighter Nico Carillo had just defeated Thailand’s Sittichai Sitsongpeenong in the iconic Lumpini Stadium in Bangkok. The Glaswegian was back on the right track less than three months after the biggest setback of his career to date.
Bouncing Back from Defeat
In January, fighting for the One Championship Bantamweight Muay Thai World Title, Carillo had been beaten by Nabil Anane as a result of a technical knockout in the first round.
While it stung for some time, the 26-year-old soon picked himself up and prepared for the next challenge.
“The reason I signed for the One Championship was to change mine and my fiance's lives. When I got beat, it felt like the end of the world"
"After a few days of feeling sorry for myself, I had to ask myself, why am I doing this.
It was to get to the top. It doesn’t matter how many times you stumble and fall, that’s still the goal. With younger people, it’s the same thing. Why are you doing it and where do you want to get to?”
Carillo has enough experience to appreciate that the sport has its ups and downs, and he is well aware that the disappointments are just part of the journey.
“You need to remember that every great athlete has been through the same things. And they are where they are today despite that. So you need to take inspiration from that. If someone else can do it, I can do it.”
Beating the Best of Thailand
[Image - Sky Sports]
But Carillo’s career has been about so much more than the contrasting emotions of the two big fights he has had in 2025.
He is particularly proud of the record he has over fighters from the country where his sport originated.
“Fight wise, I have a crazy resume for the Thais that I have beaten"
"Some of them have legendary status. Saeksan was Fighter of the Year a few years ago. Nong-O was the same, and Muangthai was Lumpini champion of the year. And you have to remember that Fighter of the Year is the biggest accolade in Thailand.
All the Thai fighters I have fought have been Fighter of the Year for two or three years in a row.
I’ve also beaten Saemapaetch and Sittichai, who was eight-time world champion. He has beaten Superbon and Chingiz Allazov - he’s been there and done it all. He was Glory kickboxing champion, he was K-1 champion, he’s been a One Champion. And I gave him his first ever KO loss in Muay Thai.”
A Change in Weight Class
[Image - ONE Championship]
Carillo still has his sights set firmly on lifting a One Championship world title but, following the loss to Nabil, he recognised that a change in weight would be wise.
Since moving from bantamweight to featherweight, he has been feeling a lot better.
“I’m just happier. Before, I felt so physically depleted and cranky. I wasn’t a nice person"
"Now, I’m just training at my full potential. There are no food restrictions, there are no weight restrictions, there are no calorie deficits. They say a happy fighter can be a dangerous fighter and now I can be that, as you saw in my last fight.
I was a different person again. Sittichai couldn’t get near me because I had a great camp. I was fueled properly.
I was just too big for the previous weight, so it was getting impossible for me to get the weight off and I ended up near killing myself trying to.”
Training in the Heat of Thailand
With so many of his fights now taking place in Thailand, Carillo has a good insight into the difference the conditions of a training camp can make.
While a modern gym with air conditioning may sound more comfortable, when comparing training in Scotland with training in Southeast Asia, he prefers the stifling heat of Thailand.
“The biggest difference is the heat and the quality of training partners"
"The quality of the facilities don’t make that much difference. It’s just hard work on the pads and sparring and clinching that matters. You get all the conditioning on the machines anywhere.
The big equalizer is the heat. You have all these UFC fighters training in Vegas or wherever, training inside in an aircon gym. In Thailand, we train outside in the heat, with a tin roof over us. So we’re training in 35-degree heat.
As absolutely horrible as training in the heat is, it’s so good for you. It's amazing for your lungs and your longevity.
I prefer it for health reasons. I don’t prefer it for how you feel when you’re training because you really suffer.”
Muay Thai’s Rise in Scotland
While Scotland has had world champion boxers in the likes of Ken Buchanan, Jim Watt and Ricky Burns, Carillo’s star is on the rise and the growing popularity of Muay Thai means he is now recognised on the streets of Glasgow.
When that happens, he makes sure he keeps his feet on the ground.
“In the last five years, Muay Thai has boomed. Ever since I signed to the One Championship, I feel that so many more Scottish and UK fans know about Muay Thai"
"Without the One Championship, Muay Thai wouldn’t be where it is today. And it’s an honour to represent Scotland.
I get swarmed in some places. On the street, I might get people asking for my photo but when I turn up to fight events, I struggle to leave the place because of the attention.
I like it. It's something I dreamed of when I was a wee guy, so I’m very grateful that people know who I am. When I stop to get my photo taken with people, I’ll have a chat with them.
I always think of the saying, “never meet your heroes”. I would like to believe that I’m someone’s hero and, even on a bad day, if someone stops me for a picture, I would never want to be that guy someone met and thought they were a prick.”
A Fighter Who Inspires
[Images - Sky Sports/WBC Muay Thai]
Carillo is very conscious of the impact he can have on other people. And he is always appreciative when he learns that he has managed to touch someone's life in a positive way.
“What really motivates me is the stories I hear"
"I was doing a seminar in Scotland the other day, and a guy came up to me and said, ‘Nico, thank you.’ So I thanked him for coming and his support. And he said, ‘No, thank you.’
So I asked him what he meant, and he said, ‘You saved my life, mate. I was about to do myself in when a video of you came up on YouTube. I went down a rabbit hole with videos of you and listening to all your podcasts. You gave me new life, you gave me inspiration.
I didn't really know what to say. It gave me goosebumps. It gives me great motivation to know that I inspire people. It gives my life meaning.”
From Football Dreams to Muay Thai Glory
[Image - Sky Sports]
Things might have turned out differently had Carillo pursued his early interest in football rather than boxing.
“I think I was very decent at football and I was getting scouted by some pro youth teams"
"But one of the reasons, nothing really came of it was that my mother and my sister never drove at the time.
So when these teams were looking at me when I was around 14 or 15, I lived in Glasgow, and the teams that were interested were Alloa and, I think, Falkirk - so too far away for me to travel to.”
Defying the Odds
Despite some of the challenges of his youth, Carillo is proud of how he managed to overcome them and become one of the best Muay Thai fighters on the planet.
“No kid from where I grew up and how I grew up and what I was around had the right to get to where I am today.
I have now fought for a One Championship world title. It goes to show you don’t have to be a product of your environment if you really want something.”
Looking Ahead to the Future
[Image - Beyond Kickboxing]
Carillo himself still wants much more before he might consider making the switch to MMA. He admits it’s something he would consider, but not any time soon.
“Never say never. I have unfinished business in Muay Thai and I’m not even close to achieving my goals yet. There’s more that I want to do in Muay Thai.
Once I become the champion and defend my title and maybe become champion at two different weights, I would 100 percent consider making the switch over to MMA.”
Sharing Knowledge and Staying Connected
Away from his training and fighting, Carillo is still very much involved in the sport when he can find the time to pass on the benefits of his experience.
“I give seminars at gyms and wherever else I need to go"
"I teach my style of fighting and things that I have done in fights that have been really important. There are some tricky techniques that I try to demonstrate.
There is a Q and A and a meet and greet for everyone to take photos.
I don’t ever want to be away from Muay Thai. It has been a massive part of my life since I was 15 years old. I’ve got maybe 10 years of fighting left, but when I’m done, I still want to be involved.”
Nico Carillo’s journey is one of resilience, passion, and purpose.
From the streets of Glasgow to the stadiums of Thailand, he has carved out a legacy not only as a formidable Muay Thai fighter but as a role model who inspires others to rise above their circumstances.
With his eyes still fixed on championship gold and a heart firmly rooted in his community, Carillo’s story is far from over.
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