ONE Championship: Nico Carrillo doubles down on title push after dismantling Luke Lessei
Scotsman overcomes damaged leg at ONE Fight Night 37 to extend finishing streak, aims to face Shadow next before possible Tawanchai match
Nico Carrillo showed exactly why he was considered one of the most dangerous finishers in Muay Thai after dispatching Luke “The Chef” Lessei in the co-main event of ONE Fight Night 37 in Bangkok last Saturday.
The Scottish contender survived early adversity, switched stances and tore through Lessei with a ruthless second-round barrage to maintain his 100 per cent finishing rate inside ONE Championship.
Carrillo weathered a difficult opening round, absorbing a steady diet of low kicks and teeps, or push kicks, that visibly compromised his lead leg. But even as Lessei found success early, the No 4-ranked featherweight refused to panic.
Instead, he steadied himself, stalked patiently and waited for the moment that mattered.
That moment came with a clean right-punch and right-knee combination that dropped Lessei for an eight count near the end of round one. It was the beginning of the end.
In round two, Carrillo pounced. He ripped hooks to the body, hammered knees into Lessei’s midsection and connected with sharp uppercuts that left the American trapped in the corner with no escape. The referee stepped in at 2:35 of round two to halt the punishment.