Nico Carrillo is one of the hardest-hitting strikers around today, but a pivotal moment in his life helped him realize that his powerful fists don’t make him invincible.

“King of the North” is set to take on Saemapetch Fairtex in a bantamweight Muay Thai battle at ONE Fight Night 23 inside the iconic Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, on Friday, July 5, and he recently recounted an event that changed his perspective on the significance of life in an interview with ONE Championship.

A near-death experience for Nico Carrillo

The Scotman’s skills are undeniable, and they have pushed him to amass a 3-0 record in the promotion and the top-ranked contender position in the bantamweight Muay Thai division. But one night out as a younger man nearly caused him to lose his life.

“I was just out with my friends like every lad would be. We were in a club, and a guy was troublemaking, picking a fight with some of my younger friends. He didn’t know I was trained and could defend myself. I beat him up. A few months later, I bumped into him again and picked up where it left off,” Carrillo recalled.

He further added, “He pulled out an army knife and stabbed me before I knew it. I looked down, and there was a waterfall of blood coming out of my leg. Three seconds had gone by, and there must’ve been a liter of blood out of me on the floor. I got help from people and was rushed to the hospital. But as I was on my way there, my lights were shutting out on me. I remember every time I closed my eyes, I felt warm and cozy and tired.”

“The next thing I knew I got a big slap across the face from the person I was with, telling me to stay awake. So I think I must’ve been dying because I felt peaceful every time I closed my eyes,” recalled Carrillo.

While martial arts training can be a good form of self-defense, it is only recommended to be used outside of competing in special circumstances. If it is used to fight, there is no guarantee that it will end as intended. A textbook example of this is Carrillo’s decision to utilize his skills out on the streets, which put him in a life-threatening position.

Thankfully, his determination and will to live pushed him to stay conscious that night. But it led him to have an important inner reflection, and a renewed perspective on fighting.

Carrillo’s turning point and a new approach to fighting

“To this day, it is by far the scariest thing I’ve ever experienced in my life. Because at that point I knew it was happening, and I knew I wasn’t ready to die,” Carrillo said.

“All I could think about were two things. My fiancee, because she wasn’t there, so I was telling the person I was with to tell my missus that I love her. And the other thing was that I hadn’t achieved anything that I wanted to yet. I was thinking of those on rotation. It definitely changed me. I never got myself into another situation like that. I’ve been in many situations where I could have stayed and fought, but it’s better to walk away now. It totally changed my perception on ego and fighting with people.”

“King of the North” will draw from what he learned once again when he steps back into the ring to do what he does best under proper conditions. Against #4-ranked bantamweight contender Saemapetch, his fighting prowess will certainly be put to good use. And a win for him should put him on track for a shot at the divisional crown at some point.