Liam Nolan returns to ONE Championship looking for rematch vengeance live on Sky Sports on May 3
Britain's Liam Nolan is looking for revenge as he sets rematch with Spanish rival Nauzet Trujillo; Victory could put Nolan back on course for a shot at ONE Championship's lightweight Muay Thai world title; Watch Nolan vs Trujillo live on Sky Sports on May 3
Thursday 10 April 2025 11:55, UK
Liam Nolan returns to ONE Championship looking for revenge when he rematches Nauzet Trujillo, live on Sky Sports on May 3.
Britain's Nolan was on the cusp of a Muay Thai world title shot, before Spain's Trujillo upset him last year.
Now Nolan is determined to settle the score in their second fight.
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"It will feel great to get that one back. Because I know I can do it. I know I've got the ability to do it so it will feel amazing to do that," Nolan told Sky Sports.
"I reflect on it a lot. I think about it and watch it back, speak to my coaches. There's definitely things I'll do differently this time round.
"Coming back, trying to get that momentum back, that's why it's important."
Nolan was one win away from challenging for the ONE Muay Thai lightweight world championship when he first met Trujillo.
Despite controlling the first round, disaster struck. Nolan broke his right hand, then in the second round an elbow from Trujillo carved through, dropping the Briton to the canvas, leaving him with a damaged nose.
He rose and fought back but it wasn't enough to turn the three-round contest back his way.
"When he caught me with the elbow I was in a mess. My nose was broken, my hand was broken. When you break your nose if you blow out, your eye then [swells] So I couldn't see him either. So I was trying to hit the one in the middle. It was a bit of a nightmare," Nolan recounted.
"Anything can happen. That night it did," he continued. "I want to push through that. If that happens to me again, I'm going to go swinging for this guy and that's it. It's crazy but that's what I've got to do to win. I'll do whatever it takes to win."
To prepare for this rematch, Nolan has been sparring UFC star Ian Garry. "We've been doing loads of rounds together. It's been awesome. He's been my sparring partner for this fight," Nolan said.
"We do five minutes rounds, it's like a proper chess match," he added. "He's trying to bait me, I'm trying to bait him in, really analysing what I'm doing, feinting, loads of little details I'm trying to put in. It's not a usual spar.
"It's great work, I'm enjoying it."
Championship goal
If he is successful, Nolan believes he will be back on course for a world title fight, though he might have to wait for British rival George Jarvis to get the shot at Regian Eersel, the ONE lightweight Muay Thai world champion.
"I'm not far away," Nolan said. "I think George Jarvis now deserves to fight for the world title.
"Maybe after this I'll fight someone else as well and maybe I'll fight the winner of George and Eersel.
"Me and him have had a rivalry," he added. "We're both in the same division, both British. We've got that rivalry and I think it would be a great fight.
"I think he can beat Eersel. Eersel's great but George has got the Muay Thai style… It's a good fight.
"My goal is still to be world champion. It's not even changed," Nolan declared. "After losing that fight I didn't think 'I can't do it now'. I can do it still."
Watch Nolan vs Trujillo live on Sky Sports on May 3.
