‘There’s No Way Back’ – Shadow Ready To Seize Interim World Title Against Nico Carrillo At ONE Fight Night 40
For Shadow Singha Mawynn, a World Title opportunity inside ONE Championship did not arrive on momentum alone, but through recovery, recalibration, and steady progress after an early stumble on the global stage.
That journey now places the Thai standout in the biggest fight of his career.
On Friday, February 13, Shadow will face Scottish powerhouse Nico “King of the North” Carrillo for the ONE Interim Featherweight Muay Thai World Championship at ONE Fight Night 40: Buntan vs. Hemetsberger, airing live in U.S. primetime from the iconic Lumpinee Stadium.
The interim belt bout was created after reigning ONE Featherweight Muay Thai World Champion Tawanchai PK Saenchai was sidelined by injury, opening the door for two of the division’s most dangerous finishers to compete for gold.
For Shadow, the opportunity arrived sooner than he ever expected:
“When I found out it was going to be an interim World Championship match, I was super excited. I had never expected to be in such a big fight. Even though it is an interim, it’s still great for many.
“After Tawanchai got injured, there came this interim match opportunity for me. I wish Tawanchai recovers soon. He is the greatest fighter for me in this weight range.”
A former Rajadamnern Stadium Muay Thai World Champion, the 25-year-old entered ONE Championship with expectations but suffered a setback in his promotional debut. Shadow rebuilt his career on the ONE Friday Fights weekly series, where his confidence and consistency began to take shape.
One victory led to another, and soon Shadow was compiling wins over elite opposition. He defeated former ONE World Title challenger Jimmy Vienot, recent contract winner Mohammad Siasarani, and seven-time Muay Thai and kickboxing World Champion Sitthichai Sitsongpeenong – a run that earned him a six-figure contract and a place on ONE Championship’s global roster.
Although his first U.S. primetime appearance ended in a no contest due to an accidental eye poke, Shadow rebounded emphatically by knocking out WBC Muay Thai World Champion Bampara Kouyate with a spinning backfist, reinforcing his reputation as a composed and dangerous finisher.
Soon to be standing across from Carrillo, Shadow has studied his future threat carefully.
He said:
“Nico’s strengths include his physical strength, his large size, and his very powerful fists and elbows. As a fighter, he is really skilled, equipped with a 100 percent [finishing] rate because he has knocked out almost every single opponent.
“In my perspective, I would say Nico is a deadly fighter. But I think I will apply my Muay Thai weapons to cope with him.”
The Scottish destroyer is feared for his brute force, having scored six victories inside the world’s largest martial arts organization, all by finish.
Rather than searching for obvious weaknesses, however, Shadow believes understanding Carrillo’s tendencies will be key on fight night.
He said:
“Everyone sees what I see. When Nico was kicked by Nong-O [Hama], he showed some symptoms. He previously got kicked on his legs by Luke Lessei and he showed the symptoms again. But I think this might not be his weakness. I think he might be acting to lure and punch his opponents.”
“I think I will use my push kicks. Even though he was acting that his leg was hurt, I’ll still kick him. I’ll see if his pain from my kick is fake or real.”
Shadow Views ONE’s World Title As The Greatest Thing In His Career
Beyond this matchup, Shadow Singha Mawynn sees this interim World Title opportunity against Nico Carrillo at ONE Fight Night 40 as validation of a journey that began with adversity rather than dominance.
From his early loss in ONE Championship to his steady climb through ONE Friday Fights and onto the global roster, each test served as preparation for this moment. The chance to compete for gold is viewed as the result of persistence.
He said:
“Looking back to the day I stepped into ONE, I lost in the first match. None of the opponents were easy. It might be because of my determination that brought me into this stage.
“Since I am here now, there’s no way back. I got to keep going forward.”
While Shadow acknowledges Carrillo’s power and finishing ability, he embraces the volatility of Muay Thai – especially with small gloves, where momentum can shift in seconds.
That uncertainty fuels his belief.
He said:
“It might be true that I feel like I am a bit of an underdog compared to him because he’s really tough. But anything can happen in Muay Thai.
“How great it would be being World Champion for me. It would be the greatest thing in my life. Being a champion is like a certificate that proves you are successful in this career.”
