The 27-year-old striker reflected on his finishing power and at the same time expressed the desire to deliver a technically beautiful performance. Nico Carrillo wants to create a memorable showcase for fans and himself when viewing the fight footage.
Nico Carrillo brings a 29-4 record into this interim title challenge. Meanwhile, Shadow has a score of 81-14 in the match, as well as the honor of being the Rajadamnern Stadium Muay Thai World Champion.
Nico Carrillo strives for power and perfection at ONE Fight Night 40
Nico Carrillo discussed his approach to the interim title fight and described his ability to finish any opponent while revealing his artistic ambitions for this outing. The Scottish striker aims to combine devastating power with technical excellence, creating a visually stunning showcase.
“I can bring out my power in every fight and lock everyone up, but sometimes it’s not more beautiful than that, so I want to make this fight, for the fans and for me to watch it back, look as beautiful and perfect as possible,” said Nico Carrillo.
The Scottish destroyer bounced back from his interim bantamweight title loss to Nabil Anane in January 2025 by moving up to featherweight. He defeated Thai veteran Sitthichai Sitsongpeenong and American striker Luke Lessei via consecutive stoppages in the second round.
Scottish striker Nico Carrillo praises the all-round skills of the Thai opponent
Nico Carrillo praised the Thai competitor’s extensive skills and similar career trajectory. The “King of the North” noted how both fighters overcame early setbacks to build championship momentum through consistent performances.
“Shadow is just all-round good. He’s good at everything. He had a tough start when he came to ONE Championship, then found his feet, and he’s been on the same kind of journey as me,” the Scot explained.
Shadow’s phenomenal performance in Muay Thai competition made him a legitimate contender. The Singha Mawynn representative brings three finishes to his six promotional Muay Thai wins in this interim title opportunity.
Nico Carrillo remains focused on championship gold at ONE Fight Night 40
The Scottish knockout artist looked beyond personal rivalries and underlined his singular focus on winning title titles rather than targeting specific opponents. Carrillo made it clear that he has never harbored hatred for any fighter or sought specific matchups.
“For me, it’s never an opposition. For me, it’s just whoever has the gold. That’s always my goal. I made that very clear from the beginning. I never had hatred for anyone. I never wanted to fight a specific person. I just wanted to fight for gold, and that’s still the case,” Carrillo said.
The interim title opportunity arose after reigning ONE Featherweight Muay Thai World Champion Tawanchai PK Saenchai suffered a leg injury during his shocking 52-second TKO loss to China’s Liu Mengyang in December 2025. The winner will become the clear next challenger once Tawanchai is medically cleared.
ONE Fight Night 40 will air live on Prime Video on Friday, February 13. The action starts at 8:00 PM ET/5:00 PM PT. The event is free for all Amazon Prime subscribers in the US and Canada.
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