Victory was within Shadow Singha Mawynn’s grasp, practically gift-wrapped and ready for delivery, when fate decided to play the cruelest joke imaginable. One accidental finger to the eye, and years of preparation vanished in a moment.
The Thai striker had been putting on a clinic against Mohamed Younes Rabah in their featherweight Muay Thai co-main event at ONE Fight Night 33 on Friday, July 11. Inside his home away from home at Lumpinee Stadium, Shadow was executing his game plan to perfection – landing heavy strikes, controlling the pace, and building toward what seemed like an inevitable finish.
Then came the knockdown. A perfectly timed punch to the chin that sent Rabah crashing to the canvas and had Shadow believing his breakout moment had finally arrived.
The second round had begun with more of the same dominance. Shadow’s kicks were finding their mark, his opponent was visibly shaken, and the finish felt inevitable. That’s when the Thai striker made his move.
“In the second round, early on, I landed a couple of kicks, and he looked a bit wobbly. His attacks started to slow down. After that, my intention was to go out and finish him in the second round. I wanted to end the fight there,” he said.
But combat sports rarely follow the script, and an accidental eye poke forced the referee to halt what had been Shadow’s most impressive performance on the global stage. Instead of celebrating a dominant victory, he was left to process the cruel reality of a no-contest that felt more like a loss than a draw.
“When the bell rang, I initially thought I won by knockout for sure,” Shadow recalls. “But when the referee decided it was a no-contest, at first I felt disappointed and upset because I thought I had won the game.”
For a fighter who had waited years for this opportunity on ONE Championship’s Prime Video platform, the outcome stung with intensity. This wasn’t just another fight – it was his chance to announce himself to the world as a legitimate contender in the talent-rich featherweight division.
Rather than spiral into bitterness or excuses, Shadow has chosen a different path. The Thai striker’s response to the controversial ending has revealed a maturity that speaks to his evolution as both a fighter and a person.
“Even though my first ONE Fight Night didn’t go as I hoped, I learned so many valuable lessons. I gained a lot of knowledge that I can apply to my next fight,” he explained.
The experience taught him about more than just fighting. Competing in the morning for the first time in his career – a necessity for U.S. primetime television – required adjustments that tested his adaptability in ways he hadn’t anticipated.
“Having to fight in the morning for the first time in my life, I had to adjust to a lot of things. It was a brand-new experience for me,” he admitted.
But perhaps most telling is Shadow’s willingness to run it back immediately, to settle the unfinished business that hangs over both fighters.
“If it’s fair for both sides, if he thinks my finger hit his eye, I can understand and accept the decision. I’m ready to give him a rematch. Next time, my heart will be ready,” he said.
The confidence in his voice isn’t misplaced. Shadow knows what happened in that ring, and more importantly, he knows he was proving his evolution as a complete martial artist before the unfortunate incident.
“I personally feel that my striking was much better in this fight, but I’ll go back and improve myself even more for the next one,” Shadow said. “I’m sad that I couldn’t bring a victory back for the Thai people, even though everyone thinks I won. Thank you so much for that. I promise that next time I’ll bring the win for all the Thai people.”
