Jo Nattawut to Put an Exclamation Point on Rivalry With Tawanchai in Trilogy Bout at ONE 169: Atlanta

Fans asked for it, and ONE Championship is going to make it happen. The epic trilogy fight of ONE Featherweight Muay Thai World Champion Tawanchai PK Saenchai versus “Smokin’” Jo Nattawut now has a confirmed date.

On Friday, November 8, Atlanta, Georgia’s State Farm Arena will play host to ONE 169: Atlanta, and Tawanchai and “Smokin” Jo will meet once again to contest the former’s ONE Featherweight Muay Thai World Championship.

Tawanchai PK Saenchai edges Jo Nattawut in thrilling title defense at ONE 167

The first meeting between the two talented Thai strikers came at ONE Fight Night 15 in October 2023, when Nattawut stepped in on late notice to face his compatriot under kickboxing rules.

While there wasn’t much fanfare or expectation for the match, fans were left in awe at how the U.S.-based fighter kept up with Tawanchai throughout and pushed him all the way to the judges’ table.

Ultimately, it was the PK Saenchai Muay Thai Gym product who had his hand raised in victory, but it earned Nattawut plenty of well-deserved respect.

In his next outing, “Smokin” Jo produced another barnburner against American striker Luke “The Chef” Lessei under Muay Thai rules at ONE Fight Night 17 to prove that he was primed for a shot at Tawanchai’s gold.

That came earlier this month at ONE 167. The pair squared off with the ONE Featherweight Muay Thai World Title on the line. And it lived up to expectations, with another nail-biter going down in Bangkok, Thailand.

After five rounds of action, fans were at the edge of their seats as they awaited the announcement of who would take the divisional crown. With the declaration that Tawanchai was the winner via split decision, the crowd had mixed reactions, which clearly meant that not everyone was convinced by the champion’s performance.

The talks of a rematch are on between the Thai champions

During the post-event press conference, ONE Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong admitted that while he respected the judges’ opinion, he thought Nattawut had done enough to win the fight.

The ONE co-founder also expressed interest in putting on a third fight between the two Thai warriors before the year ended.

It will be a dream come true for Nattawut on November 8, as he will get to fight in his adoptive hometown of Atlanta in front of friends and family with a golden opportunity to end Tawanchai’s reign.

But his foe is a generational talent, and he won’t miss an opportunity to impress the U.S. by ending his rivalry with “Smokin’” Jo in style at ONE 169.

Also announced for the card is the main event, which will feature three-sport World Champion Anatoly “Sladkiy” Malykhin defending the ONE Heavyweight MMA World Title against “Reug Reug” Oumar Kane in what is expected to be an explosive collision between two proven finishers.

Watch out for more announcements as the ONE 169 card takes shape in the coming months.