“That's normal” – Jo Nattawut downplays late scare in round 3 after getting staggered by Luke Lessei

Thai striking veteran ‘Smokin’ Jo Nattawut recently turned in one of the best performances of his storied career last weekend, when he and ONE Championship newcomer ‘The Chef’ Luke Lessei went toe-to-toe in an explosive war of attrition.

Nattawut locked horns with Lessei in the co-main event at the recently concluded ONE Fight Night 17: Kryklia vs. Roberts on Prime Video, which took place at the iconic Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand last Saturday, December 9th.

‘Smokin Jo’ and ‘The Chef’ traded their best shots at the center of the ONE Championship ring all night long, with neither man willing to go down or even take a step backward. Though the contest ended in a unanimous decision in favor of Nattawut and a nod as a potential ‘Fight of the Year’, it wasn’t smooth sailing for the Thai veteran.

Nattawut acknowledged that he did encounter some trouble against Lessei but said it was all part of the game.

Speaking to Mitch Chilson in his post-fight interview in the ring, Nattawut said:

“I feel just a little bit [of pain] when he landed. But that's normal. It happens in every fight, not just a big fight.”

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What’s next for ‘Smokin’ Jo Nattawut?

‘Smokin’ Jo Nattawut has made his intentions clear. The 34-year-old star has eyes on another run at the world title.

The reigning ONE featherweight Muay Thai world champion is Tawanchai PK Saenchai, and the featherweight kickboxing king is Chingiz Allazov. Matchups with either are sure to provide fans with epic fireworks from start to finish.

Fans in the United States and Canada can catch all the action of ONE Fight Night 17: Kryklia vs. Roberts via replay on-demand with an active Amazon Prime Video subscription.

Stay tuned to Sportskeeda MMA for all the news and updates surrounding ‘Smokin’ Jo Nattawut’s next fight.