Tawanchai Muay Thai: FREE FULL FIGHT: Tawanchai PK Saenchai pulls out all the stops in nail-biting duel vs Jo Nattawut in Bangkok

It is no secret that ONE featherweight Muay Thai world champion Tawanchai PK Saenchai is one of the most prominent strikers on the ONE Championship roster. He flaunted the entirety of his vast arsenal when he battled 'Smokin' Jo Nattawut for a second time in June 2024.

With Tawanchai having defeated the Thai Top Team affiliate in October 2023 via unanimous decision under kickboxing rules, he was determined than ever to beat his compatriot again as his Muay Thai crown was now on the line.

The champion allowed Nattawut to push the action early on, responding to the vet's offense with stinging counters to set up his own offense. Though the third-ranked ONE featherweight Muay Thai competitor put up a tough challenge, Tawanchai's strong showing in the later rounds led to him retaining the crown via majority decision.

Rewatch the entire fight below, which ONE posted on YouTube:

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After the fight, Tawanchai was unfairly criticized for his performance, with many believing Nattawut should have won the featherweight Muay Thai crown from him.

Frustrated with his doubters and critics constantly hounding him, he delivered a devastating second-round TKO of ONE featherweight kickboxing world champion Superbon at ONE 170 this past January in defense of the throne.

Tawanchai shares his strategy leading up to his TKO of Superbon

Tawanchai takes great pride in trusting his coaches at PK Saenchai Muay Thai Gym to lead him to success, which was evident in his statement-making victory over Superbon.

In the post-event press conference of ONE 170, the 26-year-old explained why he chose to be more conservative in the opening round of their battle, saying:

"I took the first round to feel the situation and see what kind of game plan that Superbon had brought for me."

Watch the entire press conference below:

About the author

Karl has been an MMA writer at Sportskeeda since 2023. He holds a Bachelor of Arts major in history, which helps him pay attention to the finer details while writing, and also has first-hand experience in boxing. He has a total experience of 5 years, and has worked for the International Business Times.

Karl turned into an MMA fan back in 2011 after watching Tito Ortiz defeat Ryan Bader via first-round submission at UFC 132. He has interviewed ONE world champions like Eduard Folayang, Joshua Pacio, Stamp Fairtex, and Tawanchai in his career so far.

On the non-MMA side of things, he interviewed WWE superstar Matt Riddle in 2021 and his question about Roman Reigns elicited an interesting answer which was widely covered by outlets like Sportskeeda and Cultaholic Wrestling's YouTube channel. He has also interviewed NBA stars Dwight Howard, Nick Young, Andre Roberson, Shabazz Muhammad, Jason Williams and Brian Scalabrine plus Filipino women's volleyball star Alyssa Valdez.

Karl ensures to double-check facts before using them in articles, and reads up on potential topics for pieces a day before. In his off time, he likes to play video games, and keep up with basketball and pro wrestling.

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Edited by C. Naik