"I'm gonna see how he responds" - 'Smokin' Jo Nattawut says he won't force the issue in high-stakes rematch with Tawanchai

Despite more than holding his own against the prolific Tawanchai PK Saenchai last time out, don't expect Jo Nattawut to just recklessly charge in when they run it back in the main event of ONE 167. The third-ranked challenger will look to unseat his dominant compatriot from the featherweight Muay Thai throne on June 7 inside Impact Arena in Bangkok, Thailand.

At first glance, it seems that 'Smokin' Jo loves to instigate chaos and mindlessly figure in all-out brawls. However, there's actually a method to his madness, as we saw in his incredible performance at short notice against Tawanchai at ONE Fight Night 15 last year.

The 34-year-old is as cerebral as they come. Now that the element of surprise is out of the window, Nattawut said a methodical approach will be of paramount importance.

He shared in an interview on Sportsmanor's YouTube channel:

"I like to keep things simple. I just make sure I eat good, rest well, and train good. In the ring, when we get into the fight, it depends on the situation. I'm gonna see how he responds, he's gonna see how I respond. I'm just going to go with the situation."

Meanwhile, the sensational Tawanchai is also known for his high fight IQ and ability to adjust on the fly. We'll soon see who outwits who at ONE 167, which will air live in US primetime, free of charge for Prime Video subscribers in North America.

Watch Jo Nattawut's interview in its entirety:

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Tawanchai out to silence his critics in Jo Nattawut re-do

While Tawanchai was able to narrowly escape with the unanimous decision victory in his kickboxing war with Jo Nattawut, it wasn't a satisfying victory for him by any means.

After all, the 25-year-old striking savant was bombarded by his detractors shortly after. Some even claim 'Smokin' Jo should have gotten the nod.

In an interview with ONE, the 155-pound Muay Thai kingpin said this rematch is an opportunity to erase all doubts once and for all:

"I was happy when I knew that I would be defending my Muay Thai belt against Jo because it would seal the lips of critics from our first fight. I received quite a bit of criticism from that fight."