“That's what champions do” - Chatri Sityodtong praises Jonathan Haggerty for bouncing back after rough start vs Wei Rui 

Jonathan Haggerty proved that true champions thrive in the face of adversity.

'The General' did not have an ideal start in his bantamweight kickboxing world title defense against Wei Rui in the penultimate match of ONE 171: Qatar last week.

It appeared the British bomber was on his way to a second straight defeat judging by how 'Demon Blade' dominated him in the first round.

Still, Haggerty dug deep and flipped the script, outclassing his Chinese challenger for the next four rounds to retain his 26 pounds of gold.

During the ONE 171: Qatar post-event interview, Chatri Sityodtong raved about Jonathan Haggerty's incredible display of heart and resolve.

"I think first we have to celebrate and let Jon celebrate. Incredible victory against China's number one kickboxer. And Wei Rui is literally a two-time K1, world champion, and WF world champion. This guy's a killer. And in my books, again, I don't know what the judges had, but in my books, Jon lost the first round, but won four rounds in a row. And actually, after the first round, I was sitting with Renzo Gracie next to me. We looked at it. We said, man, Jon's gonna get knocked out because Wei Rui looked so scary in that first round, we're like, oh my God."

The ONE Chairman and CEO added:

"And then suddenly, you know, Jon elevated his game. He picked it up but that's what champions do. You know, you've seen Jon, Jonathan come from adversity, and I think he eats it for lunch."

Here's the ONE 171 post-event press conference in its entirety:

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Overcoming adversity is nothing new for Jonathan Haggerty

One of Jonathan Haggerty's most underrated skills is his ability to adapt and find a solution when things go awry.

Last year, 'The General' was on the brink of getting knocked out by Felipe Lobo but was able to storm back for an epic come-from-behind finish.

After getting blasted by Wei Rui early on at ONE 171, the 28-year-old superstar had to remind himself that he's one of the best in the world.

"The first round, like Chatri said, it was a bit rocky. I had to find myself. It reminded me a little bit of the Lobo fight. I needed that little bit of a punch to the face to get myself going," Haggerty said.

The full replay of ONE 171: Qatar is available via watch.onefc.com.