Jo Nattawut

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Jo Nattawut
โจ ณัฐวุฒิ
Born Nattawut Somkhun
(1989-10-07) October 7, 1989 (age 34)
Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand
Native name โจ ณัฐวุฒิ
Other names Smokin' Jo
Nationality Thai
Height 178cm
Weight 70 kg (154 lb; 11 st)
Division Featherweight (ONE)
Light middleweight
Middleweight
Reach 72 in (183 cm)
Style Muay Thai
Fighting out of Atlanta, Georgia, United States
Team Thai Top Team
United Training Center
Kickboxing record
Total 83
Wins 71
Losses 10
Draws 2

Jo Nattawut (born October 7, 1989), also known as Smokin' Jo, is a Thai Muay Thai kickboxer. He is a 5-time Lion Fight super welterweight champion and 1-time Lion Fight middleweight champion, as well as the former WMC Super Lightweight champion.[1] He currently competes in ONE Championship for ONE Super Series.

Jo Nattawut is currently ranked #3 in the ONE Featherweight Muay Thai rankings.[2]

Biography

Early years

Jo Nattawut (real name Nattawut Somkhun) was born in Nakhon Ratchasima in the Northeastern Isan region of Thailand. Jo grew up playing football at school and spent his weekends working on local rice farms.

Early career

Jo first discovered Muay Thai at 10 years old, when he saw his football coach hitting a heavy bag. Jo asked to join, starting to train Muay Thai after football practice. He took his first fight at the age of 10 with 12 hours notice. Eventually, he decided to join a Muay Thai camp near his house and continue training in his free time. When he was 18 years old, Jo moved to Bangkok to join a gym and get serious about Muay Thai.

After a year and a half of no success in Muay Thai, Jo gave up Muay Thai and moved to Ko Pha-ngan island. During the day, he worked at a restaurant, hotel, and fitness gym, and at night he sold whiskey on the beach for tourist parties. Jo also organized Muay Thai showcases for tourists and occasionally put himself on the card to fight.

Move to the United States and career resurgence

Jo moved to the United States in early 2013. He first lived in Colorado, where he fell in love with snowboarding. He moved to Atlanta, Georgia in late 2013, where he taught kickboxing and Muay Thai classes.[3]

In the United States, Jo fought for Lion Fight, an American Muay Thai organization based in Las Vegas. Nattawut's first fight was with one week's notice, at Lion Fight 17 against Cosmo Alexandre. Jo won by split decision. Nattawut's next fight was infamously taken on 24 hours notice against Sean Kearney at Lion Fight 19. He ended up winning the fight by unanimous decision.

At Lion Fight 22, Jo Nattawut defeated Salah Khalifa to win the Lion Fight Super Welterweight Championship. He would go on to successfully defend the super welterweight title 5 times: Charlie Peters at Lion Fight 24, Cedric Manhoef at Lion Fight 28, Hasan Toy at Lion Fight 33, Kengsiam Nor Sripueng at Lion Fight 35, and Petchtanong Banchamek at Lion Fight 37. He also defeated fellow Thai expatriate fighter Malaipet Sasiprapa at Lion Fight 32 to win the Lion Fight Middleweight Championship.

ONE Championship

After winning multiple Muay Thai titles at the Lion Fight tournaments in the United States, including the Lion Fight Super Welterweight and Lion Fight Middleweight Titles, Nattawut signed a contract with ONE Championship. He made his ONE debut on April 20, 2018 at ONE Championship: Heroes of Honor in Manila, facing legendary kickboxer Giorgio Petrosyan. He lost to Petrosyan by unanimous decision.[4]

His next fight was against Yohann Drai at ONE Championship: Pursuit of Power in Kuala Lumpur on July 13, 2018. Nattawut would knock out Drai in the first round, giving him his first win in ONE Championship.[5] On November 9, 2018, he faced George Mann of Scotland at ONE Championship: Heart of the Lion in Singapore, where he won by unanimous decision.[6]

On February 16, 2019, Jo Nattawut would return to fight in Thailand for the first time since moving to the United States at ONE Championship: Clash of Legends in Bangkok. His opponent at the event was Samy Sana of France, whom he defeated by unanimous decision.[7]

2019 ONE Kickboxing Featherweight World Grand Prix

Jo Nattawut was selected to compete in the ONE Super Series Kickboxing Featherweight World Grand Prix, which included Yodsanklai Fairtex, Giorgio Petrosyan, and Dzhabar Askerov. His opponent for the Quarter-Finals was Sasha Moisa, a Ukrainian fighter who also competes in Lethwei in the World Lethwei Championship[8] (itself a partner of ONE Championship). In the Grand Prix Quarter-Finals at ONE Championship: Enter the Dragon in Singapore, he defeated Sasha Moisa via TKO, knocking down the Ukrainian 3 times in the third round, securing a win and advancing to the Grand Prix Semi-Finals.[9]

In the Kickboxing Featherweight Grand Prix Semi-Finals, he was set to face Giorgio Petrosyan a second time at ONE Championship: Dreams of Gold in Bangkok. However, in his rematch with Petrosyan, Nattawut lost by knockout in the first round, getting eliminated from the Kickboxing Featherweight World Grand Prix.[10]

Jo currently trains at his own gym, United Training Center, located in Atlanta, Georgia.[11]

2021 ONE Kickboxing Featherweight World Grand Prix

After two years away, Jo Nattawut is scheduled to make his return against Yurik Davtyan in an alternate bout for the 2021 ONE Kickboxing Featherweight Grand Prix at ONE Championship: First Strike on October 15, 2021.[12] However, the fight was removed from the card for undisclosed reasons. Nattawut's fight with Davtyan was eventually rescheduled for ONE Championship: NextGen II on November 12, 2021.[13] Nattawut won by knockout in the first round.[14][15]

He was originally set to face fellow Grand Prix alternate Dovydas Rimkus at ONE Championship: Only the Brave on January 28, 2022.[16] However, after Grand Prix semifinalist Marat Grigorian tested positive for COVID-19, Nattawut was rebooked to face Chingiz Allazov in the Grand Prix semifinals.[17][18] Nattawut lost by first-round knockout.[19]

Return to Muay Thai

Nattawut is scheduled to face Jamal Yusupov under Muay Thai rules at ONE 159 on July 22, 2022.[20] He lost by unanimous decision.

Titles and accomplishments

  • World Muaythai Council
    • WMC World Super Lightweight Championship
  • Lion Fight
    • 2016 Lion Fight Middleweight Champion[21]
    • 2015 Lion Fight Super Welterweight Champion[22] (5 defenses)
  • World Professional Muaythai Federation
    • 2009 WPMF World 140 lbs. Champion

Fight record

Kickboxing record
71 Wins , 10 Losses , 2 Draw
Date Result Opponent Event Location Method Round Time
2022-07-22 Loss Russia Jamal Yusupov ONE 159 Kallang, Singapore Decision (Unanimous) 3 3:00
2022-01-28 Loss Belarus Chingiz Allazov ONE Championship: Only the Brave Kallang, Singapore KO (Left Hook) 1 1:55
Kickboxing Featherweight Grand Prix Semi-finals
2021-11-12 Win Armenia Yurik Davtyan ONE Championship: NextGen II Singapore KO (Right Cross) 1 2:50
2019-08-16 Loss Italy Giorgio Petrosyan ONE Championship: Dreams of Gold Bangkok, Thailand KO (Left Straight) 1 2:44
Kickboxing Featherweight Grand Prix Semi-Finals
2019-05-17 Win Ukraine Sasha Moisa ONE Championship: Enter the Dragon Kallang, Singapore TKO (3 Knockdown Rule) 3 1:24
Kickboxing Featherweight Grand Prix Quarter-Finals
2019-02-16 Win France Samy Sana ONE Championship: Clash of Legends Thailand Decision (Unanimous) 3 3:00
2018-11-09 Win Scotland George Mann ONE Championship: Heart of the Lion Kallang, Singapore Decision (Unanimous) 3 3:00
2018-07-13 Win France Yohann Drai ONE Championship: Pursuit of Power Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia KO (Punches) 1 2:59
2018-04-20 Loss Italy Giorgio Petrosyan ONE Championship: Heroes of Honor Manila, Philippines Decision 3 3:00
2017-07-28 Win Thailand Petchtanong Banchamek Lion Fight 37 Ledyard, United States Decision (Unanimous) 5 3:00
Defends the Lion Fight Super Welterweight title.
2017-03-03 Win Thailand Kengsiam Nor Sripueng Lion Fight 35 Ledyard, United States KO (Knees to the leg) 3 2:40
Defends the Lion Fight Super Welterweight title.
2017-01-13 Win China Yan Zhao Superstar Fight 7 Hunan, China Decision 3 3:00
2016-11-18 Win Netherlands Hasan Toy Lion Fight 33 United States Decision (Unanimous) 5 3:00
Defends the Lion Fight Super Welterweight title.
2016-10-21 Win Thailand Malaipet Sasiprapa Lion Fight 32 Las Vegas, United States Decision (Unanimous) 5 3:00
Wins the vacant Lion Fight Middleweight title.
2016-07-02 Win China Mo Zhuang Superstar Fight 4 Shenzhen, China KO 2
2016-05-27 Loss Netherlands Regian Eersel Lion Fight 29 United States KO (Right high kick) 5
2016-02-26 Win Netherlands Cedric Manhoef Lion Fight 28 United States Decision 5 3:00
Defends the Lion Fight super welterweight title.
2015-09-25 Win England Charlie Peters Lion Fight 24 Ledyard, United States KO (Elbows) 3
Defends the Lion Fight super welterweight title.
2015-05-22 Win United Kingdom Salah Khalifa Lion Fight 22 United States Decision 5 3:00
Wins the Lion Fight super welterweight title.
2015-02-20 Win United States Richard Abraham Lion Fight 20 United States Decision 5 3:00
2014-11-21 Win United States Sean Kerney Lion Fight 19 Ledyard, United States Decision 5 3:00
2014-08-01 Win Brazil Cosmo Alexandre Lion Fight 17 United States Decision 5 3:00
2012-03-03 Loss Australia Toby Smith Domination 8 Australia Decision 5 3:00
Legend:       Win       Loss       Draw/No contest       Notes

References

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