Jo Nattawut (photo via Lion Fight)

By Press Release

Lion Fight Promotions, the worldwide leader in Muay Thai combat, returns to one of its premier venues for Lion Fight 35 which will take place on Friday, March 3rd at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut.

This will be Lion Fight’s second live event of 2017, coming exactly one month after this year’s inaugural showcase of the world’s best Muay Thai talent on Feb. 3rd at the Tropicana Resort Casino on the iconic Las Vegas Strip.

Tickets for Lion Fight 35 are on sale now and are available at www.foxwoods.com or by calling 800-200-2882. Tickets can also be purchased by visiting the Foxwoods Box Offices.

Topping the bill is a pair of title fights, both of which bring back two of Lion Fight’s most-popular competitors.

In the main event, two-division champion ‘Smokin’ Jo Nattawut, who now lives in Atlanta, Georgia, puts his super welterweight belt on the line against rival Thai veteran Kengsiam Nor Sripueng. The co-main event will see reigning women’s super lightweight belt-holder Antonina “The Panther” Shevchenko, who fights out of Lima, Peru, take on Aleide “The Dutchess” Lawant from The Netherlands.

Nattawut vs. Kengsiam with belt at stake

Last time inside the Lion Fight ring at Foxwoods, ‘Smokin’ Jo Nattawut successfully defended his super welterweight title with a one-sided unanimous decision victory over Hasan Toy. That win came just three weeks after he claimed the vacant middleweight title by posting a convincing win over Malaipet Sasiprapa in Las Vegas. It was a particularly sharp performance by Nattawut considering he took the bout on just three days’ notice as an injury replacement, and he dominated virtually every moment of the fight against one of Muay Thai’s most respected names.

Kengsiam Nor Sripueng has inflicted damage to opponents throughout Asia and Europe, particularly under the Max Muay Thai banner where he has captured multiple titles and tournaments. This past December, Kengsiam scored a second-round TKO over Issam Arabat-Ziare and a decision verdict over Kurtis Staiti to win another Max tournament.

Shevchenko vs. Lawant title showdown

Born in Kyrgyzstan, Antonina Shevchenko is truly one of Muay Thai’s most dominant fighters with an array of unmatched technical skills. Shevchenko has breezed past Paola Cappucci and Ilona Wijmans in her two Lion Fight title defenses, both of which were unanimous decision outcomes at Foxwoods.

Aleide Lawant has made a name for herself in Europe with the Enfusion promotion where she won the Captains Tournament and competed in the A1 Combat Cup.

Naurepol vs. Cristiano Superfight

One of the iconic names in Muay Thai will be showcasing his talent at Lion Fight 34 when Thai sensation Naurepol “Mr. GQ” Fairtex takes on Amadeu Cristiano.

A former Lumpinee Stadium champion, Naurepol has registered 180 wins over the course of his illustrious career, including 53 via knockout. Meanwhile, Cristiano, a native of Sao Paulo, Brazil, has recently set up shop in Boston coming off a win at Invictus Muay Thai II.

Two More Featured Bouts

Highlighting the main card is the second appearance inside the Lion Fight ring for breakout sensation Chip “The Surgeon” Moraza-Pollard, who will be facing Scott Noble.

A long-time fixture on the high-end MMA scene, Moraza-Pollard has jumpstarted his career with a return to all-striking combat, and his organizational debut couldn’t have been more impressive. Stepping in against veteran Brett Hlavacek at Lion Fight 33, Moraza-Pollard put forth a showcase that not only punished his opponent but drew massive praise from AXS TV Fights commentator Michael “The Voice” Schiavello.

“I have seen thousands of Muay Thai fights over the last 20 years, and I would say that was the best performance I have seen from a guy with one fight in this sport,” said Schiavello during the final moments of Moraza-Pollard’s win over Hlavacek.

Also slated for the main card of Lion Fight 35 is clash between former women’s super bantamweight title hopeful Jeri “Fists of Fury” Sitzes and onetime WBC champ Ruth Ashdown. Sitzes, who fights out of Springfield, Missouri, bowed to Iman Barlow in their championship bout at Lion Fight 31, but she holds a notable career win over Keri Anne Taylor-Melendez. Ashdown, who hails from Crawley, England, is also a former ISKA title-holder as well as a WBC Intercontinental champion.

Lion Fight 35 will air live on AXS TV Fights with a start time of 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT. with commentary from renowned duo “The Voice” Michael Schiavello and UFC Hall of Famer Pat Miletich.

Please visit LIONFIGHT.com for news, information and event updates, and follow on Twitter @LIONFIGHT and @LionFightOfficial on Instagram.