“I was really happy” - Jacob Smith recalls initial reaction after receiving offer to run it back vs. Rodtang at ONE 169: Atlanta 

Jacob Smith was thrilled to hear that he would have the opportunity to run it back with ONE flyweight Muay Thai world champion Rodtang.

'The Iron Man' will return to the Circle on Friday, November 8, when ONE Championship makes its highly anticipated debut at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, for ONE 169.

The matchup will serve as a sequel to their inaugural meeting at ONE 157 more than two years ago.

On that night, Rodtang punished the UK standout with a series of slicing elbows, bloodying Smith en route to a decisive unanimous decision victory.

Since then, Smith has bounced back, landing a highlight-reel knockout against Walter Goncalves. That and a close encounter with 'The Bosnian Menace' Denis Puric has put him back in position to challenge the Thai superstar for his 26 pounds of ONE Championship gold once again.

"My initial reaction to getting the Rodtang fight was excitement," Smith told Sportskeeda MMA in an exclusive interview. "I was absolutely made up [delighted]. I was really happy that ONE Championship gave me this fight. Yeah, that was my initial thoughts."

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Rodtang eyes potential clash with Takeru after Jacob Smith rematch

Since his dominant showing against Smith, 'The Iron Man' has added a series of epic victories over the likes of Joseph Lasiri, Jiduo Yibu, Edgar Tabares, and the aforementioned Denis Puric.

Earlier this year, Rodtang was scheduled to square off with Japanese kickboxing icon Takeru Segawa, but a hand injury forced him out of the bout. Should Rodtang earn another big win against Smith in November, it's very possible that his next big bout could be a rescheduled scrap with 'The Natural Born Crusher.'

Until then, 'The Iron Man' will focus on his long-awaited return to the United States and adding another successful title defense to his resume.

Follow this link for tickets for ONE 169: Atlanta on November 8 at State Farm Arena.