“It’s hard to take risks” - Jacob Smith rues being unable to pull the trigger in second straight defeat vs Rodtang

While Jacob Smith fared far better in his rematch with Rodtang Jitmuangnon than in their inaugural meeting, the Brit still came up short after failing to pull the trigger.

Smith returned to the legendary Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok on Friday, November 8 for a showdown with 'The Iron Man' at ONE 169. With the opportunity to walk away as the ONE flyweight Muay Thai world champion, many expected Smith to come out swinging and bring it to Rodtang — especially after letting the Thai superstar batter and bloody him in their first meeting 18 months earlier.

Unfortunately, that was not the case.

Throughout their 15-minute clash, Smith fought with extreme caution and took very little risk. That game plan ultimately allowed Rodtang to control the action and piece up Smith en route to another decisive decision victory.

Speaking with the Bangkok Post following his lackluster showing, Smith expressed regret over not pushing the pace and going after Rodtang.

“It’s just one of those things,” Smith said. “I knew what I needed to do but at the same time, it’s hard to take risks.”

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Jacob Smith's mid-fight eye injury made it difficult for him to mount a comeback against Rodtang

Like in their first fight, Jacob Smith found himself compromised following a vicious elbow that busted open his right eye.

Adding to his previous comments, Smith revealed that the injury made engaging with 'The Iron Man' and attempting to mount a comeback difficult.

“From that point on, it was so hard to engage and do what I needed to do, because the referee and the cutman in-between rounds were telling me, ‘You have to protect that eye, otherwise the fight is going to stop,'" Smith said.

If you missed any of the action, ONE Championship fans in the United States and Canada can watch the ONE 169: Malykhin vs. Reug Reug replay on demand via Amazon Prime Video.