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Lito Adiwang explains what makes Rodtang a "really difficult opponent."
Few fighters in ONE Championship, if any, are more beloved than Rodtang. The 6x flyweight Muay Thai world champion has produced countless entertaining moments for fans and holds a legendary resume featuring wins against Jonathan Haggerty x2, Joseph Lasiri, Petchdam Petchyindee, and more.
ONE strawweight MMA fighter Lito Adiwang recently did an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda. The 31-year-old took time to voice his respect for Rodtang explaining why it's difficult to defeat the Thai megastar:
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"So that’s what makes him a really difficult opponent. You’re trying to figure out how to defend or avoid his power shots, but he’s also working on his next move. It takes someone special to beat Rodtang."
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Lito Adiwang has been around ONE Championship long enough to understand how special is. Adiwang made his promotional debut in October 2018 and has since fought thirteen times, establishing a 10-3 record. 'Thunder Kid' is riding a three-fight winning streak following a unanimous decision against Danial Williams.
Meanwhile, Rodtang holds promotional records of 3-0 in kickboxing, 12-1 in Muay Thai, and 0-1 in a mixed-rules bout (Demetrious Johnson). The Thai megastar last fought in June, defeating Denis Puric by unanimous decision in a non-title flyweight kickboxing match at ONE 167.
Will Jacob Smith be "special" enough to defeat Rodtang?
As previously mentioned, Lito Adiwang acknowledged how "special' of a fighter is needed to defeat Rodtang. On November 8, Jacob Smith plans to prove he's worthy of that recognition, as he's scheduled to challenge 'The Iron Man' for his ONE flyweight Muay Thai world title at ONE 169.
This won't be the first time that Smith has fought Rodtang. In May 2022, 'The Iron Man' battered Smith for three rounds to secure a unanimous decision. Since then, the UK challenger has fought twice against Walter Goncalves (first-round knockout win) and Denis Puric (unanimous decision loss).
Smith now looks for a legacy-defining win to end Rodtang's reign of terror. ONE 169, including the co-main event between Smith and Rodtang, can be seen live and for free by North American and Canadian viewers with an active Amazon Prime Video subscription.
