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Jacob Smith admitted he "didn't quite understand how good" Rodtang was before they first fought.
In May 2022, Smith made his ONE Championship debut at ONE 157. The former British Muay Thai champion planned to make a statement in his first promotional fight, but unfortunately for him, he was matched up against Rodtang.
Rodtang showcased a masterful three-round performance against Smith, leading to a unanimous decision win in the Flyweight World Grand Prix Quarterfinal. Smith has since had time to reflect on what went wrong against 'The Iron Man.'
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During an interview with ONE, Smith had this to say about underestimating Rodtang's world-class striking skills:
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“It was an easy win for him last time. I didn’t quite understand how good he was until I got in there with him. He was a step or two ahead of me throughout it all. It’s as simple as that."
Jacob Smith has fought twice since losing against Rodtang - Walter Goncalves (first-round knockout win) and Denis Puric (unanimous decision loss). The 32-year-old British flyweight now looks to secure the biggest win of his fighting career.
Jacob Smith plans to secure life-changing win at ONE 169
On November 8, Jacob Smith has an opportunity to kill two birds with one stone by avenging a loss against Rodtang and becoming a ONE world champion. At ONE 169, Smith will be featured in the co-main event while 'The Iron Man' looks to extend his run as the flyweight Muay Thai king.
Heading into ONE 169, Rodtang is coming off a unanimous decision kickboxing win against Denis Puric in June. As for Muay Thai, the Thai megastar last fought Superlek in September 2023, with the latter emerging victorious by unanimous decision.
Superlek missed weight for the ONE Friday Fights 34 main event, making him ineligible to take Rodtang's world title. A Muay Thai rematch between the superstars is expected to take place in 2025.
ONE 169 goes down inside the legendary combat sports venue of Lumpinee Boxing Stadium. The November 8 event can be seen live and for free by North American and Canadian viewers with an active Amazon Prime Video subscription.
