Jacob Smith challenges Rodtang to football match after ONE 169: "We can play five on five"

Jacob Smith isn't just preparing to face the biggest challenge of his career, he's already laying down the gauntlet for a second test of his skills.

The Brit is set to return at ONE 169 where he will step into a huge fight in the co-main event of the evening.

At Lumpinee Stadium on Nov. 8, he faces Rodtang Jitmuangnon in a rematch where the ONE flyweight world championship will be on the line for him despite the Thai superstar missing weight and being stripped of the belt.

Anyone who knows what 'The Iron Man' is all about knows that whilst Muay Thai is how he's made his name, football is his other major passion.

We've seen in the past how he will exchange strikes with an opponent inside the Circle and then play alongside them in the following days.

If this is what Rodtang wants, Liverpool fan Jacob Smith is prepared to lace up the boots once the dust settles in Bangkok, Thailand.

In a fight week interview with Nick Atkin, he said that he's down to go up against his next opponent on the pitch and he's bringing some back-up to help him do so:

"I would like to, yeah. One hundred percent. I've got two of my best mates coming over as well. They arrive tomorrow. They're both into football, so if Rodtang wants to get a couple of his friends and let my two friends play, then we can play five on five, one hundred percent, and I'll have them a bet, they will not beat us. No chance."

Watch the full interview below:

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Jacob Smith is entirely focused on the task at hand

Though facing off with Rodtang on the football pitch is something that he's clearly interested in, Jacob Smith is dialed in for Nov. 8.

The Brit believes that he knows where he went wrong in his first encounter with 'The Iron Man' back in 2022.

Heading into their rematch, he's confident that he can make the right adjustments and improvements to emerge victorious at Lumpinee Stadium.

ONE 169 will be available to active Amazon Prime Video subscribers in North America live in U.S. primetime today, Nov. 8.