"It doesn't get any bigger than this" - Jacob Smith is pumped up heading to match with Rodtang

Jacob Smith couldn’t have asked for a bigger opponent in his ONE Championship debut.

The British striker will take on Thai megastar Rodtang Jitmuangnon in the ONE flyweight Muay Thai world Grand Prix quarterfinals at ONE 157: Petchmorakot vs. Vienot this Friday, which will be broadcast live from the Singapore Indoor Stadium.

During the event’s virtual media day, Smith said his first fight in the promotion is already the biggest in his career. While he’s captured a British Muay Thai title, he hasn’t faced an opponent quite like Rodtang, who’s the reigning ONE flyweight Muay Thai world champion.

Smith said:

“You're all going to see the best of me. Obviously, this is probably the biggest fight for me that you could get in Muay Thai. So yeah, it doesn't get any bigger than this, mate. And I'm ready.”

In terms of sheer notoriety, Rodtang has the obvious advantage. The Thai striker is one of the most recognizable faces in martial arts and even matched up against mixed martial arts legend Demetrious Johnson in a mixed rules bout at ONE X.

Smith, meanwhile, will be heading into his first fight on a worldwide stage. Nevertheless, he’s already got a big supporter behind him.

British Muay Thai star Liam Harrison recently said that fans should keep an eye on Smith, and the ONE newcomer couldn’t help but feel glad for the support he got from his compatriot.

“That just gave me the little extra push forward. Yeah, I think Liam's words, the reason he said that is because obviously, this is my first fight in ONE Championship. Nobody knows what I'm about, nobody's seen me. And so yeah, so that's obviously why I'm the underdog.”

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Jacob Smith sees a potential classic in his match against Rodtang

While he’s yet to make a name for himself in the promotion, Smith said that his fight against Rodtang has all the makings of an instant classic. Rodtang already sees the Brit as a formidable opponent. Jacob Smith, meanwhile, said that he and Rodtang have similar styles when it comes to fighting.

Rodtang gained international mainstream fame not just through his striking, but also through his near-invincible chin that no striker in ONE Championship has yet to break. Jacob Smith said:

“I do see the makings of a classic and yeah. I have a game plan that I'm not really going to go into, it's going to be good, yeah… I suppose we're very similar in our styles. None of us can go into it, we basically both have to be very switched on.”