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Jacob Smith truly believes that Rodtang Jitmuangnon doesn't get enough credit for his high fight IQ.
'The Iron Man' reasserted his mastery over his British counterpart at ONE 169 earlier this month. He secured another dominant unanimous decision win in their five-round catchweight Muay Thai encounter.
Knowing what Rodtang was capable of, Smith applied a cautious approach in the early goings of their rematch. The Bad Company and Thaifist affiliate was able to return fire for the first two rounds, up until disaster struck in the third.
Similar to their first meeting, Smith once again fell prey to one of Rodtang's well-placed elbows, opening a large gash above his eye.
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In an interview with the Bangkok Post, the 32-year-old recalled where it all went downhill for him.
“Rodtang fought a smart fight, and the elbow in round three completely changed the fight."
He added:
“That, alongside knowing that if I did step in to punch, then Rodtang was waiting for me so he could elbow me again.”
Smith tried his best to bridge the gap and make it a dirty fight. However, the cerebral Thai warrior used his opponent's aggressiveness against him and unleashed that punishing elbow to slice him wide open.
The full replay of ONE 169, including Rodtang and Smith's barnburner, is available on demand for Prime Video subscribers in the United States and Canada.
Rodtang says he can easily switch style from brutal to technical
By now, fans are starting to understand that Rodtang is not all brawn.
The former flyweight Muay Thai kingpin loves to showcase how tough he is by willingly taking shots to the chin just to appease his fans.
However, underneath all that bravado, is a true master when it comes to the intricacies of 'The Art of Eight Limbs'.
'The Iron Man' told ONE Championship Thailand:
“I love Muay Thai. I want to show everyone my style, not just brutal. It has a smile, brutality, and fun. It’s the complete package."
