For Jacob Smith to achieve the unthinkable, he must go out of his comfort zone and do what no challenger has ever done against the mighty Rodtang Jitmuangnon.
This was Danial Williams’ tip for the British underdog, who will run it back with ‘The Iron Man’ at ONE 169: Malykhin vs. Reug Reug on Nov. 8 for the flyweight Muay Thai world championship inside Bangkok’s iconic Lumpinee Stadium.
As far as ‘Mini T’ is concerned, Smith must be ready to throw punches in bunches for five full rounds to have a shot at dethroning the longtime ruler of the 135-pound weight class.
Williams explained in a Sportskeeda MMA Exclusive:
“I think just throwing high volume and getting some better strikes to disrupt Rodtang’s rhythm. So I think a high volume. He trains hard so he should be able to throw a lot but that also opens Rodtang too. High volume. That’s his key to victory.”
Williams, who was also bested by Rodtang back in their encounter in 2021, knows beating Rodtang will be much easier said than done.
However, the unpredictability of Muay Thai certainly gives an underdog like Jacob Smith a puncher’s chance, even against arguably the most notoriously durable fighter in the world.
We’ll soon find out if Smith can get the job done against fan-favorite Rodtang when they share the ring anew in less than a month.
Jacob Smith says Rodtang’s technical ability is underrated
Jacob Smith believes that Rodtang is much more cerebral than most fans and pundits give him credit for. The flamboyant Thai marauder has become a global superstar, thanks to his fearless bravado and highly entertaining fighting style.
So much so, people are now overlooking that Rodtang is a technical maestro in ‘The Art of Eight Limbs’. Smith told Sportskeeda MMA:
“His strengths are that he’s Rodtang. He’s absolutely rock solid. His technical ability is massively underrated. I personally don’t feel that he has any weaknesses. He’s an absolute killer.”
