"My calculations are gonna be different" - Jacob Smith confident he has the right equation to pull one back vs. Rodtang at ONE 169
British slugger Jacob Smith is certain his previous defeat to Rodtang Jitmuangnon has only given him a better idea of how to deal with the Thai before they run it back at ONE 169: Atlanta on Nov. 8.
The 32-year-old fighter debuted against 'The Iron Man' in a quarterfinal fixture of the ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Grand Prix Championship in May 2022. Unfortunately, his dynamite arsenal was no match to the Jitmuangnon Gym man's power and aggression after a nine-minute war.
With plenty of time to learn and evolve, the Bad Company and Thaifist star had this to say to Sportskeeda MMA ahead of his rematch. The No.3-ranked contender said:
"I'm a lot more well-rounded. So, he'll feel a lot more of my power this time 'cause I'm going to be in better positions now.
"I understand how good he is now. So my calculations are gonna be different too now."
After all, the stakes will be much higher for the Liverpool native this time. Jacob Smith will have the chance to wrestle away 'The Iron Man's' ONE flyweight Muay Thai world championship that has been synonymous with his run in the promotion.
Dreaming of a chance to score a massive upset and unseat the Thai dynamo from his perch, Jacob Smith should go guns blazing when he steps on the global stage at ONE 169: Atlanta.
Rodtang not underestimating Jacob Smith test in Atlanta
In the opposite corner, Rodtang admits he has no room for complacency despite already handing the British slugger a beatdown inside the Singapore Indoor Stadium more than two years ago.
The divisional king told Sportskeeda MMA in a seperate interview:
"He's been evolving, improving every day. There's no reason to underestimate him, although I have won against him before."
Tickets for ONE 169: Atlanta are available on Ticketmaster.