"Not something I expected" - Jacob Smith admits chance to fight Rodtang for gold came as a surprise
Jacob Smith is gearing up for a massive fight on his return to Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
The last time that the Brit competed in the historic home of Muay Thai, things didn't go his way.
At ONE Fight Night 21, Smith faced off with Denis Puric in a battle between tough and seasoned contenders that went the distance.
Puric got his hand raised and this was a call that Smith didn't agree with in the slightest and made it clear via a public statement.
With his former foe going on to face Rodtang Jitmuangnon at ONE 167 in a kickboxing bout, there was some confusion from the fans when the next match-up was announced.
After convincingly beating Puric, Rodtang is now set to return at ONE 169 on Nov. 8 where he will face Smith in a rematch with his ONE flyweight Muay Thai world championship on the line.
In a recent interview with Violent Money TV, Jacob Smith admitted that he thought a rematch with Puric after their controversial first fight would be next for him rather than the champion:
"It's not something I expected, if I'm honest. I was expecting the Denis rematch. It was something I did really want. I don't want to slag Denis off. At the end of the day, he's not really at fault, is he? He's done what he's done in the ring, you know."
Watch the full interview below:
Jacob Smith is ready to capitalize on the opportunity
Whether he thought that this huge rematch would be next or not, Jacob Smith is primed to make the most of this opportunity.
Not many fighters get the chance to share the ring with a superstar like the ONE flyweight Muay Thai world champion.
Unfortunately for Smith, his first encounter with 'The Iron Man' came on his ONE Championship debut where he was out of his depth.
His toughness got him through the fight but the Brit is now poised to get his revenge.