"It gets you rattled" - Lito Adiwang breaks down what makes Rodtang a formidable opponent

Lito Adiwang (L) and Rodtang (R) | Image by ONE Championship
Lito Adiwang (L) and Rodtang (R) | Image by ONE Championship

ONE strawweight MMA contender Lito Adiwang has always been enamored by Rodtang Jitmuangnon's magnetic fighting aura. An astute student of the game, 'Thunder Kid' admits being glued to the screen each time 'The Iron Man' does his thing in the world's largest martial arts organization.

Asked what makes the Thai legend great at what he does, Adiwang systematically broke down the facets of Rodtang's innate ability to thrive in chaos and succeed at the highest levels of striking.

The Filipino said in an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda MMA:

"His iron chin, of course. But also his pressure and fight IQ. He’s able to connect the three elements in a special way. It’s different when you get pressured by someone like him who throws very powerful strikes because it gets you rattled."

In hindsight, the reigning flyweight Muay Thai world champion's penchant for fearlessly stalking his prey and ignoring the damage that comes his way makes him a worrisome adversary for anyone in the world.

Then again, as Adiwang wonderfully explained, this risky ploy only works for Rodtang because he is a true master in 'The Art of Eight Limbs.'

In less than a month, the fan-favorite will once again display his signature bravado at ONE 169: Malykhin vs. Reug Reug.

Rodtang will seek to defend his flyweight Muay Thai strap against familiar foe Jacob Smith on Nov. 8 in front of his hometown fans at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.

Jacob Smith believes he kicks harder than Rodtang

Jacob Smith humbly accepted defeat the last time he shared the Circle with Rodtang.

However, despite the setback, the British bomber unearthed a revelation after going three rounds with 'The Iron Man'. The challenger will likely employ more kicks in their rematch at ONE 169.

"I probably kick harder I would say and I'm probably a little bigger than him. No, I can't do a list of what his strengths and weaknesses are. You're just going to have to wait and see," Smith told Sportkseeda MMA.

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Edited by Anurag Mitra
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