"Warriors with hearts of lions" - Rodtang Jitmuangnon and Jacob Smith get treated together after ONE 157 faceoff

Rodtang Jitmuangnon and Jacob Smith may have tried to take each other’s heads off during their battle, but they stayed together once the smoke cleared.

The two warriors fought each other in the quarterfinals of the ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Grand Prix at ONE 157 on Friday, May 20. Rodtang came out on top in their matchup, dominating the promotional newcomer through three rounds. However, despite the visible damage to his head, Smith hung tough against the division’s king.

Smith’s coach at Bad Company, Richard Smith, shared on Instagram that the two men were in the same room while they were getting treated after their match. In the caption, he wrote:

“@jsmithmuaythai getting stitched, @rodtang_jimungnon with a broken hand. Getting treated together in @onechampionship medical room. Humility in victory and in defeat. 2 warriors took one another's best shots. Great fight, 2 great fighters. Warriors with hearts of lions.”

The photos show Smith’s head getting worked on by medical personnel while he’s seemingly having a conversation with Rodtang, who has a bandaged hand.

In the comments, fans showered Jacob Smith with praise for his valiant stand against the Thai superstar. One fan wrote:

“Fair play to @jsmithmuaythai, pressed forwards from the start and didn't take a backwards step the entire fight. Definitely as tough as they come and proved he can hang with the best! 🙏🏾🙏🏾👊🏾”

Meanwhile, others are encouraging Smith to keep his head high despite the loss, citing that he fought the best and never backed down.

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The road to the top is just starting for Rodtang Jitmuangnon

With the dominating win over Jacob Smith, Rodtang Jitmuangnon now advances to the next round of the tournament.

His next test will be Savvas Michael, who earned his spot after a unanimous decision win over Amir Naseri earlier in the card. The Cypriot star showcased incredible skill and IQ in breaking down his opponent and left no room for doubt about the outcome.

It will be an interesting matchup for Rodtang Jitmuangnon, who also showed a different level of skill and style in his fight against Smith. If the ONE flyweight Muay Thai world champion gets past Michael in the next round, he will be on his way to a place in the finals opposite the winner of the Walter Goncalves and Superlek Kiatmoo9 matchup from the other bracket.