"The coach is brutal, brutal, brutal" - Rodtang Jitmuangnon works kicks at Marrok Force

Rodtang Jitmuangnon last appeared in the ONE circle at ONE 157 in May. 'The Iron Man' put on an absolutely dominant performance against Jacob Smith, earning a unanimous decision victory and ticket to the flyweight Muay Thai World Grand Prix semi-finals.

The next round of the tournament is yet to be announced, but that won't stop Rodtang from putting in the work at the gym. In a video uploaded to the Muay Thai icon's Instagram account, the champion can be seen working on kicks and knees.

Having some fun at the expense of his coach, the ONE Championship titleholder captioned the video:

"The coach is brutal, brutal, brutal."

Following his destruction of Jacob Smith in the quarter-final round of the Grand Prix, 'The Iron Man' will now turn his attention to second-round opponent Savvas Michael. Following his impressive win over Amir Naseri at ONE 157, Michael hopes to defy the odds and give Rodtang his first loss in ONE Super Series action.

While speaking to ONE Championship, Michael talked about being the underdog and the pressure of fighting under the world's biggest spotlight.

“Oh, I love [being the dark horse]. It’s my gas every morning. I’m working two times harder than everyone. I love being kept in the dark. I don’t care about the spotlight. I like feeling this pressure. It’s what makes me perform even better. Honestly, I don’t even think about it. I’m just focused on trying to beat myself yesterday.”

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Savvas Michael meets Rodtang Jitmuangnon in the semi-final round, says he's "willing to die to win"

Savvas Michael, also known as 'The Baby Face Killer', is going to make the most of his opportunity in the flyweight Grand Prix tournament. Though he has a tall task ahead of him against Muay Thai icon Rodtang Jitmuangnon, Michael says that he has been preparing for this his entire life.

“I started my career when I was 6 years old. I’m 23 years old now, and reaching the top has always been part of my goals. Since I was 10 years old, I’ve been running in the dark before school. At 5 a.m., I’d put my headphones on, and I’d imagine being in a big fight. Being here now is a blessing. I’ve been working in the dark for many years, and I am ready for this."

No matter what happens going forward in the Grand Prix, fans can rest assured that Michael will not back down from or be intimidated by the much more popular fighter in Rodtang Jitmuangnon.

“I’m willing to die to win this tournament. I’m willing to give everything in that cage, and I promise not to disappoint.”