Since the announcement of the current ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion, Rodtang Jitmuangnon, returning against UK phenom Jacob Smith inside the cage at ONE 169: Atlanta, excitement among fans has reached a fever pitch, especially with the Thai sensation’s belt on the line this time around. This will be the second ONE Championship event on American soil this year and will take place in State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, on Friday, September 8.  

Adding to the excitement, ONE heavyweight contender “Reug Reug” Oumar Kane, who will also feature on the same card against ONE Heavyweight MMA World Champion Anatoly Malykhin for the title, recently expressed his support for Rodtang Jitmuangnon on his Instagram story. The Senegalese powerhouse shared a video of Rodtang and Smith’s first meeting and wrote, “Let’s Go Rodtang Jitmuangnon.”

It will be the second meeting between Rodtang and the hard-hitting British star. Their first encounter was in May 2022 at ONE 157 during the quarterfinals of the ONE Flyweight Muay Thau World Grand Prix, which marked Smith’s promotional debut. Rodtang emerged victorious in that match.

Since then, Smith has earned a first-round knockout victory over the always-tough Walter Goncalves at ONE Fight Night 17 last December but lost a heartbreaking decision to Denis Puric at ONE Fight Night 21 last April. Meanwhile, Rodtang suffered the first loss of his striking career in ONE when Superlek Kiatmoo9 defeated him in a catchweight Muay Thai bout at ONE Friday Fights 34 last September.

While he has since rebounded with a kickboxing win last month against Puric, “The Iron Man” will be determined to re-establish his dominance in Muay Thai against the #3-ranked Smith. 

4 reasons why ONE 169: Atlanta is a must-watch

One of the main attractions of the ONE 169: Atlanta card is the action-packed showdown between three-division ONE MMA World Champion Anatoly Malykhin, an undefeated phenom, and the Senegalese powerhouse “Reug Reug” Oumar Kane in an MMA fight. Oumar Kane will attempt to dethrone Malykhin as the ONE Heavyweight MMA World Champion, a title he has long wanted. The buildup to this fight is being fueled by intense trash talk between the two contenders on social media.

Secondly, the highly anticipated return of two-division ONE MMA World Champion Christian Lee after a two-year hiatus is another major draw for ONE 169: Atlanta. Lee stepped away from competition to grieve the loss of his younger sister, Victoria Lee. Now ready to return to action, Lee will defend his ONE Lightweight MMA World Title against the undefeated Turkish sensation Alibeg Rasulov, who boasts a perfect 14-0 record and seeks to capture Lee’s coveted belt.

Thirdly, the electrifying trilogy between Tawanchai Pk Saenchai and Jo Nattawut is a match that fans shouldn’t miss. These two warriors recently clashed at ONE 167 last month, where Tawanchai successfully defended his ONE Featherweight Muay Thai World Title. Before that, they faced off in a featherweight kickboxing bout at the end of 2023. Now, they’re set to settle their rivalry once and for all in a Muay Thai rematch, with Tawanchai aiming to retain his belt and Jo Nattawut determined to both claim the title and avenge his previous losses.

Fourth, as previously mentioned, the highly anticipated rematch between Rodtang Jitmuangnon and Jacob Smith is a major draw for ONE 169: Atlanta. More matches are expected to be announced as the event draws near, but the four World Title bouts have certainly captured the attention of fans all over the world.

Which of the four matches do you find most intriguing? Let us know in the comments.