Savvas Michael has a tough task ahead of him when he steps into the ring in US primetime on August 26 on ONE on Prime Video 1. On that night, the promotion makes its long-awaited debut on Amazon Prime, where Michael will face ONE flyweight Muay. Thai world champion Rodtang Jitmuangnon in the semi final round of the ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Grand Prix Championship.
Ahead of his showdown with ‘The Iron Man’, ONE Championship gave us a look at Michael’s training for the Muay Thai bout on the promotion’s Instagram page. They are posted:
Savvas Michael earned his spot in the second round of the tournament with a fantastic performance against Amir Naseri at ONE 157 in May. That same night, Rodtang punched his own ticket to the semi-final round with a performance against ONE newcomer Jacob Smith. Both will fight for the right to be in the final of the tournament, which is expected to take place by the end of the year.
Savvas Michael should look to surprise Rodtang with a fast start and avoid making mistakes
When Savvas Michael steps into the ring on August 26th, he will attempt to do what no man has done in the ONE Championship, that is, defeat Rodtang in a Muay Thai contest. With over 260 career wins in the sport, ‘The Iron Man’ is a perfect 10-0 under the ONE banner.
Knowing the challenges he faces against an elite striker like Rodtang, Michael may have to step out of his comfort zone in order to shock the world in ONE on Prime Video 1. ‘The Baby Face Killer’ is typically a more methodical by Rodtang. To see also : United States vs. Joseph Sullivan. , take things slow to control the pace and counterstrike. That approach is unlikely to succeed against the typical high-octane style of ‘The Iron Man’. But in his latest appearance, Rodtang took a much more measured approach against Jacob Smith.
Instead of charging after his opponent, Rodtang put on an impressive clinic, taking his time against the ONE debutant rather than running straight out of the gate. This is likely due to the tournament style format. Expecting Rodtang to take the same approach in the semi-finals, Michael could benefit from being the fast starter, putting pressure on the Muay Thai icon and forcing him to step back, discarding his ability to hits with 100% power.
It’s a risk, but it could be one worth taking against such a dominant opponent, something Rodtang is unlikely to expect. Speaking to ONE Championship, Michael discussed the importance of being prepared for Rodtang and the need to avoid making mistakes.
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