Rodtang Jitmuangnon (left) will face Savvas Michael at ONE 161.
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odtang Jitmuangnon will return to the ONE Championship Circle to face Savvas Michael in the semifinals of the ONE flyweight Muay Thai World Grand Prix at ONE 161: Moraes vs. Johnson II on Aug. 26 at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.
The highly anticipated bout adds even more excitement to the scintillating card that’s set to air live in US primetime.
Rodtang – the current ONE flyweight Muay Thai world Champion – cruised out of the quarterfinals of the illustrious tournament after putting on a striking masterclass against England’s Jacob Smith at ONE 157 this May.
The Thai fighter punished his debuting rival for much of the bout to score a unanimous-decision win and further cement his dominant streak in the division.
His World Title may be secure during the Grand Prix, but the 24-year-old will be facing a real challenge when he meets Michael on Aug. 26.
The Cypriot star was in control throughout his quarterfinal battle with Amir Naseri. The Iranian-Malaysian athlete was simply no match for “The Baby Face Killer”, who landed blow after blow on his way to his own unanimous-decision victory.
The win tagged Michael as the man to beat among many of his peers, including Muay Thai superstar Liam Harrison, who named him as his favorite to win the tournament.
Should the 23-year-old best Rodtang and go on to win the Grand Prix, he’ll claim the coveted silver belt and also earn a chance to meet “The Iron Man” for the divisional gold after the tourney concludes, so fans can expect Michael to be fired up at ONE 161.
Read also: From ‘poor boy’ to global stardom, Rodtang Jitmuangnon realizes his ultimate dream
While much of the attention is on Rodtang and Michael's showdown, the other tournament semifinal is also guaranteed to be a barn burner. Thai sensation Superlek Kiatmuu9 will face Brazilian brawler Walter Goncalves to determine who will take the second spot in the final.
The date for their battle hasn't been set, but with both striking stars up for the belt and a shot at “The Iron Man” crown, nothing will be held back when they collide.
In the meantime, watch ONE 159 on July 22 on the ONE Super App and subscribe to ONE Championship on YouTube!
This article was published in collaboration with ONE Championship.
