Savvas Michael earning his win against Amir Naseri in ONE 157.
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avvas “The Baby Face Killer” Michael believes he sees chinks in his soon to be opponent in the ONE flyweight Muay Thai World Grand Prix semi-final match. The Cypriot striker will be facing up against the reigning ONE flyweight world champion, Rodtang Jitmuangnon at ONE Fight Night 1: Moraes vs Johnson II, on Friday, Aug. 26.
“The Baby Face Killer” aims to make ONE’s first ever live broadcast on Prime Video a show to remember by beating the Thai icon. While Michael respects the talent of his opponent, he believes that his emotions can get the better of him and lead him to mistakes in their matchup.
“When he gets angry he lets his emotions get in the way. Every fighter is vulnerable to that same problem. That’s why I always tell you that whoever makes the first mistake loses. As for Rodtang, he loses his temper more than a lot of us,” he said. “I see that when Rodtang gets angry, that’s when he does a lot of mistakes. He has some mental lapses when he tries to keep his composure and feels that he has to regain his A-game.”
Although he sees an avenue to attain a win in his matchup, Michael still believes that he needs to perform at top form to beat the champ. The Cypriot striker knows that Rodtang has yet to see defeat in the ONE flyweight Muay Thai division, and to beat the king he needs to set up a detailed gameplan to capitalize on any opening while keeping his mistakes at a minimum.
Read also: After knocking out Johnson, Moraes aims to conquer the GOAT at ONE Fight Night 1
“But Rodtang is a champion because he rarely makes mistakes. I think it’s going to just be one of those fights where you have to be 100 percent prepared and avoid making the first mistake,” Michael explained.
“I do know him personally and he’s a good guy. But when we fight, I’m going to go there and do my job. It’s a big fight and I’ll figure out a way to win once I’m there. But he also knows me, and he will bring his well-rounded game. So really, I don’t know what to expect that day from him.”
In the meantime, download the ONE Super App to catch all the action at ONE 160: Ok vs. Lee II on Friday, Aug. 26, at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.
This article was published in collaboration with ONE Championship.
