Rodlek PK.Saenchai Muaythaigym has had much success since sliding into the ONE Championship Super Series roster last year.
Now he is gunning for gold as he enters the ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai Tournament and clashes with Saemapetch Fairtex in the main event of ONE: NO SURRENDER II in Bangkok, Thailand, this Friday, 14 August.
The winner of the four-man tourney faces reigning ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Champion Nong-O Gaiyanghadao – and with the gold at stake, this is an opportunity Rodlek does not plan on wasting.
“If I win this fight, there will be a higher chance to get [a title shot], and if I lose, I will need to start from the beginning,” Rodlek told ONEFC.com. “So, I will not let my guard down.”
The 30-year-old is very familiar with Saemapetch, having faced him three times already and winning two of those matches.
While he’s had the upper hand in their previous encounters, he will not take Saemapetch lightly in their fourth encounter.
“He is one of [the most] skilled boxers I have ever known. His punches are powerful, and he has powerful weapons and cannot be underestimated,” Rodlek said.
“His deadliest weapon will be his left kicks and left punches. [I’ll need to] keep my guard up, and study his strategies, styles, and patterns.”
Still, he is confident to continue his mastery over the Fairtex product.
“I might have more weapons, and my gut is better. That will be my advantage,” Rodlek said.
“If I want to win, I need to approach him first, keep the pressure on him, and not let my guard down.”
ONE Championship returns to action with ONE: NO SURRENDER II on August 14 and ONE: NO SURRENDER III on August 21 as The Home Of Martial Arts rolls out its series of live events in the new normal.
Watch the event live on One Sports or One Sports+ at 8:30 p.m. Philippine Standard Time (PHT). Also, TV5 will air the event on a next-day delay at 11 p.m. PHT.