SUMMARY
- Rodtang Jitmuangnon is a legendary Muay Thai fighter from Thailand.
- Rodtang currently holds the ONE Flyweight Muay Thai Championship.
ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion Rodtang Jitmuangnon is still flirting with the idea of an MMA debut.
“The Iron Man” is one of the best strikers on the planet, owing to his incredible tally of 14 victories on the global stage with ONE Championship that has seen him reign over the stacked flyweight Muay Thai division since 2018.
Despite his legendary Muay Thai career, speculation of a possible future in mixed martial arts continues to follow the Thai megastar. In an interview following his crushing knockout win over Edgar Tabares on United States soil this past May, Rodtang only fanned the flames.
View this post on Instagram
“I want to be the legend of ONE Championship,” Rodtang said. “I want different opponents and different weight classes to prove I am legendary.”
“I want to try everything. I want to compete in MMA. The biggest challenge is every aspect that is not standing and striking. The techniques, defending, and attacking, I am relearning all those. That is the most difficult part of transitioning into MMA,” he said.
It seems that his goal hasn’t changed in the months following, as the 26-year-old has repeatedly been seen sharing the gym with close friend and ONE Flyweight Submission Grappling World Champion Mikey Musumeci.
Who Would Rodtang Jitmuangnon’s Next Opponent in MMA Be?
Rodtang Jitmuangnon still reigns over ONE’s talent-laden flyweight Muay Thai division, so which opponent would lure him into an MMA contest? While he’s under no illusions about the work that would be required to fight under MMA rules, the flyweight Muay Thai king has his eye on the very best – ONE Flyweight MMA World Champion Demetrious Johnson.
View this post on Instagram
“I have to train harder, and there is still a lot to learn, but that is my dream,” Rodtang said. “I want to compete in MMA, and I want that rematch against Demetrious.”
Rodtang and “Mighty Mouse” already have history. The pair locked horns in a mixed-rules super fight in 2022. The innovative bout alternated between Muay Thai and MMA rules from round to round.
After weathering the storm during the opening Muay Thai round, Johnson showed his superiority in the grappling department by securing a quick submission when the rules switched to his preferred MMA in the second frame.