ONE 167 witnessed some of the greatest action inside the ONE ring as the best of the best competed against each other on a night filled with high-octane action. Several notable names competed on the card, including Mikey Musumeci, Kade Ruotolo, Gabriel Sousa, and Rodtang, Tawanchai, among others. In the co-main event of the evening, Rodtang Jitmuangnon took on Denic Puric which marked his return to the kickboxing ring after more than year.
Rodtang and Puric engaged in one of the most exciting fights of this year as both fighters came toe-to-toe with the intention to hurt each other at every second. Rodtang dropped Puric in the first round with his elusive movement, but a charged Puric did not hold back and looked even more aggressive to kick off the second.
He landed huge blows on Rodtang in the second round and looked more efficient than the Thai legend, who got the momentum swinging in his favor only at the closing seconds of the round.
The third round was a show of 1-2 combination from Rodtang, who looked less explosive and more calculative in his approach after the fast-paced first two rounds. Meanwhile, Puric did not hold back in the final round either, advancing and throwing haymakers at the kickboxing legend. However, that wasn’t enough to get the job done, as after three rounds of non-stop action, it was Rodtang who emerged victorious with a unanimous decision victory to his name.
Rodtang breaks down in tears after ONE 167 victory
An emotional Rodtang broke down after the fight, talking about his time away from the ring and the criticism he had to face during his absence from his critics.
“Been almost a year since I fought. I missed weight. A lot of people have been saying harsh things to me. “I was under a lot of pressure. To fight and have this victory again, I am very happy and I’m grateful for all of your support.” Rodtang said during the post-fight interview.
Needless to say, the victory against Puric has once again put him on the top, and the legend looks to right the wrongs with his sights on the title fight against Takeru.