ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion Rodtang Jitmuangnon is renowned for his devastating strikes, which are a nightmare for both opponents and training partners. This time, Rodtang’s wife, Aida Looksaikongdin, who is also a Muay Thai fighter, took it upon herself to show the world just how strong her husband’s kicks are in particular. In an Instagram post, Aida shared a video of her holding pads for “The Iron Man” during training. 

Before starting the pad session, Aida faced the camera and said, “Today, I am going to hold pads for my husband. I want to know how hard he kicks. Let’s go.” In the video, Aida can be seen struggling with the speed of the kicks, and she even falls on the floor after taking several hits.

Exhausted after the session, Aida revealed swollen hands, saying, “It hurt too much because if a woman holds pads for a man, it’s probably not possible because he is strong and has male hormones.”

Rodtang and Aida got married last year, and the Thai star converted to his wife’s religion, Islam, shortly after their wedding. While still at the peak of his career, Rodtang enjoys the stability of a strong marriage, providing a foundation for life after fighting. 

His fighting days still have years to go though, as evidenced by his latest victory at ONE 167, where he defeated veteran Denis Puric in a kickboxing showdown. Now, he is set to face a familiar foe in Jacob Smith at ONE 169: Atlanta on November 8, the promotion’s third event in the United States.

Jacob Smith promises improved skills for Rodtang rematch

Third-ranked ONE flyweight Muay Thai contender Jacob Smith suffered a loss to Rodtang Jitmuangnon in his debut fight in May 2022. Now, he has a chance to settle the score and not only defeat Rodtang but also claim his ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Title. Their fight will take place on November 8th at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. With a new mindset, Jacob Smith is determined to give Rodtang a tough fight.

In a recent interview with The South China Morning Post, Jacob Smith promised fight fans a match to remember, saying, “The fans can expect everything I usually bring but with a lot more skill and a lot better fight IQ.” After losing his debut match against Rodtang, Smith rebounded with an impressive first-round knockout against the tough-as-nails Walter Goncalves at ONE Fight Night 17 in December last year. 

The win propelled him to the #2-slot in the divisional rankings, but he lost his place after a heartbreaking loss to Puric at ONE Fight Night 21 this past April. The 31-year-old is determined to show that he has learned from his past mistakes in this tremendous opportunity that has been given to him. 

Meanwhile, fan-favorite Rodtang Jitmuangnon went on a four-fight winning streak after his first encounter with Jacob Smith. This streak was snapped by a loss to  Superlek last year – his first in striking competitions in ONE. However, Rodtang returned to the winning column with a kickboxing win over Denis Puric at ONE 167. He now aims to re-assert his dominance in the Muay Thai ranks by defeating Jacob Smith again. This rematch promises to be an exciting clash between two talented strikers. Stay tuned for further updates.