Rodtang ‘The Iron Man’ Jitmuangnon is making the ONE flyweight kickboxing world title his top priority in 2023. This comes after he cruised to a unanimous decision win over ‘The Eagle of Yi’ Jiduo Yibu in his return to the “art of eight limbs” at ONE Fight Night 6: Superbon vs. Allazov on Prime Video last Friday, January 13.
The Thai fighter was at his sparkling best as he extended his perfect run in ONE’s striking ranks to 13-0. Rodtang remained one step ahead of his Chinese rival throughout the tie – be it with teeps, roundhouse kicks, or thumping fits.
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And, needless to say, he sent the crowd inside the Impact Arena in Bangkok, Thailand, into a frenzy with his usual style. First, when he dropped his Jideo early in round one, and again every time he shimmied around before inviting his foe to stand and bang.
Rodtang Jitmuangnon to target the ONE flyweight kickboxing title next
As per ONE FC, the emphatic victory is what the top-ranked flyweight kickboxing contender needed to solidify his call for a shot at newly crowned ONE flyweight kickboxing world champion Superlek Kiatmoo9, who beat Daniel Puertas for the vacant gold in the evening’s co-main event.
In fact, he sees the chance to compete for kickboxing’s grandest prize as his only logical move. “My goal right now is to stay in the flyweight division and claim the kickboxing title, and then I will move to MMA,” Rodtang offered.
“I am ready for that [fight against Superlek].” Becoming a two-sport world champion in ONE isn’t going to be easy, but the flyweight Muay Thai kingpin has everything in his arsenal to claim a second belt. Case in point, he was given a late change to his opponent last weekend, and he still managed to score a dominant win.
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The ‘heart’ of Rodtang Jitmuangnon makes him a stupendous fighter
Following the unanimous decision victory, Rodtang revealed there’s no secret to what makes him one of the top striking stars in the world today. “The Iron Man” pointed to his positive attitude and heart as two attributes that have helped him become a household name.
“I consider myself a normal fighter. I would like to thank everyone for considering me as one of the best fighters or the best ones out there. I just want to do the best that I can in every fight,” he said.
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“My secret is that my heart is a real fighter. I’m a real fighter in my heart, and I go 100 percent in every round.”