Known for its fiery competitors, MMA rarely sees fighters forge friendships. However, ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion Rodtang Jitmuangnon and Flyweight Submission Grappling World Champion Mikey Musumeci are defying expectations with their unlikely but wholesome camaraderie.

Their friendship, which began at ONE Fight Night 6 in Bangkok back in January 2020, continues to evolve today. Highlighting this heartwarming bond, a recent reel uploaded to the ONE Championship Instagram page showcases how Mikey Musumeci and Rodtang Jitmuangon spent their fight bonuses after ONE Fight Night 10 in America, revealing the spark that ignited their friendship.

Mikey Musumeci reveals Rodtang Jitmuangnon’s spending in Denver

In the video, we can see Mikey Musumeci share their experiences, saying, “You know how little kids when they meet each other, don’t really talk? They just run up to each other and start playing. That’s basically me and Rodtang.” They fished and they did karaoke and one of Musumeci’s favorite memories, as he confirms later was sharing a meal at Denny’s.

“We were in Denver,” he continued, “and we both won the $50k and he won the $100,000 bonus.” It was late in the night and they could only find the Denny’s outlet to satiate their midnight cravings.

Despite their different cultures and backgrounds- Mikey Musumeci, an American whose primary language is English, and Rodtang Jitmuangon, a Thai phenom whose native tongue is Thai- language wasn’t a barrier to their friendship. As seen in the reel, after winning their divisions, they celebrated by roaming Denver and indulging in American food. The reel also reveals how Musumeci and Rodtang hilariously spent their $100,000 bonuses.

Their friendship didn’t develop overnight. In fact, their first meeting at ONE Fight Night 6 wasn’t exactly friendly. Rodtang mentioned in a recent interview that Musumeci offered to help during weights before his fight, but Rodtang  Jitmuangnon said no. However, their connection started to build when they were both on the same fight card again at ONE Fight Night 10 in the USA. It’s more than just a friendship; they also learn from each other. As Rodtang recently said, he learns something new every day from his friend Mikey Musumeci.

Rodtang Jitmuangnon gets his daily lessons from Musumeci

Reigning ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion Rodtang Jitmuangnon and Flyweight Submission Grappling Champion Mikey Musumeci’s relationship extends far beyond outing and partying. In a recent interview with ONE Championship, the Thai superstar revealed that he’s constantly learning from Musumeci inside the gym. Rodtang even shared insight on training with Musumeci during the interview.

Rodtang said, “You must have brains to keep up with him. He’s very intelligent.” This friendship between a Muay Thai champion and a grappling champion highlights how, even across disciplines and language barriers, they learn from each other. Rodtang further explained this dynamic, recalling a heartwarming moment from last year in America.

Furthermore, this camaraderie will be on display once again as both fighters are set to share the stage. Elite martial artists Rodtang Jitmuangon and Musumeci will once again share a fight card. “The Iron Man” is set to compete alongside Mikey Musumeci at ONE 167, which airs live on June 7th from the Impact Arena in Bangkok. Fans are eager to see how great pals support each other before and after their fights. Stay tuned for more!