“I want people to see my Muay Thai fighting and truly appreciate it—to understand it better, learn from it, and love it when they watch me fight,” said former ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion, Rodtang Jitmuangnon. He emphasized his drive to deliver top-tier performances that keep the crowd on the edge of their seats. Once again, Rodtang proved why he’s earned the nickname “Iron Man” of the kickboxing and Muay Thai world.

At ONE 172: Takeru vs. Rodtang, held at the Saitama Super Arena, ‘The Iron Man’ displayed his trademark power and relentless style in the main card against Japanese sensation, Takeru Segawa. With a two-fight win streak behind him, Rodtang unleashed a powerful jab in the opening round that left Segawa dazed within just 90 seconds, securing the knockout and sending the crowd into a frenzy.

This latest defeat brings Segawa’s record to 2-1 in his recent ONE outings. The knockout quickly went viral, taking social media by storm and becoming the talk of the MMA world. A clip posted on X with the caption “Rodtang finishes Takeru” went viral, further amplifying the excitement. Segawa, a former three-division K-1 champion, began his ONE Championship journey in the summer of 2023.

Initially set to face Rodtang, Segawa’s opponent was forced to withdraw due to injury, allowing Superlek Kiatmoo9 to step in and challenge for the flyweight title. Despite his best efforts, Segawa lost to Superlek by unanimous decision. Superlek, who holds a 16-2 record in ONE, competes in both kickboxing and Muay Thai, while Rodtang continues to prove his dominance by taking down big names like Denis Puric and Jacob Smith.

Rodtang’s win over Segawa undoubtedly boosts his status in the sport, and the MMA community is still buzzing about his performance. Let’s take a closer look.

Rodtang Jitmuangnon leaves fans speechless with His unmatched ‘power’ in latest knockout

Rodtang Jitmuangnon has earned a reputation for his knockout power, with memorable finishes over fighters like Sok Thy and his rematch with Jonathan Haggerty. However, despite his impressive knockout record, he had never managed to finish an opponent in the first round—until today at ONE 172. In a jaw-dropping display of power, Rodtang knocked out Japanese kickboxing sensation Takeru Segawa in the opening round, leaving fans in absolute awe.

One fan exclaimed, “RODTANG JUST SMOKED HIM, WTF!” perfectly capturing the electric atmosphere of the moment. Another fan, astounded by Rodtang’s striking power left in “Disbelief’, commented, “He has so much power, man.” Rodtang Jitmuangnon’s previous fight against Jacob Smith took place in Bangkok after the event was originally planned for Atlanta, America, for a Muay Thai bout. Due to “partner obligations,” the event was moved back to Thailand. Nevertheless, Rodtang remained unfazed by the location change and won the fight via unanimous decision.

Reflecting on his recent performances, one fan remarked, “I thought Rod would win based on how Takeru has looked in his last two, but I didn’t think he’d sleep him like this.” Another fan suggested that Rodtang Jitmuangnon should carry this momentum into a future rematch against Superlek Kiatmoo9, who defeated him in 2023, commenting, “Rodtang looks really focused, Superlek should take notes.” Another echoed, “Rodtang is champ again in 2025, and Superlek becomes the new Rodtang.”

As Rodtang Jitmuangnon approaches his seventh year with the promotion, fellow fighter and former two-division champion Reinier de Ridder, who recently joined the UFC, expressed his desire to see Rodtang make his UFC debut against Alexandre Pantoja. De Ridder commented, “Next, Rodtang vs. Pantoja.” What do you think about Rodtang Jitmuangnon’s future? Does the ‘Iron Man’ need to further evolve and make the jump to MMA? Share your thoughts in the comments below.