ONE Championship’s first U.S. show on May 5 is shaping up to be a blockbuster event.
The promotion has just confirmed that another one of its marquee names will make the trip to the 1STBANK Center in Broomfield, Colorado: Rodtang Jitmuangnon.
Affectionately known as “The Iron Man,” Rodtang is set to defend his ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Title against Mexican striking dynamo Edgar Tabares at “ONE Fight Night 10: Johnson vs. Moraes III.”
Rodtang has thrilled fans in the East with his highlight-reel performances ever since he joined the organization back in 2018, and now, he is ready to showcase his talents for those in the West. That said, here are three reasons why U.S. fans should be excited to see him fight live on May 5.
1. Rodtang is one of the biggest stars in martial arts today
Of all the athletes on the ONE roster, Rodtang could well be the most beloved.
The Thai megastar has a huge following, and his flawless 13-bout promotional run in muay Thai and kickboxing has only grown his legend.
To date, Rodtang is a five-time ONE flyweight muay Thai world champion with an incredible career record of 270-42-10 – and he’s still only 25 years old.
Expect much of the same fanfare when “The Iron Man” walks to the ONE circle on May 5, followed by another highlight-reel performance.
2. What is a boring fight?
Rodtang is also one of the most crowd-pleasing fighters on the roster.
Not one to take a backward step, the Thai is known to charge toward his opponents in order to land fierce combinations – and he will routinely goad his opponents forward if they refuse to engage.
That was most evident in his scintillating demolition of ONE strawweight muay Thai world champion Joseph Lasiri at ONE Fight Night 4 in November, as the typically-aggressive Italian melted under the pressure.
On such a historic night for ONE, fans can bet that Rodtang will be in fine form when the ONE circle door closes.
3. The flyweight muay Thai world title is on the line
Not only is it a big night for the promotion, but Rodtang vs. Tabares is also a high-stakes showdown.
The Bangkok bruiser’s ONE flyweight muay Thai world title is on the line, and his 28-year-old challenger won’t be in there just to make up the numbers.
Tabares, a WBC muay Thai international champion, brings an aggressive style of his own, and he has all the incentive that he needs to put in a thrilling show.
Rodtang has lofty ambitions in combat sports, and he has been vocal about his goals to become a world champion in muay Thai, kickboxing and MMA. That said, the Jitmuangnon Gym representative will be in no mood to drop his flyweight muay Thai strap on the biggest night in ONE’s recent history.
