“Crazy or tactical” - Rodtang Jitmuangnon can be aggressive or patient in the circle

ONE flyweight Muay Thai world champion Rodtang Jitmuangnon has a flair for unpredictability. As soon as fans believe they have him all figured out, ‘The Iron Man’ surprises them anew with his incredible talent.

The Muay Thai standout is coming off a lop-sided win over British striker Jacob Smith last May, stunning fans with his anti-aggressive performance. He could’ve ended the bout with an early knockout as the opportunities were plenty, but he decided to be more patient and tactical. With every new fighter, there’s always a different approach, and Rodtang proved it that night.

The Thai phenom told ONE Championship:

“Whether I get crazy or tactical, I am always conscious. In my last fight against Jacob Smith, people thought I would approach him too aggressively. But in the circle, I didn’t. I waited for the right timing.”

The 25-year-old superstar is locked and loaded for his upcoming bout with Cypriot standout Savvas Michael in the ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Grand Prix semifinals.

He will have the opportunity to demonstrate the “art of eight limbs” to American fans and inspire a new generation of athletes with another outstanding performance.

‘The Iron Man’ will face one of the best Muay Thai strikers on the planet and fans will be left guessing what special approach he will use against the edgy power-hitter. Needless to say, they’ll have to tune in on Friday, August 26, at ONE on Prime Video 1 to find out.

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Rodtang Jitmuangnon encouraged to take on MMA after Demetrious Johnson loss at ONE 157

Rodtang Jitmuangnon is always looking for the next best challenge. He scored the opportunity of a lifetime to fight in ONE Championship’s first mixed rules bout with MMA veteran Demetrious Johnson earlier this year. The challenge required focusing on grappling and some effective takedown defense.

Although the Muay Thai king lost in the second round by a rear-naked choke in the MMA portion of the fight, Rodtang wasn't discouraged by the result. On the contrary, his experience with ‘DJ’ has made him lean towards becoming a full-fledged MMA fighter in the near future.

The 25-year-old phenom told SCMP MMA:

“It felt great to fight with a legend like ‘DJ’. I know entering that fight I have a pretty high losing rate, so I’m not discouraged after that fight is done. It is a challenge. It is a really hard way of a challenge, so MMA is one of the things that’s in my focus goal. So let’s try, after this World Grand Prix, I will come back and train, maybe one day I will get the chance to fight ‘DJ’ again.”