Rodtang Muay Thai: WATCH: Thai legends Saenchai, Rodtang get a little too real with their Muay Thai drills while playing football

Football is the only sport in Thailand that rivals its national sport, Muay Thai, in popularity, so it is unsurprising that many Thai athletes enjoy both. ONE Championship megastar Rodtang Jitmuangnon and the iconic Saenchai recently put a twist on the team sport by incorporating their Muay Thai backgrounds.

Before they squared off on the pitch on opposite teams, the legend and the future all-time great engaged in a light-hearted sparring session that featured some fight-ending strikes had they been thrown with full force.

Check out the entire video below, which Saenchai posted on his Instagram:

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Though Rodtang and Saenchai were just joking around, a bout between them in their primes would be worthy of superfight status owing to their exemplary striking arsenals. Despite the latter having the advantage of experience on his side, it is possible that 'The Iron Man' could pull off the upset in a hypothetical showdown because of his otherworldly durability.

The Jitmuangnon Gym product has been an absolute terror in ONE since arriving in September 2018, claiming 17 wins in 19 fights while competing in Muay Thai and kickboxing. He also starred in a historic mixed-rules bout with the now-retired former ONE flyweight MMA world champion Demetrious Johnson in March 2022.

Rodtang might compete again before the year ends

Rodtang produced a strong Knockout of the Year contender this past March when he finished Japanese kickboxing superstar Takeru Segawa at ONE 172. While he is gearing up for the rigors of fatherhood, the 27-year-old might have another bout before 2025 comes to a close.

The former ONE flyweight Muay Thai world champion recently caught the attention of fans when he teased on his Facebook that something big will happen soon. He wrote:

"Good news is coming. Stay tuned and let's go forward together."

About the author

Karl has been an MMA writer at Sportskeeda since 2023. He holds a Bachelor of Arts major in history, which helps him pay attention to the finer details while writing, and also has first-hand experience in boxing. He has a total experience of 5 years, and has worked for the International Business Times.

Karl turned into an MMA fan back in 2011 after watching Tito Ortiz defeat Ryan Bader via first-round submission at UFC 132. He has interviewed ONE world champions like Eduard Folayang, Joshua Pacio, Stamp Fairtex, and Tawanchai in his career so far.

On the non-MMA side of things, he interviewed WWE superstar Matt Riddle in 2021 and his question about Roman Reigns elicited an interesting answer which was widely covered by outlets like Sportskeeda and Cultaholic Wrestling's YouTube channel. He has also interviewed NBA stars Dwight Howard, Nick Young, Andre Roberson, Shabazz Muhammad, Jason Williams and Brian Scalabrine plus Filipino women's volleyball star Alyssa Valdez.

Karl ensures to double-check facts before using them in articles, and reads up on potential topics for pieces a day before. In his off time, he likes to play video games, and keep up with basketball and pro wrestling.

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Edited by Tejas Rathi