“Everyone in the whole world wants to watch” – Chatri Sityodtong proclaims Rodtang as Muay Thai’s “biggest global superstar”

ONE flyweight Muay Thai world champion Rodtang Jitmuangnon has faced some of the biggest names in combat sports throughout his young career, sharing the ring against names like Joseph Lasiri, Jonathan Haggerty (twice), and Danial Williams, among others.

However, his next big fight just might etch his name in history, as he is on a collision course with Japanese kickboxing megastar Takeru Segawa at ONE 165 in January 28, 2024.

ONE Championship Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong recently shared how phenomenal of a bout this is going to be during the promotion’s press conference in Japan:

“For Japan, Takeru, right now, is the biggest combat sports superstar and Rodtang Jitmuangnon is the biggest global superstar in terms of Muay Thai. This is a fight that everyone in the whole world wants to watch.”

What has Rodtang Jitmuangnon’s journey to stardom been like?

Since debuting in 2018, Rodtang has accumulated a record of over 14 wins with just two losses, with five of those bouts being world title defenses.

Fans consider his bout with MMA megastar Demetrious Johnson as his big star-making moment, as he kept up with ‘Mighty Mouse’ for much of the bout until he was caught in a rear-naked choke during their special rules bout at ONE X in March 2022.

As for the ‘Natural Born Crusher,’ his long-awaited debut was teased previously by Sityodtong in a previous interview.

A bout with Takeru is going to be a massive opportunity for Rodtang’s legacy and should he come out the victor, his claim to superstardom will be solidified even further.