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ONE Championship released a YouTube video detailing the friendship between world champions Superlek Kiatmoo9 and Rodtang Jitmuangnon.
In Sep. 2023, Superlek and Rodtang were matched up for a Muay Thai bout in the ONE Friday Fights 34 main event. The Thai superstars went to war that night for nine minutes until a judge’s decision was needed. Once the dust settled, ONE flyweight kickboxing world champion Superlek emerged victorious by unanimous decision.
Unfortunately, the Kiatmoo9 affiliate missed weight for the fight, making him ineligible to take Rodtang’s ONE flyweight Muay Thai world title. Since their legendary war, fans have continuously called for a five-round world title rematch.
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Inside the ring, Superlek and Rodtang are enemies. Yet, the two world-class fighters have established an intriguing friendship outside the ring that was showcased in a YouTube video shared by ONE, which was captioned:
“Before Superlek defends his ONE Flyweight Kickboxing World Title against Japanese striking legend Takeru live on pay-per-view in the main event of ONE 165 on January 28, dive into the unseen side of "The Kicking Machine's" historic rivalry with ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion Rodtang!”
Watch ONE Championship’s tribute to the brotherhood between Superlek Kiatmoo9 and Rodtang Jitmuangnon below:
Why is Superlek Kiatmoo9 fighting Takeru Segawa instead of Rodtang Jitmuangnon?
On Jan. 28, Japanese kickboxing superstar Takeru Segawa will make his highly-anticipated ONE Championship debut in the ONE 165 main event, which goes down in Tokyo, Japan. Takeru was initially scheduled to fight Rodtang, but the latter withdrew due to an injury.
As a result, Superlek Kiatmoo9 saved the day and agreed to fight Takeru at ONE 165. The ONE flyweight kickboxing world champion also added stakes for the upcoming bout by putting his world title on the line, giving the Japanese superstar a chance to further his legacy.
