3 keys to victory for Rodtang Jitmuangnon against Superlek

After governing his division with an iron fist, ONE flyweight Muay Thai king Rodtang Jitmuangnon is finally getting his long-overdue shot at two-sport supremacy.

‘The Iron Man’ will look to hoist two massive golden belts in the main event of ONE Fight Night 8 this Friday, March 24, inside the Singapore Indoor Stadium.

To do so, he must pry away the ONE flyweight kickboxing world title from his compatriot Superlek Kiatmoo9, who’s also looking to start his reign by taking away Rodtang’s unbeaten streak in striking-only matches inside the circle.

Rodtang and Superlek have been on each other’s radars for a long time, but have traversed different paths in ONE Championship.

The 25-year-old Thai destroyer has made it look easy since trading his 4 oz. gloves for kickboxing’s 8 oz. mitts. Now, all roads lead to a massive striking showdown of epic proportions against a fellow slugger with no holes in his game.

Let’s take a look at three things Rodtang Jitmuangnon must do to dethrone Superlek.

ONE Fight Night 8: Superlek vs Rodtang will air live on US Primetime and free for all existing Amazon Prime Video subscribers in the United States and Canada.

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#3. Rodtang Jitmuangnon must stay within the pocket

Rodtang has never been shy of taking shots just so he can dish one in return. While most fighters avoid the line of fire, the Thai fan favorite seemingly embraces it, as he wildly charges into his opponent’s vanguard.

Superlek, on the other hand, loves to create chaos at mid-range, peppering his opponents at a distance where they cannot fight back.

Since this will be a kickboxing bout, Rodtang won’t have the luxury of dirtying the fight in the clinch with his nasty elbows. However, he can still rough up his compatriot by breaching the distance and making this a phonebooth match.

It’s definitely a dangerous ploy, especially against a cerebral assassin like ‘The Kicking Machine’. Then again, Rodtang Jitmuangnon’s chin is the stuff legends are made of, so this is the perfect game plan for him.

He can certainly disrupt Superlek’s rhythm if he’s going to be in his face for the full five rounds.

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#2. Cut Superlek’s corners to hinder his movement

Superlek’s key to victory against Daniel Puertas last time out was his fluid footwork. The Kiatmoo9 star ran circles against the Spaniard, as he brilliantly penetrated his defenses while darting out of danger at the same time.

This match, of course, will take place inside the ONE circle instead of the usual kickboxing ring. Rodtang Jitmuangnon, though, has been there so many times already and knows how to use it to his advantage.

We’ve seen the Jitmuangnon gym star pupil apply immense pressure to his foes by trapping them near the circle walls.

Without nowhere to run, ‘The Iron Man’ unloads a vicious beating that has overwhelmed everyone in his wake. Chasing around Superlek will certainly be much easier said than done, but Rodtang has the skills to do so.

Plus, let’s not forget Rodtang’s chopping leg kicks, which should do a ton of damage as the fight progresses.

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#1. Be Rodtang

As simple as it may sound, whoever succeeds in asserting their fighting style will walk away with the ONE flyweight kickboxing belt.

Rodtang Jitmuangnon practically built his entire empire on his own terms by goading his opponents to slug it out with him at his preferred chaotic pace.

If he brings that trademark aggression from his Muay Thai fights, he’ll always have a strong case to go toe-to-toe with anyone in the world.

For sure, Superlek will also try to impose his will and make this a technical kickboxing bout, where he’ll be at an advantage.

However, there’s a reason Rodtang has won all 13 of his striking-only matches in the promotion. The man is an unstoppable juggernaut who thrives in total mayhem.

As long as Rodtang Jitmuangnon won’t break character, there’s a good chance we’ll have a new two-sport world champion by the end of ONE Fight Night 8.