“He’s gonna eat Takeru up” - Demetrious Johnson confident old foe Rodtang would dominate Takeru in ONE 172 super fight

Demetrious Johnson firmly believes that Rodtang Jitmuangnon will pose a formidable challenge to Takeru Segawa when they finally collide in the main event of ONE 172 on March 23.

The five-round flyweight kickboxing super-fight will take center stage at Japan's fabled Saitama Super Arena, drawing anticipation from fans around the globe.

During a recent trip to Thailand, Johnson reunited with Rodtang and had the opportunity to spar with the Thai megastar.

The now-retired former ONE flyweight MMA world champion is convinced that Rodtang's relentless style will give Takeru a run for his money.

'Mighty Mouse' made this bold declaration during their sparring at Looksaikongdin Gym in Bangkok:

"When you get close to him (Rodtang), he will take five to give you two. So when he fights Takeru, he's gonna eat Takeru up."

Johnson's evaluation isn't based on the sparring session alone — it stems from a firsthand experience with Rodtang inside the Circle.

It can be recalled that the two collided in a hybrid Muay Thai-MMA exhibition bout at ONE X in March 2022.

In the opening Muay Thai round, the American MMA legend demonstrated courage when he tried to stand toe-to-toe with Rodtang for the first three minutes of action.

But when it transitioned to the second round under MMA rules, Johnson had no choice but to use his grappling edge, putting Rodtang on the mat with a takedown against his will before sending him to sleep with a rear-naked choke.

ONE 172 is available live on pay-per-view at watch.onefc.com.

---

Demetrious Johnson is excited to see Rodtang go up against Takeru

Demetrious Johnson is among the many who will be tuning in when Rodtang Jitmuangnon tangles with Takeru Segawa at ONE 172.

The excitement is easy to understand, as it has been over a year in the making. Rodtang and Takeru were originally penciled to go at it at ONE 165 in January 2024, but 'The Iron Man' was forced to pull out due to a hand injury.

The Thai hard-hitter is now fully recovered and prepared to stake his reputation against Japan's elite kickboxer.

Johnson said:

"It's gonna be a great fight!"