"I can fight" - Rodtang Jitmuangnon reveals the emotional reason why he chose to become a professional fighter

Thai combat sports superstar Rodtang Jitmuangnon made a bold decision when he was a kid that changed his life forever. He took the route of being a fighter to help his family get out of poverty.

Rodtang opened up about this decision in a recent Instagram post that ONE Championship published on Instagram, through his nine-slide quote:

"I saw all the difficulties of my parents and thought, 'I have arms and legs. I can fight.' It wasn't so much of a choice, but something I needed to do. My parents always set a good example for me, and taught me to work hard. The are very proud of what I have achieved."

Aside from the courageous move that he made, the Jitmuangnon Gym representative also shared the difficulties that he and his parents encountered, like seeing his dad do various labor work, helping his mom wash dishes at funerals, and even scavenging garbage to earn a living.

Now, all the sacrifices have paid off because Rodtang has become one of the premier athletes in combat sports.

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Jacob Smith discusses the potential rewards he's going to get with a win against Rodtang at ONE 169

Rodtang's status as a superstar makes him a vulnerable target for contenders who want to use him as leverage to earn the same status that he has now, like his upcoming challenger Jacob Smith.

During media day, the British challenger talked about the potential rewards that awaits him if he gets the job done against 'The Iron Man', as he explained:

"Yes, I do imagine how my life's gonna change when I win the belt. The further off from the fight it was, I just wanted to look at the man and wanted to beat the man. But the closer the fight's getting, I realize when I win the belt, it's gonna change my family's lives."

North American viewers with an active Prime Video subscription can watch all the action at ONE 169 on Nov. 8.