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Muay Thai megastar Rodtang Jitmuangnon just came off an intense world title brawl with third-ranked contender Jacob Smith last Friday, with no pressing need to reclaim his belt.
Sitting adjacent to newly-crowned ONE heavyweight world champion 'Reug Reug' Oumar Kane at the post-ONE 169 presser, Rodtang was asked if he was looking forward to fighting the winner between Ilias Mahmoudi and Denis Puric on Dec. 20.
Speaking into the microphone, Rodtang responded demurely:
"I want to face Takeru first."
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Check out the full press-conference below (22:05):
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As Rodtang suggested above, there's a massive fight pending between himself and former three-division K-1 world champion, Takeru Segawa. Their rivalry goes way back to 2022 before Segawa joined ONE Championship earlier this year.
Since then, the fans have been clamoring to see both strikers settle their differences on the world stage, especially Rodtang.
They've been waiting so long that even Rodtang is willing to put a world title fight on the back burner to trade leather with Takeru Segawa on the global stage next.
"Clash of the kings" - Fans go wild as Rodtang and Takeru Sewaga size each other up at ONE 169
Combat sports fans are growing wild in anticipation after Rodtang and Takeru Segawa sized each other up last Friday.
As aforementioned, fans and pundits alike have long been promised a Rodtang-Segawa superfight for the last two years.
Initially, they were scheduled to fight back in January at ONE 165, but Rodtang withdrew after suffering an arm injury.
Takeru instead, fought Superlek for his ONE debut and then Thant Zin at ONE Friday FIghts 81 this September. But the masses have spoken again, and they're riled up to see these two guys in action as soon as possible.
Reacting to ONE Championship's post featuring the face-off between Rodtang and Segawa, one of the fans said:
"Clash of the kings"
Check out their reactions below:
