Rodtang says he would have been a professional football player if he didn’t discover Muay Thai

Had he not discovered Muay Thai at an early age, ‘The Iron Man’ Rodtang Jitmuangnon would have likely pursued a career as a professional footballer.

On September 22, Rodtang will return to the circle for a clash that fight fans have been fantasizing about for years. ‘The Iron Man’ will put his ONE flyweight Muay Thai world championship on the line against ‘The Kicking Machine’ Superlek Kiatmoo9. The bout will go down as part of the promotion’s ONE Friday Fights 34 event this fall.

Ahead of the highly anticipated superfight, Rodtang revealed during a recent interview with CUTZRADIO that had he not started training in the art of eight limbs as a kid, he would have gone after a career in another celebrated sport.

“I think I’ll be a football player... Because I used to be on the football team before I became a fighter. Because I’ve low education, I’m not a smart person. I don’t know what other career I can do well.”

Watch the interview below:

Clearly, Rodtang’s choice to pursue combat sports has paid off as ‘The Iron Man’ boasts an incredible 271 career wins, including 12-straight Muay Thai wins under the ONE Championship banner. He’ll look for number 13 this September, but he will face arguably the toughest test in his career.

Superlek, the promotion’s reigning ONE flyweight kickboxing world champion, will attempt to snap Rodtang’s impressive win streak and etch his own name in the history books by becoming a two-sport ONE world champion.

Who comes out on top when Rodtang and Superlek finally clash inside the circle?

You can catch ONE Friday Fights 34 live and for free on ONE Championship’s YouTube channel on September 22.

Watch Rodtang's highlights below: