Thai legend Sam-A Gaiyanghadao expects a “barnburner throughout” in Rodtang’s inevitable super fight against Takeru

Rodtang (left), Takeru (right), and Sam-A (circle inset). [Photos from ONE Championship]
Rodtang (left), Takeru (right), and Sam-A (circle inset). [Photos from ONE Championship]

Sam-A Gaiyanghadao expects nothing but a striking spectacle when Rodtang Jitmuangnon finally meets Takeru Segawa inside the ring.

The Thai legend believes the inevitable super fight between Rodtang and Takeru would go to the judges' scorecards, with each round getting better than the last.

In an interview with Sportskeeda MMA, the multi-time world champion said the two superstars will put on a barnburner worthy of Fight of the Year honors.

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Sam-A Gaiyanghadao said:

"I think their fight will go to distance, but it will be a barnburner throughout the game."

ONE Championship has yet to officially announce a fight date between Takeru and Rodtang, but the promotion has said multiple times that the pair will face each other in 2025.

Rodtang and Takeru are arguably the most influential strikers of the current generation and hold significant status within the Muay Thai and kickboxing realms.

Takeru is one of the greatest Japanese kickboxers of all time. His reign with the K-1 Kickboxing super bantamweight, featherweight, and featherweight world titles makes him the only three-division world champion in the promotion's history.

Rodtang, meanwhile, was a six-time ONE flyweight Muay Thai world champion, having held the gold from 2019 to 2024.

ONE Championship initially scheduled a Tokyo super fight for the pair, but Rodtang had to pull out of the ONE 165 card in January after suffering an injury in training camp.


Sam-A Gaiyanghadao says his win over Zhang Peimian proves he can still hang with the best at ONE

Sam-A Gaiyanghadao is already one of the greatest Muay Thai fighters of all time.

The Thai legend was the first holder of the ONE flyweight Muay Thai, strawweight Muay Thai, and strawweight kickboxing world titles and was a multi-time Lumpinee Stadium world champion.

Despite being 41 years old, when most fighters are happily retired, Sam-A proved to the world that he's still as tough as when he was two decades younger.

Sam-A schooled Chinese phenom Zhang Peimian in their ONE 169 matchup, and he promptly declared in his post-match interview that he's still capable of fighting the world's best strikers.

"This victory gives me a lot of confidence. I have proven to everyone around the world that at 41 years old, I am still good enough to compete in ONE," he said following his unanimous decision win.

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Edited by C. Naik
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