WATCH: Rodtang consoles Adriano Moraes backstage after suffering shock TKO loss to Yuya Wakamatsu at ONE 172

Muay Thai megastar Rodtang Jitmuangnon is well-loved by both ONE Championship fans and athletes for his ability to empathize with people. At ONE 172 this past Sunday, March 23, he once again stepped into that role in support of Adriano Moraes.

The Brazilian MMA great rounded out the event's undercard, vying for the ONE flyweight MMA world championship against second-ranked ONE flyweight MMA competitor Yuya Wakamatsu — the same man he submitted via guillotine choke in March 2022 to retain the gold.

The former ONE flyweight MMA world champion started out strong, but Wakamatsu's relentless barrage of strikes inevitably led to the stoppage midway through the first round.

In a video shared by ONE on Instagram, 'The Iron Man' went up to console a devastated Moraes in the locker room.

Watch the entire video below:

Rodtang knew precisely what 'Mikinho' was feeling at that moment. He experienced the same heartbreak when he was stripped of the ONE flyweight Muay Thai world championship in November 2024, ahead of his sixth defense of the gold, for missing weight.

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Rodtang believes he has earned the right to fight for the vacant flyweight Muay Thai crown

After producing a monstrous knockout of Takeru Segawa to close out ONE 172, the Jitmuangnon Gym product believes he has redeemed himself for his past weight misses and should be in the running to fight for the vacant ONE flyweight Muay Thai world championship.

Rodtang said as much during the post-fight interview with ONE commentator Mitch Chilson:

"I know there are a lot of critics about my last performances who talk a lot about the way I fight, the way I make hydration and make weight, and I lost my belt on the scale. But that's okay. I put everything I have in each and every fight. And now, I am ready to take my belt back."