WATCH: Takeru locks in, Superbon gets hyped watching Rodtang dismantle Jacob Smith in dominant Bangkok showing

Japanese kickboxer Takeru Segawa and undisputed ONE featherweight kickboxing world champion Superbon had wildly different reactions while watching Thai superstar Rodtang Jitmuangnon throwdown with United Kingdom standout Jacob Smith at ONE 169 in November 2024.

In a video posted by the world's largest martial arts promotion on Instagram, Superbon was voraciously cheering for 'The Iron Man' to pour on the punishment against Smith in pursuit of a finish. On the other hand, Takeru barely cracked a smile amidst Rodtang's unrelenting onslaught late in the third round.

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This fight was supposed to be Rodtang's sixth defense of the ONE flyweight Muay Thai world championship. He was, however, stripped of the gold before the event for missing the 135-pound weight limit.

Like their May 2022 encounter, the Jitmuangnon Gym athlete had little trouble overwhelming Smith's defense and emerged with the unanimous decision victory once again — though he was ineligible to reclaim the gold.

Superbon's intense support for Rodtang is not all that surprising, as they are two of Thailand's most respected strikers in ONE. In Takeru's case, he was more interested in finding patterns to exploit in the 27-year-old's fighting style in preparation for their flyweight kickboxing encounter at ONE 172: Takeru vs. Rodtang on March 23.

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Takeru acknowledges Rodtang's world-class striking

Before they duke it out inside the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, Takeru made it clear that he has nothing but absolute respect for his Thai counterpart's striking abilities.

The Team Vasileus representative said as much during the December press conference for ONE 172, stating:

"Rodtang is truly strong. While he's known for brawling and intensity, he has incredible technique. He has Muay Thai skills."

Tickets for ONE 172 are available via EPlus.