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Jonathan Haggerty got into a thoughtful discussion with Sky Sports this week, to talk about one of Muay Thai's favorite pound-for-pound fighters, Rodtang Jitmuangnon.
On the heels of defending his coveted flyweight Muay Thai belt last Friday, Rodtang was stripped of the world title for being over the 135-pound limit.
Despite disappointing the fans over missing weight again, he's still a beloved athlete in the combat sports community.
Sharing his opinion about why that is, Haggerty told Sky Sports:
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"I think it's his personality as well, very likeable character, like you wouldn't think he's this mean guy. Takes all his shots in his chin, just eats 'em, and like I said, he's entertaining, and that's why people love watching him."
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Indeed, Rodtang is an extraordinary athlete who possesses many unique talents.
For one, he's 'The Iron Man' in every sense of the phrase when he fights in the ONE Circle. His dangerous Muay Mat style of fighting is difficult to contend with, especially when he's walking through your best punches.
As we saw in his rematch against Jacob Smith at ONE 169, 'The Iron Man's' durability and aggressive nature made it extremely difficult for Smith to get something going in his corner.
At the same time, Rodtang is one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet. There was no animosity between himself and Smith after their rematch. We won't be surprised if one day Smith joins him in a soccer match soon.
Watch the full replay of ONE 169 via Prime Video with an active subscription.
"Good sportsmanship" - Muay Thai fans hail Rodtang's respect for Jacob Smith after displaying another lopsided win at ONE 169
Muay Thai fans are particularly amazed by Rodtang's recent showdown against Jacob Smith on Nov. 8. However, more importantly, they praised him for his act of sportsmanship towards his English rival.
In the aftermath, Rodtang was seen embracing Smith after both men put on a firefight of a performance at the Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
One fan described Rodtang's actions as:
"Good fight with good sportsmanship."
Check out all other fan reactions below:
