Rodtang Says Stamp Fairtex Is ‘Best Role Model’ For Aspiring MMA Fighters In Thailand
On Friday, September 29, millions of fans will tune in to the highly anticipated showdown between Thai megastar Stamp Fairtex and South Korean veteran Ham Seo Hee for the ONE Interim Women’s Atomweight MMA World Title.
That battle will go down in U.S. primetime at ONE Fight Night 14 on Prime Video, and long-reigning ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion Rodtang Jitmuangnon will be watching with great interest.
A longtime friend and compatriot of Stamp, “The Iron Man” believes she is ushering in a new era of world-class Thai mixed martial artists – and that winning an MMA World Title would be a massive moment.
That’s because even though Thailand is deeply rooted in the striking arts as the birthplace of Muay Thai, its MMA scene is still in its early stages.
Rodtang explained:
“Stamp’s success will inspire everyone because she will be a role model for them to achieve success like her. I think MMA will be more popular in Thailand because of her.”
Already the ONE Women’s Atomweight MMA World Grand Prix Champion with a 10-2 record, Stamp’s fame and acclaim in the all-around sport would reach entirely new heights if she defeats a respected star like “Hamzzang” to capture gold.
Moreover, Rodtang says the 25-year-old atomweight is a fitting torchbearer not just for MMA in Thailand, but also for women’s combat sports in general:
“If Stamp becomes an MMA World Champion, she will be the best role model for our next generation. And she will be a good example for everyone who wants to succeed in MMA like her. She may even inspire women around the world to practice martial arts.”
Rodtang Gives Stamp Vs. Ham ’50-50 Odds’
When he looks ahead to the ONE Women’s Atomweight MMA World Title showdown between Stamp Fairtex and Ham Seo Hee on September 29, Rodtang Jitmuangnon recognizes that anything could happen.
He knows that a key factor in the fight will be how well Stamp – a former ONE Women’s Atomweight Kickboxing and Muay Thai World Champion – has developed her grappling game to complement her elite striking.
That transition from stand-up to ground fighting is something Rodtang is intimately familiar with. In 2022, at ONE X, the Jitmuangnon Gym representative squared off with all-time MMA great Demetrious Johnson in a unique mixed-rules super-fight.
“The Iron Man” would lose that bout by second-round submission in the MMA round, and he says it showed him just how hard grappling can be – something that Stamp is undoubtedly continuing to focus on:
“Switching from striking only to grappling is difficult for me. You need to get used to it. And you need to dedicate yourself to practicing the ground game. It will take time to master it.”
Ultimately, Rodtang believes there are simply too many X-factors in the upcoming battle between the Thai sensation and the South Korean scrapper.
With that in mind, he isn’t willing to make a firm prediction about the result on September 29:
“For the Stamp vs. Ham Seo Hee matchup, I give them each 50-50 odds.”
