‘The Iron Man’ Returns: Rodtang Jitmuangnon Inks New Deal With ONE Championship
Rodtang “The Iron Man” Jitmuangnon is back where he belongs.
The former ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion has officially returned to the world’s largest martial arts organization, and he has chosen his birthday to make it official.
The news was revealed at a press conference held at Jitmuangnon Gym in Nonthaburi, Thailand, attended by Rodtang himself, his manager Mr. Sorapong Jitsuntorn, President of ONE Championship Thailand Mr. Jitinat Asdamongkol, and Rodtang’s official management and gym owners Mr. Somjit Waenkaew and “Aeh” Suntaree Lohaphak.
Rodtang said about his choice to rejoin ONE:
“I don’t think any other career could have given me the recognition and ability to provide for my family the way being a fighter has. I’ll keep giving it my all until I no longer have the strength to fight.”
For fans who have followed his extraordinary journey, the news will come as no surprise. ONE Championship and Rodtang have always been inseparable, and the story between them was never truly finished.
Rodtang made his high-profile promotional debut in 2018 and wasted no time announcing himself as a force the flyweight Muay Thai division had never seen before. After securing four consecutive victories, he earned a shot at then-ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion Jonathan “The General” Haggerty in 2019 and outclassed the British superstar to claim the gold.
What followed was the greatest reign the flyweight Muay Thai division has ever witnessed. Rodtang defended his belt time and again against the division’s greatest challengers, turning arenas across the globe into stages for a brand of relentless, never-back-down, and crowd-thrilling Muay Thai that made him one of the most recognized names in combat sports worldwide.
The reign, however, came to an abrupt halt in 2024 when Rodtang was stripped of the ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Title after failing to make weight and pass hydration testing ahead of his scheduled World Title defense against Jacob Smith. It was a painful end to a historic title run, but what came next reminded everyone watching exactly why Rodtang’s star burns brighter than almost anyone else’s.
His highly anticipated kickboxing clash with Japanese megastar Takeru “Natural Born Krusher” Segawa at ONE 172 in March 2025 became one of the most talked-about fights in recent memory, and for good reason.
Rodtang demolished the Japanese icon in just 80 seconds, a stunning statement that underlined his exceptional striking skills not only in his bread-and-butter Muay Thai but in kickboxing as well.
Meanwhile, the rematch at ONE SAMURAI 1 earlier this year brought a different ending. Takeru stopped Rodtang in the fifth round to claim the ONE Interim Flyweight Kickboxing World Title in his last fight.
Now, he returns to the ring where his legend was forged, determined to reclaim the belt he believes he never truly lost.
