ONE Championship makes all action return as Rodtang retains flyweight Muay Thai title at No Surrender
- Rodtang sees off Petchdam in Bangkok main event at fan-free Impact Arena as ONE puts on first show since February
- ‘I’m not tired and I can fight again,’ says ‘The Iron Man’ with ONE set to stick around in Thailand for five more cards
Rodtang Jitmuangnon likes to work his way up, beginning with brutal body shots that end up taking his opponent’s mind off protecting the one thing that’s most important. The head.
Petchdam Petchyindee Academy found this out the hard way on Friday as ONE Championship returned to action in Bangkok and Rodtang held on to his flyweight Muay Thai world championship with a majority decision from the judges.
The 23-year-old champ (263-42-10) landed low – and heavy – early on, then kept finding his way through the Petchdam (96-17-7) defences, rocking his head back time and again. It was a show of sheer aggression from the get-go and the result was never in doubt, really, through a wildly entertaining all-action bout.
“Overall, I consider this to be a good battle,” the champ said. “I’ve been off this stage for a long time, so I knew in the beginning, it would be a bit stiff.”
Petchdam is only 22 years old himself so ahead for fight fans might be a rivalry for the ages. He tried to land the roundhouse left foot that has become his calling card but Rodtang was wise to that caper, and kept leaning left and right and away. And then returning with some big shots of his own.