Rodtang Jitmuangnon

In one of the most unique bouts in ONE Championship history, Rodtang entered a special rules contest against MMA legend Demetrious Johnson — round one under Muay Thai rules, round two under MMA rules. Rodtang delivered exactly as expected in round one, staggering 'Mighty Mouse' with his trademark forward pressure and sharp punches. But when the MMA ruleset kicked in, Johnson shot for a takedown and locked in a rear-naked choke that Rodtang had no defensive answer for. The loss was a moment of pure honesty: on the feet he is elite, on the ground he is a beginner — and the global MMA community loved him for accepting the challenge anyway.

Fighting in front of a sold-out American crowd in Denver for the first time, Rodtang delivered a signature performance. He walked through Tabares's counters, cut off the cage with his signature pressure, and landed a clean right hand in round two to reclaim the ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Title with authority. The Denver crowd — many seeing him live for the first time — gave him a thunderous reception that signaled how his appeal had transcended Asia.

In the most-anticipated Thai vs. Japanese combat sports matchup in years, Rodtang walked into the Saitama Super Arena in front of 30,000 fans — the majority cheering for the home fighter — and produced one of 2025's most jaw-dropping knockouts. He absorbed early crisp punches from Takeru with his trademark chin and composure, closed the distance, and landed a single left hook that put Japan's kickboxing icon unconscious on the canvas at 59 seconds. The viral finish expanded his already enormous international fanbase overnight.