When it came to crunch time, the most anticipated Muay Thai fight of 2023 did not disappoint.
Fans had been clamoring for a showdown between Rodtang “The Iron Man” Jitmuangnon and Superlek “The Kicking Machine” Kiatmoo9 for years, and the pair finally squared off at ONE Friday Fights 34 on September 22.
Although Superlek missing weight meant that Rodtang’s ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Title would not be on the line, the two superstars still put on a battle for the ages at Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
Despite being friends outside of the ring, the pair showed no signs of it when the first bell rang for their 140-pound catchweight bout.
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ONE Flyweight Kickboxing World Champion Superlek tried to slow “The Iron Man” down early with his thudding kicks to the body and legs, but Rodtang was not deterred.
The Jitmuangnon Gym athlete took aim with punches and elbows in reply and opened up a big cut on “The Kicking Machine’s” head.
Far from being cowed by the damage, Superlek took it as a catalyst to go on his own offensive in the second round.
For a brief spell, the kickboxing king managed to flip the script and put his opponent on the back foot, where he sent Rodtang reeling with a knee and then down for an eight-count with a right elbow.
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“The Iron Man” bounced up and protested, but with the tide now against him, he had to turn on the gas in round three – and he gave it his all.
Rodtang charged in and racked up damage with punches and elbows, while Superlek scored with hard kicks and knees to counter to the 26-year-old’s aggression.
When the final bell rang, they embraced in the middle of the ring before “The Kicking Machine” was announced the winner via unanimous decision for his pinpoint striking and second-round knockdown.
With the win, Superlek ended Rodtang’s five-year, 14-fight winning streak in ONE’s striking ranks while extending his own streak to eight straight victories.
After such an epic battle, the only regret was that there weren’t two more rounds.
