ONE 167: Following First Victory Since Injury, Rodtang Wants Takeru Next

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It had been almost nine months since ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion Rodtang Jitmuangnon entered the fray in ONE Championship. So when he successfully returned last week at ONE 167, "The Iron Man" felt a sense of relief.

The Thai megastar fought off Denis Puric in their 141.25-pound catchweight bout last Saturday, 8 June, earning the unanimous decision. But the lead-up throughout fight week was certainly tumultuous.

Not only was Rodtang nervous following a lengthy layoff, but the 26-year-old also came in over the flyweight limit. Naturally, that brought with it a heap of criticism from the combat sports community online.

"I feel relieved right now. On the day that I missed weight, I felt bad for myself, and there was heavy drama and harsh comments online. I couldn't even pick up my phone to check my phone again. But the comments went too far. They were aimed at the people that I love and the people around me," the Thai superstar said.

"About social media, a lot of people talked about how I didn't train or anything like that. When I'm training, I'm focused on that. I don't think it's necessary for me to show everyone what I'm training each day or what I'm eating each day. It's really irrelevant."

Fans were certainly frustrated with "The Iron Man" before fight night, but that was all put to bed with the entertaining showdown he and Puric displayed at ONE 167. Many fans deemed it the fight of the night, so Rodtang was back in their good graces.

With his return win sealed and his nerves settled, the Thai megastar is now available for another monumental fight later this year. And when it comes to who he wants, there's only one name in mind: Takeru Segawa.

The duo were supposed to meet in flyweight kickboxing at ONE 165 in Tokyo, Japan, this past January. Rodtang's injuries prolonged his absence, though, deeming him unfit to participate.

With all that now in the past, the flyweight Muay Thai king wants the Japanese megastar next. "Now that I'm back and fighting again, I want to fight Takeru," Rodtang said. "Takeru, let's go!