“I’m looking forward to it” - Rodtang Jitmuangnon hopes Demetrious Johnson could help him transition to MMA
'The Iron Man' Rodtang Jitmuangnon has defeated most of the fighters competing in his division and most recently beat a reigning champion from another weight class.
Earlier this year, to keep busy, 'The Iron Man' had a special-rules super-fight at ONE X against all-time MMA great 'Mighty Mouse' Demetrious Johnson.
It is now likely that Rodtang is eyeing a move to MMA.
The Thai fighter recently spoke with Tom Taylor of SCMP MMA about this and said he would love to be trained by the ONE flyweight world champion Demetrious Johnson:
"Training with him sounds great, because he’s a legend and I really look up to him. He’s really well-rounded in his grappling and the ground game, so I’m looking forward to it, if he’s willing to train with me."
With the first round of their meeting being Muay Thai, 'The Iron Man' and 'Mighty Mouse' traded heavy leather. The second round was MMA, where Johnson was able to secure a takedown and win by way of submission.
After conquering Muay Thai, 'The Iron Man' may follow other Thai athletes, such as Stamp Fairtex, and try his skills in MMA. ONE Championship has competitive weight classes in MMA, Muay Thai, kickboxing, and even submission grappling, so Rodtang has the opportunity to jump into different sports.
Catch the full interview below:
Rodtang Jitmuangnon wanted to play soccer, not Muay Thai
'The Iron Man' made his Muay Thai debut when he was just eight years old. After over 300 bouts, Rodtang is willing to admit that he never wanted to compete in Muay Thai as he would have preferred to play soccer.
Demetrious Johnson put Rodtang Jitmuangnon to SLEEP at ONE X!
@MightyMouse #ONEX #WeAreONE #ONEChampionship https://t.co/K9LVlRNPs5
The issue was financial though. Earning a living through soccer was tough and Muay Thai would pay immediately. Therefore, a young Rodtang would lace up his gloves rather than his cleats. In an interview with ONE Championship, he explained:
"Actually, my love for soccer happened even before I even started Muay Thai. When I was young, I didn't like Muay Thai because I was scared. I didn’t like to fight. I preferred soccer."
However, like so many Muay Thai fighters, it came down to money. He continued:
"But I was paid very little for playing soccer, compared to Muay Thai. So, I decided to compete in Muay Thai to earn more money to support my family."
But now that 'The Iron man' has earned international acclaim in Muay Thai, he plays charity soccer in his free time. He explained:
"I love to play before and after my fights. I have my team where every member is involved in Muay Thai in some way. We love to compete for charity events."