Rodtang Re-Signs With ONE Championship On New Exclusive Deal After Legal Dispute
Rodtang Jitmuangnon has officially returned to ONE Championship after signing a new exclusive contract with the promotion. The announcement was made at Jitmuangnon Gym in Nonthaburi, Thailand, on Rodtang’s birthday, bringing an end to the public split between the Thai star and the organization.
Rodtang Signs New Exclusive ONE Championship Contract
The press conference included Rodtang, his manager Sorapong Jitsuntorn, ONE Championship Thailand president Jitinat Asdamongkol, and representatives of the fighter’s management team and gym. Rodtang described fighting as the career that gave him recognition and enabled him to support his family, adding that he intends to keep competing for as long as he can.
The Iron Man” first joined ONE in 2018 and quickly became one of its biggest Muay Thai names. Four straight wins led to a flyweight Muay Thai title fight with Jonathan Haggerty in 2019, when Rodtang defeated the Briton to win the belt.
The 28-year-old built his profile through title fights, crossover bouts and an aggressive style that made him a regular attraction in Thailand, Singapore, Japan and beyond. His run as ONE flyweight Muay Thai champion included successful defenses against high-level opponents and helped establish the division as a central part of ONE’s striking schedule.
His first spell with the promotion was not without complications. Rodtang was stripped of the ONE Flyweight Muay Thai Championship in 2024 after failing to make weight and pass hydration testing for a scheduled defense against Jacob Smith. The loss of the belt removed him from a planned title bout and created uncertainty around his immediate future with ONE.
Still, Rodtang delivered one of the defining wins of his career at ONE 172 in March 2025. He knocked out Japanese kickboxing icon Takeru Segawa with a left hook at 1:20 of the opening round in their flyweight kickboxing main event at Saitama Super Arena. The finish earned Rodtang a $50,000 performance bonus and was recorded as the 274th victory of his career.
Rodtang and Takeru met again at ONE Samurai 1 in Tokyo this year, with the interim ONE flyweight kickboxing title at stake. This time, Takeru recovered from the first-round defeat to stop Rodtang at 2:22 of round five and claim the interim championship at Ariake Arena.
The legal dispute began after Rodtang said his ONE Championship agreement had expired and raised concerns about the validity of paperwork connected to his prior deal, including claims involving signatures on contract documents. ONE responded by launching legal proceedings in Thailand, Japan and Singapore, alleging repeated contractual breaches alongside misleading and potentially defamatory public statements; it sought damages of 542 million baht in Thailand.
Rodtang’s side maintained that he had received a copy of a November 2025 document carrying only his own signature, without that of an authorised ONE representative, and said the detailed issues should be handled through the courts. The two sides later entered talks, and Rodtang was permitted to face Takeru at ONE Samurai 1 as a free agent, but ONE’s legal cases were still active as of July.
The result means Rodtang returns under an exclusive ONE deal after a difficult stretch that included losing his Muay Thai title, separating from the company, defeating Takeru in their first meeting and then losing the rematch. It also leaves a route open for Rodtang to pursue another major kickboxing fight under the ONE banner.
ONE has yet to announce Rodtang’s first opponent under the new agreement or confirm whether his next bout will take place under Muay Thai or kickboxing rules. A third fight with Takeru would have clear sporting value after their split results, though Rodtang could also resume his pursuit of the flyweight Muay Thai championship.
