Rodtang Jitmuangnon has been ordained as a monk. But the reigning ONE Championship flyweight Muay Thai champion isn’t retiring from the sport, he is just going to spend 15 days living at a temple.
It is something that most Thai men of the Buddhist faith will do at some stage. Rodtang is coming off a decision win over Jiduo Yibu at ONE Fight Night 6 earlier this month.
He has won 12 fights out of 12 for ONE Championship and his only loss competing under the promotion’s banner came in a mixed rules fight with Demetrious Johnson. He only got in two fights last year after missing weight ahead of the flyweight Grand Prix quarter finals.
Rodtang hopes to be busier in 2023 and felt that this was the perfect opportunity to ordain as a monk,
“I’m turning 25 right now. I think it is the right time to do this. And my parents want me to become a monk, too. Otherwise, I may get busy later and I may miss the chance again, so it is now or never for me. I plan to get ordained after my fight and be at the temple for 15 days.”
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Busy schedule
After the win at ONE Fight Night 6 he confirmed that he wanted to compete in three different sports this year. So things could get hectic for Rodtang once he finishes his 15 day stint at the temple.
Superlek Kiatmoo9 was recently crowned as the flyweight kickboxing champion. He earned the title after beating Daniel Puertas, an opponent who had originally been scheduled to challenge Rodtang for his belt.
Rodtang wants to add that kickboxing title to his collection,
“My goal right now is to stay in the flyweight division and claim the kickboxing title.”
But Rodtang’s ambitions don’t end there. He got a taste of MMA during the mixed rules fight with Demetrious Johnson, although he was choked out in the second round by the former UFC flyweight champion.
That clearly hasn’t put Rodtang off the sport and once he has claimed that kickboxing title he plans to turn his attention to MMA,
“I want to go step-by-step. I want to claim my title in kickboxing first, and then I will go to MMA.”
