Rodtang Jitmuangnon, according to Lito Adiwang of Team Lakay, will have one obvious edge against Superlek “The Kicking Machine” Kiatmoo9.
This Friday, “The Iron Man” will be the main event of ONE Fight Night 8 on Prime Video, where he will square off against “The Kicking Machine” for the newly-acquired ONE flyweight kickboxing world title. The initial main event between ONE heavyweight world champion Arjan Bhuller and ONE interim heavyweight titleholder Anatoly Malykhin was postponed, so the two Thai superstars were elevated to the position.
In an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda MMA, “Thunder Kid” Lito Adiwang said that although Rodtang is the more tough opponent, “The Kicking Machine” will have a clear edge in terms of height and reach.
Adiwang said, “The disadvantage for Rodtang is his height — height and reach.Both fighters are quick, but I think that Superlek has a bit better footwork and he’ll have quite an advantage since this is a kickboxing fight.”
As the competitors enter the ring for a kickboxing match rather than a Muay Thai fight, those benefits may very well matter. This is a high-stakes contest for both fighters because, if ‘The Kicking Machine’ is successful in handing Rodtang his first career kickboxing defeat under the ONE Championship banner, he will probably be given the chance to challenge Rodtang for his ONE flyweight Muay Thai world title.
Superlek acknowledges that he has struggled to get used to the kickboxing rules
After competing in Muay Thai for the majority of his career, ONE flyweight kickboxing world champion Superlek Kiatmoo9 acknowledged that he found it difficult to adapt to the kickboxing rule set.
Iron Man, a fellow Thai striker, will be the opponent when the Thai superstar returns to action on March 24 to defend his recently acquired kickboxing belt in ONE Fight Night 8 on Prime Video. With their technical proficiency and knockout prowess, their highly anticipated showdown will lend some additional strength to the already loaded fight card.
But as Superlek recently acknowledged in an interview, his greatest disadvantage against Rodtang will be competing under kickboxing rules. The Kicking Machine provided additional details to ONE Championship by stating:
“Rodtang’s basics depend on punch and kick in a Muay Thai fight. He doesn’t use elbows that much. That’s why his style is compatible with kickboxing rules. He didn’t need to adjust. But for me, I had to adapt a lot. I am still concerned about how I accidentally use clinch, elbows, or knees in kickboxing.”
In fact, only punches, kicks, and elbows are permitted in kickboxing competitions around the world. The use of clinches, elbow strikes, sweeps, and tosses are all prohibited.
Superlek struggled to follow the rules of the sport, as was evident in their last kickboxing battle, which they lost to Daniel Puertas of Spain for the vacant belt. For using the cinch to counter his opponent’s pressure-forward fighting technique, he was penalised a point and given a yellow card.
Superlek received a unanimous victory on the judges’ scorecards, but if he didn’t quickly adapt to the new regulations, he risked losing his belt.
Ahead of ONE Fight Night 8, Superlek stunned viewers with his incredible speed, technique, and force
Superlek Kiatmoo9 is ensuring that he is in top physical form in preparation for his high-profile kickboxing match at ONE Fight Night 8 as the fight draws near.
Superlek has spent a lot of time perfecting his leg kicks and timing because the majority of the battle will involve body kicks, knees, and punches, so he is aware of the difficulties that lie ahead.
