Kickboxing royalty Buakaw Banchamek has recently commented on the timeless Muay Thai showdown between Rodtang Jitmuangnon and Superlek Kiatmoo9 from last month in ONE Championship.
Rodtang vs Superlek
Rodtang faced Superlek at ONE Friday Fights 34. It was a battle of two kings, as each man was ranked on the pound-for-pound list and was highly decorated going in. Some even argued that Rodtang and Superlek were battling for a ranking on the list of all-time greats in Muay Thai.
Initially, it was meant to be for the ONE flyweight Muay Thai world championship. However, Superlek missed weight, so it became a three-round, non-title fight.
These were three rounds of war. “The Iron Man” and “The Kicking Machine” put on a Muay Thai classic. The two expert strikers displayed every facet of “The Art of Eight Limbs.” From clinch knees to downward elbows – plus every punch and kick in the book – this match is a must-watch.
In the end, Superlek was able to earn the judges’ decision against Rodtang. This split the opinion of fans. Some say it was a robbery, while others argue that it was pretty clear-cut. For the kickboxing and Muay Thai legend Buakaw, he says the right man won, and it wasn’t actually all that close.
Buakaw Banchamek
All-time kickboxing great and multiple-time K-1 kickboxing world champion, Buakaw has weighed in on the Muay Thai fight. On his YouTube channel, he watched the showdown and said:
“Superlek was stepping up his game and landed some really good punches. He was really dominant. He looked so intimidating when he was marching forward like that. Really powerful guy.
“During the match, he may have let some mistakes slip, but he continued to land many hits, despite his bloody injury that might have clouded his vision. But, it was a good win for him.
“The last round, [Superlek] was cruising. Even in the second round, he was dominating too. He did good and succeeded.
“A knockout was tough, because of the strength of both fighters. But in the end, they delivered a great performance, and both of them were excellent in the fight. So, there’s nothing to be worried about because there wasn’t a knockout. It was good.”
Buakaw will be fighting Saenchai in BKFC on Nov. 4, it will be a bare-knuckle Muay Thai match. Afterward, he will have another fight in RWS Muay Thai before the end of the year. Plus, he is booked for a boxing fight against Manny Pacquiao in early 2024. The legend is keeping busy.
See the full video from Buakaw below: