In the press conference following ONE 172 in Japan, ONE Championship Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong has hinted at a trilogy bout between Rodtang Jitmuangnon and Jonathan Haggerty. “But for Rodtang, I think Rodtang’s gonna fight Haggerty next in Muay Thai.”
Rodtang and Haggerty previously met twice under ONE’s Muay Thai rules. In their first bout in August 2019, Rodtang won by what the fans called a controversial decision. The rematch in January 2020 was a clear victory for Rodtang, putting the pressure on Haggerty in Round 1 and subsequently getting the stoppage in Round 3.
Since then, both fighters have remained prominent figures in the sport. Rodtang has defended his Muay Thai title multiple times and ventured into kickboxing, while Haggerty also moved up in weight and captured the ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Title in April 2023 where he shocked the world with a first round knockout win over Nong-O Gaiyanghadao.
With a new found power at the heavier weight it makes for an interesting matchup between Rodtang and Haggerty for their third outing. Haggerty has previously mentioned that the weight cut has been draining and feels a lot better at the heavier weight. Since moving up to Bantamweight, Haggerty has won and defended the ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Title with knockout victories over Nong-O, Fabricio Andrade and Felipe Lobo.
If confirmed, the trilogy would mark their first meeting at bantamweight, with significant implications for both fighters’ legacies. No date or venue has been announced, and ONE Championship has not yet released an official statement regarding the matchup.
Update: Jonathan Haggerty has seemingly confirmed the news with a recent post on Facebook.
