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Rodtang Jitmuangnon and Nong-O Hama will finally meet on November 13 – almost a year after their flyweight Muay Thai world title fight in Tokyo fell apart, but now with a place in the ONE Championship grand prix semi-finals at stake.
ONE confirmed the all-Thai quarter-final for The Inner Circle 38 at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, alongside a second opening-round bout between Japan’s Shimon Yoshinari and Lebanon’s Ramadan Ondash.
The two pairings put four of the division’s newly ranked contenders into action on the same card. Rodtang and Nong-O are No 2 and No 3 respectively, while Yoshinari is fourth and Ondash fifth.
Rodtang and Nong-O had been due to contest the vacant flyweight Muay Thai belt at ONE 173 last November. Rodtang fell ill shortly after passing hydration and making weight, and was taken to hospital. Nong-O failed to make weight and pass his hydration test.
The long-delayed meeting now has different stakes. Asadula Imangazaliev holds the world title after beating Aslamjon Ortikov by split decision in June, and the two men are among the eight entrants competing for a separate silver grand prix belt.
Rodtang heads to the ring for his rematch with Takeru Segawa at ONE Samurai 1 in Tokyo (Large)
ONE has described the tournament as offering a path to the world title, but has not explained whether Imangazaliev’s gold will be defended during it or how the title opportunity would work if the champion wins the grand prix.
For Rodtang, 29, the November fight would be his first Muay Thai appearance in ONE since his decision victory over Jacob Smith in November 2024. He lost his world title on the scales before that bout, then switched to kickboxing for two meetings with Takeru Segawa.
The Thai stopped Takeru in 80 seconds in their first fight, but suffered a fifth-round TKO defeat in their April rematch. He re-signed with ONE in July following a public contractual dispute, with his next promotional opponent now confirmed.
Nong-O, 39, has already had another chance to win the vacant flyweight title since their Tokyo fight was cancelled. Imangazaliev knocked him out in the second round in March, although the Russian could not claim the belt that night after missing weight. Nong-O responded by beating Kongthoranee Sor Sommai on points in their trilogy bout in June.
Shimon Yoshinari will face Ramadan Ondash in the flyweight Muay Thai grand prix quarter-finals (Large)
The other confirmed quarter-final brings together two younger contenders who have each beaten Johan Ghazali this year.
Yoshinari, 22, earned a full-time ONE contract with a decision over Ghazali in April and extended his winning run to six fights by knocking out Suablack Tor Pran49 in the second round at ONE Samurai 3 on September 12.
Ondash, 19, moved up from strawweight after losing a decision to Aliff Sor Dechapan last December. He has since won both of his flyweight bouts, beating Suriyanlek Por Yenying in May and Ghazali in July, both by unanimous decision.
The remaining quarter-final pairings have yet to be announced. Alongside champion Imangazaliev and No 1 contender Ortikov, the unpaired entrants are Thailand’s Black Panther and Britain’s Ubaid Hussain, who earned a US$100,000 full-time ONE contract last month.
Asadula Imangazaliev (right) and Aslamjon Ortikov clash during their ONE flyweight Muay Thai title fight (Large)
The Inner Circle 38 is scheduled to stream for subscribers on Live.ONEFC.com from 6.30pm to 8.30pm Bangkok time on November 13. ONE has not yet given dates for the later rounds or clarified how the champion’s participation will affect the world title.
