ONE Championship has declared its intention to pursue legal action against Rodtang Jitmuangnon across three nations, citing numerous violations of his contractual agreements with the organization. This development occurs less than two weeks before Rodtang is slated to headline ONE Samurai 1 against Takeru Segawa on April 29, 2026, in Tokyo.
In an official statement disseminated through its social media channels, ONE Championship confirmed the commencement of legal proceedings in Singapore, Japan, and Thailand. The promotion has cited “multiple breaches of contractual obligations” as well as “the dissemination of potentially misleading information and statements that may be considered defamatory” as the basis for their action.
ONE stated that they had made “continuous and sincere efforts to work with Rodtang in good faith” prior to reaching this juncture. However, they indicated that Rodtang’s repeated disregard for his contractual duties left them with no alternative. The promotion added that they intend to seek “appropriate damages in the relevant jurisdictions” and will refrain from further comment on the specifics of the legal proceedings while the investigation is ongoing.
Background of the Dispute
The situation has been escalating for several months. In November 2025, Rodtang withdrew from a scheduled Flyweight Muay Thai World Title bout against Nong-O Hama at ONE 173 in Tokyo, reporting illness to medical staff after weigh-ins. The fight was ultimately canceled, and Nong-O had also failed to make weight, further complicating matters for the promotion.
Tensions rose further in February 2026 when Rodtang posted ambiguous messages on social media, alluding to career-related dissatisfaction. Subsequently, on February 19, he filed a defamation complaint with Thailand’s Central Investigation Bureau, targeting online individuals he accused of making disparaging remarks about his family. While seemingly separate from his issues with ONE, this period highlighted unusual public activity from the fighter.
The contract dispute became fully public in March 2026. On March 25-26, Rodtang publicly announced via Facebook that his contract with ONE Championship had officially concluded and that he was evaluating a new offer. However, sources from ONE Championship informed the Bangkok Post that Rodtang remained under contract with the promotion, contrary to his public assertions.
In early April 2026, Rodtang intensified the situation by publishing a detailed Facebook post alleging that his signature had been forged on over 30 contracts. He claimed that when his lawyer confronted the individual responsible, that person admitted to signing the additional contracts themselves. It is this sequence of events—the public claims of contract expiration, allegations of forged signatures, and related social media activity—that appears to form the foundation of ONE’s complaint regarding misleading statements and potential defamation.
Upcoming Fight Status
Despite the legal actions, Rodtang’s scheduled rematch against Takeru Segawa is still slated to take place at ONE Samurai 1 on April 29 at the Ariake Arena in Tokyo, with the ONE Interim Flyweight Kickboxing World Title on the line. Rodtang himself had previously described the Takeru fight as a “special bout outside of his contract terms,” a framing that ONE’s current legal action directly challenges.
The two fighters first clashed at ONE 172 in March 2025 at Saitama Super Arena. Rodtang secured a knockout victory over Takeru in the first round with a left hook at 1:20. Takeru immediately requested a rematch, naming Rodtang as his opponent for what he indicated would be his final professional fight. The bout was officially announced in February 2026 and confirmed for April 29.
The certainty of this fight proceeding as planned is now in question. ONE has not announced any intention to remove the bout from the card, and Rodtang confirmed as recently as late March 2026 that he is “fully prepared” to compete. ONE states that the legal process is ongoing and will not provide further commentary. Details regarding how the proceedings in Singapore, Japan, and Thailand will intersect or the projected timeline for resolution have not been disclosed.
English Translation & Rephrasing:
Title: ONE Championship to Sue Rodtang Amidst Shocking Contract Dispute
Body:
ONE Championship has announced it will take legal action against Rodtang Jitmuangnon in three countries, alleging multiple breaches of his contractual obligations with the promotion. This decision comes less than two weeks before Rodtang is scheduled to headline ONE Samurai 1 against Takeru Segawa on April 29, 2026, in Tokyo.
In an official statement shared across ONE Championship’s social media platforms, the organization confirmed it has initiated legal proceedings in Singapore, Japan, and Thailand. The grounds for their action include “multiple breaches of contractual obligations,” as well as “the dissemination of potentially misleading information and statements that may be considered defamatory.”
ONE stated that it had made “continuous and sincere efforts to work with Rodtang in good faith” before reaching this point, but that repeated disregard for contractual obligations left them with no other recourse. The promotion added that it intends to seek “appropriate damages in the relevant jurisdictions” and will not be commenting further on the specifics of the legal proceedings while the investigation remains active.
How the Situation Developed
The issue has been brewing for months. In November 2025, Rodtang withdrew from a scheduled Flyweight Muay Thai World Title fight against Nong-O Hama at ONE 173 in Tokyo, citing illness after weigh-ins. The fight never materialized, and Nong-O had also failed to make weight, exacerbating an already difficult situation for the promotion.
Things escalated further in February 2026 when Rodtang posted cryptic messages on social media, hinting at career-related frustrations. He then filed a defamation complaint at Thailand’s Central Investigation Bureau on February 19, targeting online users he accused of making abusive comments about his family. While separate from his issues with ONE, this indicated a period of unusual public engagement from the fighter.
The contract dispute became fully apparent in March 2026. On March 25-26, Rodtang went public on Facebook, confirming that his deal with ONE Championship had officially ended and that he was reviewing terms for a new offer. However, ONE Championship sources told the Bangkok Post that Rodtang remained under contract with the promotion, despite his public claims to the contrary.
Then, in early April 2026, Rodtang took further action by publishing a detailed Facebook post alleging that someone had forged his signature on more than 30 contracts. He claimed that when his lawyer confronted the individual involved, the person admitted to signing the additional contracts himself. It is this chain of events—the public claims of contract expiry, the forged signature allegations, and related social media posts—that appears to form the basis of ONE’s complaint about misleading statements and potential defamation.
The Fight Remains Scheduled
Despite the legal action, Rodtang’s scheduled rematch with Takeru Segawa is still on the card for ONE Samurai 1 on April 29 at the Ariake Arena in Tokyo, with the ONE Interim Flyweight Kickboxing World Title at stake. Rodtang himself had previously confirmed the Takeru fight would be a “special bout outside of his contract terms,” a framing that ONE’s legal action now directly challenges.
The two fighters first met at ONE 172 in March 2025 at Saitama Super Arena, where Rodtang defeated Takeru with a left hook at 1:20 of the first round, winning the kickboxing superfight by knockout. Takeru immediately called for a rematch, requesting Rodtang as the opponent for what he described as his final professional fight. The bout was formally announced in February 2026 and confirmed for April 29.
Whether that fight proceeds as planned is now uncertain. ONE has not indicated any intention to remove the bout from the card, and Rodtang confirmed as recently as late March 2026 that he is “fully prepared” to compete. ONE states the legal process is ongoing and will not comment further. No details have been released on how proceedings in three separate jurisdictions—Singapore, Japan, and Thailand—will interact, or what timeline the promotion is working towards.