Rodtang and ONE settle dispute, clearing way for Takeru fight

Rodtang Jitmuangnon and ONE Championship have reached a settlement that clears the way for the Thai star’s April 29 fight against Takeru Segawa in Tokyo, bringing an abrupt end to a contract dispute that had spilled into multiple jurisdictions and threatened to overshadow one of the biggest kickboxing bouts on the calendar. The deal was announced at a Sunday press conference at Jitmuangnon Boxing Camp.

Settlement clears major Tokyo main event

Under the terms disclosed at the briefing, ONE will withdraw civil and criminal cases against Rodtang in Thailand, Japan and Singapore, while all previous oral and written agreements between the two sides will be cancelled. Rodtang’s April 29 bout will instead go ahead under a free-agent arrangement. ONE, for its part, said Rodtang must not pursue further legal action over the earlier 2022 contract dispute or signature issue, must apologise for earlier misunderstandings reflected in social media posts, and must refrain from making further posts that damage the promotion. ONE Thailand president Jitinat Asdamongkol said the promotion had addressed Rodtang’s concerns over the contracts.

Dispute had escalated sharply before talks

The breakthrough followed a tense public standoff. Rodtang said on Saturday that he still respected ONE chairman and chief executive Chatri Sityodtong, remained open to talks and had no plans to leave the organisation, even as the dispute intensified. His legal team said he had not received a fully executed contract from 2022 and had raised concerns over whether the agreement was legally binding, particularly after receiving a copy that carried only his signature and not that of an authorised ONE executive.

That came just days after ONE said it had begun legal proceedings against Rodtang in Thailand, Singapore and Japan over what it described as repeated breaches of contractual obligations. The promotion was seeking damages of 542 million baht in Thailand, while Rodtang had insisted the April 29 fight would still go ahead as a special out-of-contract bout.

Fight stays on, but under a new arrangement

Sunday’s settlement means that outcome has now been formalised. The rematch with Takeru will proceed as scheduled at Ariake Arena in Tokyo at ONE Samurai 1, the inaugural event in ONE’s new Japan series. ONE’s official promotion of the card bills the contest as a five-round fight for the interim flyweight kickboxing world title and has framed it as Takeru’s farewell appearance.

For ONE, the agreement removes a potentially damaging legal cloud from a major international event. For Rodtang, it secures the bout while allowing him to enter it without being tied to the disputed contract structure that had triggered the row in the first place.