Top-ranked contender Aslamjon “El Pantera” Ortikov keeps his focus firmly locked on 26 pounds of undisputed gold. Every so often, however, a highly familiar silhouette appears in the distance, belonging to former ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion Rodtang “The Iron Man” Jitmuangnon.
That ultimate dream, however, must wait its turn behind a far more pressing matter. On Friday, November 20, Ortikov rematches reigning ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion Asadula “The Dagestan Ninja” Imangazaliev at The Inner Circle 39 inside Bangkok’s historic Lumpinee Stadium.
Their World Title showdown doubles as a crucial quarterfinal in the 2026-2027 ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Grand Prix, an elite eight-man bracket that also includes the #2-ranked Rodtang. The Thai megastar officially opens his campaign against #3-ranked Nong-O Hama at The Inner Circle 38 this Friday, November 13. Both marquee cards stream live in Asia primetime, exclusively on live.onefc.com.
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For Ortikov, the bracket offers an immediate shot at the ultimate prize that eluded him by the slimmest of margins. At The Inner Circle 20 this past June, he and Imangazaliev put on a masterclass of Muay Thai at its purest, trading heavy leather across five grueling rounds.
In the end, the judges sided with the Dagestani via a razor-thin split decision, handing Ortikov his first defeat in 25 professional bouts. Now, he gets the direct opportunity to rewrite that ending, with a silver Grand Prix belt also resting within reach.
The Uzbek sensation told onefc.com:
“That’s crazy. That’s a lot of motivation, two belts, and especially with all the great fighters there. The world will know that if I win both belts, I am the number one in the world.
“It gives me extra motivation. I am sacrificing my time and everything during training to become the best in the world.”
Their first encounter remains a frontrunner for Fight of the Year honors, and the rematch carries even greater divisional stakes. With so little to separate them tactically, the slightest opening could decide it all, especially in four-ounce gloves.
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Should he seize the moment and snap Imangazaliev’s unbeaten run, the 23-year-old will confidently carry the gold into the semifinals, where the winner of the co-main event between Black Panther and Ubaid “Bad” Hussain awaits.
Either way, any opponent will suffice for Ortikov, as long as the path definitively ends with him on top. Still, there is one name he wants more than any other, and ironically, it is the exact same one Imangazaliev publicly called out.
He said:
“In my mind, I’m going to meet Rodtang.
“Oh, that would be crazy. That would be historic. People would go crazy, and the media would go crazy.”
Aslamjon Ortikov’s deep fascination with Rodtang makes perfect sense. Few fighters of this modern era have captured the global fan base’s imagination quite like the Jitmuangnon Gym star, whose unbreakable will, heavy hands, and trademark swagger turned every single appearance into must-see viewing.
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However, that larger-than-life aura took a tangible hit this past April, when ONE Hall of Fame athlete Takeru “Natural Born Krusher” Segawa stopped him in the fifth round of their grueling kickboxing rematch at ONE SAMURAI 1.
Back in the sport that made him a household name, Rodtang is eager to bury that memory. Ortikov, for one, will be paying incredibly close attention to his form.
“El Pantera” said:
“I don’t know how it’s going to be, but as we saw, he is telling us that he is in shape. He’s training so well, and he’s coming back, as he said.
“I would love to see him in shape. I would love to see him 100 percent ready. I really want to see the old Rodtang.”
That sincere wish comes from a place of genuine admiration. If he were sitting in the stands instead of competing in the bracket, Ortikov would comfortably back Rodtang to win the entire tournament.
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It is also exactly why he craves the fight so badly. A peak version of Rodtang would offer a career-defining challenge and a brilliant spectacle for fans to savor.
For now, both men still have a massive amount of work to do. Should fate eventually deliver that dream final, the entire combat sports world will be watching closely.
He added:
“At the same time, [Rodtang] shouldn’t forget that fighters like me, the new generation, are different from his old opponents.
“We have almost everything, and we [fight with] different styles. So it’s not going to be easy for him. It’s not going to be easy for us, either.”
