After competing in a special rules spectacle against Demetrious "Mighty Mouse" Johnson at One X in March, Rodtang "The Iron Man" Jitmuangnon will return to Muay Thai action at One 157: Petchmorakot v Vienot at the Singapore Indoor Stadium tomorrow.
"The Iron Man" will welcome Jacob Smith to the One circle as part of the flyweight Muay Thai World Grand Prix quarter-finals.
Rodtang is the reigning king of One's flyweight Muay Thai division. He will compete with seven of the best strikers in the weight class for the tournament's silver belt.
Despite his perfect 10-0 slate in One's striking disciplines, victory isn't guaranteed for the 24-year-old sensation.
He faces a British Muay Thai champion in Smith in his opening bout and could come up against the likes of top-ranked contender and old foe Jonathan "The General" Haggerty and Japanese shootboxing super-bantamweight champion Taiki "Silent Sniper" Naito in a later round.
Whatever way the Grand Prix goes for Rodtang, though, he plans to make the switch to mixed martial arts following its conclusion.
"I didn't want to wait because I still have my Muay Thai skills, and I still want to fight. That's why I chose to join the World Grand Prix," Rodtang said.
"But my goal is to join MMA. My plan is to finish this and then fully join MMA."
The Jitmuangnon representative got a taste for the all-encompassing sport when he faced MMA great Johnson in his last appearance inside the circle.
The two superstars squared off in a mixed rules super-fight at One's 10-year anniversary event, One X.
The unique bout was set for four rounds, with Muay Thai rules being implemented in the first and third and MMA rules used in the second and fourth.
Rodtang exhibited his renowned striking skill set in the first frame, then stepped into MMA for the second round, where he was submitted by the "Mighty Mouse" after the legend cinched in a rear-naked choke.
Despite the loss, the experience hasn't deterred Rodtang from continuing his pursuit of mixed martial arts success.
"I hope I will fight again, and I will not give up on MMA. I feel so sad for this fight, but I will practice and come back to fight even stronger," Rodtang wrote on Instagram.
Watch One 157: Petchmorakot vs Vienot live on AIS Play from 3.30pm tomorrow.