Mexican Muay Thai standout Edgar Tabares will jump into U.S. primetime for his ONE Championship debut. He will face Rodtang Jitmuangnon for the ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Title in the ONE Fight Night 10 co-main event on May 5. But before the bell rings, fans should get to know the challenger a little better.
3 Things To Know About Edgar Tabares
Tabares, a WBC Muay Thai International Champion, steps into the fire in his debut. All eyes will be on the U.S. debut of Rodtang, but the Mexican athlete is gunning for a huge upset. Ahead of his title bid on Prime Video, here are three things to know about the latest challenger to “The Iron Man’s” throne.
Family Is Everything
Family connections are important in Mexican culture. Thus, it should be no surprise that Tabares enjoys a strong bond with his parents and siblings. Although his mother was not thrilled with his decision to begin a career in combat sports, she has always supported him chasing his dream.
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“I am the oldest of four siblings. It’s my brother and me. I have a sister and a little brother. We’re four. My father’s name is Marco Antonio, one of my superheroes. I love him so much. My mom, I love her. She’s one of my best friends. She’s as important to me as my father. Her name is Patricia,” said Tabares.
Tabares has also found love, extending his family. He and his wife welcomed their daughter in 2020. Now, Tabares fights for more than just himself.
“I also have a wife and a daughter. I love my family. I love being with them. I love to give them everything that they need. And they are very important to me. And they are so important; they are my base and what I need in every fight,” said the flyweight contender.
He Debuted Against His Brother
Tabares has a unique story for the start of his fighting career. One month after starting his training, his coaches asked if he wanted to compete. There was no hesitation from Tabares or his brother, but circumstances would soon change to pit the siblings against one another.
“It was so weird because me and my second brother started at the same time. I am one year older than him. And we are the same. We started together, we trained together, and when we had our fight, we both had our opponents. But his opponent said no. And my opponent, I think that he was sick one week before. I don’t remember. And my brother and I were, like, ‘Oh, we don’t have our opponents. So we decided to fight each other.’ So we were the fight of the night at that time. This was my first fight, which was not exciting because it was with my brother. But to get into the ring and to watch and see the people screaming and everything, it was so good,” said Tabares.
The competition was fierce between the brothers. They did not hold back once inside the ring. However, it was not unlike the early training sessions they had against each other in the gym. The familiarity led to an all-out scrap inside the ring.
“Actually, when we spar, it is like a fight until the end. I don’t know. I love my brother. He loves me. I know that he loves me. I am only one year older, but it doesn’t look like that. So it was a hard fight. We were so hurt. We got so many punches, him to me, and vice versa. It was not like sparring, but it was a real fight,” said Tabares.
Tabares Expects The Upset
Although the Mexican athlete will step inside the Circle as a huge underdog, he is not coming simply to put on a show. Tabares wants to wear gold. That is his singular goal in coming to ONE Championship, and he will have the opportunity to usurp the throne in his debut.
“I want to win. This is my goal. I know that this is something extreme, but this is my goal. And yeah, it’s a good responsibility. But I don’t know what happened at this moment, but the only thing that I know is I’m going to enjoy it a lot,” said Tabares.
“The Iron Man” poses a massive challenge. His all-out aggression has wilted many opponents before Tabares, and Rodtang is only getting better with more technical advancements and tactical approaches. Meeting the fan-favorite and current champion is a dream come true for Tabares, who only wants to compete against the best in the world.
“I am so excited to fight with Rodtang. This is one of my dreams. To fight for the ONE World Championship, it’s something. It is a gift from God to me. It’s a gift. And I am going to pursue it as that. I don’t want to wait. The dream here is sitting on my chair. I have to work hard for that dream,” said Tabares.
ONE Fight Night 10 takes place at the 1stBank Center in Colorado on Friday, May 5. The action begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on Prime Video. The event is free for all U.S. and Canadian Amazon Prime members.
