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American Muay Thai athlete Luke Lessei will make his promotional debut in ONE Championship against Thai slugger 'Smokin' Jo Nattawut at ONE Fight Night 17 on December 8. The all-Muay Thai fight card will transpire in the legendary Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
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Ahead of his fight with Nattawut, 'The Chef' sat down for an interview with Cageside Press on YouTube to talk about his training and his big debut this coming weekend.
On the decision to train away from his first trainer, his father, Luke Lessei said:
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“Biggest risk I ever took, is probably that two years away from my old man. It’s definitely hard to train elsewhere and not every single day I was like wishing my dad was holding pads for me and it ended up paying off because I got this saucy style now.”
One of the most vital aspects of any sport is growth. There is no shame in expanding out of your stomping grounds as an athlete if it means you'll witness major advancement in skills and fight IQ. In Lessei's case, taking the risk of moving away from his father's gym paid off well.
Watch the full interview below:
Luke Lessei explains his unconventional Muay Thai style
In a separate interview with ONE Championship, 'The Chef' explained the unorthodox style that he employs. His tall and lanky physique allows him to have a more tactical approach to fighting.
Luke Lessei said:
“So traditional Muay Thai, mixed in with traditional boxing. And then it's hard to say because it's so my own Chef style, but I'm a traditional Muay Thai fighter and I just flow, you know? I’m a Muay Femur.”
In Muay Thai, the term "Muay Femur" is used to describe fighters with high fight IQ. These are the strikers who utilize technical prowess over sheer power or athleticism. To say that he's a "Muay Femur" speaks to how much 'The Chef' emphasizes his technical ability.
ONE Fight Night 17 will air live on US Primetime, free of charge for those with an active Prime Video subscription in the United States and Canada.
