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After coming up short in his most recent outing, Iowa native Luke Lessei was forced to reassess his mental toughness.
Despite coming up short in his promotional debut against Jo Nattawut, Lessei put on an absolute show against the former WBC Muay Thai world champion and quickly established himself as a fighter to watch. Two months later, he scored his first win under the ONE banner, besting Eddie Abasolo at ONE Fight Night 19.
It looked as though Lessei's stock was on the rise, but it quickly came crashing back down after he suffered a brutal third-round KO against Bampara Kouyate over the summer.
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Now, 'The Chef' has a chance to bounce back in a big way this Friday night when he heads to ONE Fight Night 27 for a 160-lb catchweight clash with Canadian newcomer Cody Jerome.
Speaking with the Bangkok Post ahead of his fourth appearance with the promotion, Lessei spoke about not putting too much pressure on himself and allowing his coaches to carry some of that burden for him.
"That’s the thing, I’m finally not putting pressure on myself," Lessei said. "I’m just in the gym with my coaches and they’re taking care of me instead of me putting all the pressure on myself."
Luke Lessei faces a hungry up-and-comer in Cody Jerome at ONE Fight Night 27
Luke Lessei's opponent inside the legendary Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, Cody Jerome, rides into his promotional debut with a solid 10-1 record.
Originally, Jerome started his career in kickboxing before making the move to Muay Thai. He quickly went on to make a name for himself in the art of eight limbs, winning ONE Championship's Road to ONE: Canada tournament. Now, he'll look to make waves on martial arts' biggest global stage when he meets 'The Chef' inside the Mecca of Muay Thai.
Who comes out on top when two of Muay Thai's most exciting featherweight prospects collide at ONE Fight Night 27?
Fans in the United States and Canada can watch ONE Fight Night 27 live on Amazon Prime Video on Friday, January 10, in U.S. primetime.
