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Luke Lessei wants to make a statement against Bampara Kouyate in Bangkok, Thailand. Lessei, ranked number five, has established a strong presence in the ONE featherweight Muay Thai division through two promotional fights.
On Friday, July 5, 'The Chef' looks to continue building momentum and extend his ONE record to 2-1 when he faces Koutaye at ONE Fight Night 23.
During an interview with Violent Money TV, Lessei discussed the impressive start to his ONE tenure. The 28-year-old had this to say about feeling the pressure and wanting to validate his potential once again later this week:
"I know there's pressure on me because you know I just fought Jo [Nattawut] and I just fought Eddie [Abasolo], I know I'm like America's number one on paper and it's like I just need to go out there and not have a fight like the last two. I need to beat the sh*t out of this dude, like clean and decisive and go home. That's it, you know."
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ONE Fight Night 23 goes down inside the iconic Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
Friday's event featuring Luke Lessei vs Bampara Kouyate can be seen live and for free by North American and Canadian viewers with an active Amazon Prime Video subscription.
Watch Lessei's entire interview with Violent Money TV below:
How has Luke Lessei quickly become a fan favorite?
In Dec. 2023, Luke Lessei made his ONE Championship debut against Jo Nattawut at ONE Fight Night 17.
The 28-year-old American was relatively unknown at the time before quickly making a name for himself in a Fight of the Year contender with Nattawut, which the latter won by unanimous decision.
On Feb. 16, Lessei returned to action against fellow American Muay Thai fighter Eddie Abbasolo. 'The Chef' showcased another action-packed war and earned a split decision win, pushing his promotional record to 1-1.
At ONE Fight Night 23, the No.5-ranked ONE featherweight Muay Thai fighter has an opportunity to take another step toward a title shot. Regardless of the result, Lessei can continue gaining fans with another entertaining performance.
