“I don't run away” - Luke Lessei credits improved movement for his stellar TKO win over Cody Jerome

Luke Lessei isn't the type of fighter who's going to run away from any challenge inside the Circle.

The Dubuque, Iowa native proved that in his return to the legendary Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, scoring a first-round knockout against Canadian newcomer Cody Jerome at ONE Fight Night 27 on Prime Video.

It was a big moment for Lessei who has now won two of his last three and solidified his spot as the fifth-ranked contender in the loaded featherweight Muay Thai division.

Looking back on his impressive performance, Lessei believes that his improved movement — in particular, his forward pressure and unwillingness to back down — made all the difference.

"I think I proved that in my last three fights, that I don't run away. I only like to move forward. So this fight, I felt comfortable that my movement wasn't going to look like I was scared or like I was running away from my opponent. All my movements were on purpose. It was the game plan, and that's the number one game changer."

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Luke Lessei determined to keep climbing the featherweight rankings in ONE Championship

Just four fights into his ONE Championship run and Luke Lessei has already established himself as a legitimate contender in a division that features legendary names like Sitthichai Sitsonpeenong, 'Smokin' Jo Nattawut, Superbon, and reigning titleholder Tawanchai PK Saenchai.

But 'The Chef' refuses to be intimidated by the proverbial smorgasbord of talent in his division. Instead, he's focused on continuing to climb up the ladder in hopes of one day reaching the top and overtaking the coveted featherweight throne.

"I know, like my division is stacked," Lessei told Nick Atkin of the Bangkok Post. "Everybody knows the 155 division is stacked. So I just want to keep going up in the ranks. We're still at number five. I just want to keep getting highlights, keep gaining fans, keep showing everybody that I'm not just a tough guy."

He added:

"You know, I got a lot of different flavors that I can pull off in there. And, yeah, we're just looking up."

If you missed any of the action, ONE Championship fans in the United States and Canada can watch the ONE Fight Night 27 replay on demand via Amazon Prime Video.