CountFilms was in Bangkok, Thailand with Luke “The Chef” Lessei for pre-fight interviews for ONE Fight Night 17. Luke has grown up practicing Muay Thai, has a 5-0 career record, and finally gets to showcase his skills this weekend at his ONE debut against Jo Nattawut. We dive into what drives Luke Lessei, his fighting style, and his upcoming bout against Jo Nattawut. Full video interview link below!
Luke Lessei: This Opportunity is “Life Changing”
Luke Lessei came from small town Iowa over to Bangkok, Thailand for his debut fight at ONE Championship against Jo Nattawut. Lessei talked about his immense gratitude for the opportunity that Chatri has given him, explaining that he’s “just a small town boy from Iowa [so] being able to make it to the major leagues” is such a special opportunity. He gave us context that he’s “one of the only ones that does this from [his] town” and that with his new ONE contract he was able to “quit [his] job to go full time for training.”
CountFilms loved hearing Luke’s story and how humble and grateful he is to be at ONE and to be able to show his skillset at the primetime ONE Fight Night 17 event. He continued to explain that he “was working 3:00am at Fedex.. loading trucks in the morning” and working out in the evening but now he’s able to train full time, “which makes [him] feel more confident.” It’s clear that Luke Lessei has a warrior spirit and is ready to seize his new opportunity to prove he’s one of the best Muay Thai fighters.
Luke “The Chef” Lessie: “Idols become Rivals”
Luke explained that while he’s admired Jo Nattawut growing up, ultimately in life “idols become rivals.” While there’s no hate between the two fighters, Lessie is eager to face Nattawut and says that he’s “energized and ready to go.” In regards to his camp, he noted that he “had a fight scheduled even before this, so I was in camp for quite some time” so overall, he feels really good about his training for the upcoming fight.
Lessei believes his biggest strength over Nattawut is his “height, [his] ability to adapt, and just being comfortable in any part of the game” and that ultimately, he’ll “be able to take home the win.”
For those not as familiar with Lessei’s fighting style, he says that he’s “a traditional Muay Thai fighter with a lot of different flavors” and he can use “any part of the 8 limbs” and be force. “The Chef” explained that he can fight “any style” and “can cook with any type of ingredients, that’s where my name comes from.”
what’s your favorite secret weapon: “it’s hard to say becuase i have so many” but “i think my long legs play a factor in most my fights” “being a midwest born iowa boy corn fed” i dont look like i have a lot of power but i have power for sure
Luke Lessei and a Promising Muay Thai Future
The Chef also shared his hope for a bright future at ONE Championship. He’s confident that “just winning this will open doors for [him] in the future” and “hopefully I can get a knockout, get a bonus, and change my wife and kids life.” His humble confidence radiated as he talked about how fighting at ONE is “just a dream come true of being able to financially support [his] family with Muay Thai, which is [his] lifelong practice.”
Luke’s goal as a fighter is obviously “to fight the best guys” but it goes beyond that. He explained, “I want to be not only a superstar, I want to be a legend in this game.”
Lessei left the room and the CountFilms team was inspired. Luke Lessei is a fighter with skills, grit, and heart. We’re excited to see his debut at ONE Championship at ONE Fight Night 17.
Watch the full interview of Luke Lessei below:
How to watch ONE Fight Night 17?
Luke Lessei is set to faceoff against #4 ranked Jo Nattawut at ONE Fight Night 17. Don’t miss the fully stacked Muay Thai card on December 8, 2023 at 8pm EST. Tune in to ONE Fight Night 17 on Amazon Prime (US and Canada) and check out more about the event on ONE’s website.
