A Sitdown Interview with ONE Championship’s Luke Lessei

Luke Lessei on July 5 will hope to take the next step toward becoming an American muay thai superstar when he faces dangerous, rangy French national champion Bampara Kouyate in a featured ONE on Prime Video 23 prelim at Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand. Since signing with ONE Championship in 2023, Lessei has produced back-to-back thrilling performances. The Dubuque, Iowa, native has a unique, fluid style that builds a quick following. Despite losing to Nattawut Somkhun in his promotional debut, Lessei’s mettle proved that he is capable of contending for a world title soon.

Before Lessei squares off with Kouyate, “The Chef” sat down with Sherdog.com for an exclusive interview to discuss various topics, in an out of the ring.

Sherdog.com: Bampara Kouyate is not a well-known opponent, but he is pretty dangerous. What do you know about him?
Lessei: Well, he’s super handsome. He’s a model from France, so that’s kind of interesting. He’s a freaking specimen with washboard abs and looks like a superhero. I will try to mess his face up and show everybody that those abs mean nothing. On the fight, though, he’s just as tall as me, he’s got quick counters and he’s fast. I’ll definitely have to be on my Ps and Qs. It’s going to be a chess match, and we’re going to test each other with setups. We’re going to see who has the better skill set.

Sherdog.com: Your former opponent, Nattawut “Smokin’ Jo” Somkhun, dropped a disputed decision to reigning champ Tawanchai. How did you see the fight, and did his performance give you any confidence about your title hopes?
Lessei: I did more damage to Jo than Tawanchai did. Maybe his arms were tired after Tawanchai’s left kicks, but I had Jo on skates for at least 10 seconds and Tawanchai didn’t do that at all. That gives me a bit of a confidence boost that I can run with these guys. You never know. Someone might get caught. Watching the fight, my dad and I thought Jo had won. Jo has amazing boxing because he’s super aggressive, but I don’t think anybody is as dynamic as I am with the angles, punches, range and the little things. The clock is ticking, and soon, my style will be the style to beat.

Sherdog.com: You travel extensively teaching muay thai seminars around the country. What’s your favorite gym to train at outside of your home camp?
Lessei: I would say Beacon Martial Arts in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. That’s where Shane Fazen trains and teaches. Coach [Bob] Peach is out there doing great. I went out there to Philly for like four days, ran the Rocky stairs and then we had a super dope seminar. The Luke “The Chef” striking seminar is on Fazen’s site. I loved it, and I kind of want to move out to the East Coast.

Sherdog.com: What’s The Chef’s go-to post-training meal?
Lessei: I thought pasta because of my Italian blood, but let me switch that. I’d say soup, salad and breadsticks from my wife on a cold fall night. Give me like five garlic buttery breadsticks.

Sherdog.com: Outside of your father, who was your favorite fighter growing up?
Lessei: I wasn’t obsessed with anybody because I was obsessed with my own style, but there was one guy named Dieselnoi [Chor Thanasukarn]. He really helped me grow and gain a lot of wins because when I hit a growth spurt, I was this super tall skinny kid and everybody else had six packs and muscles. I was scared every time I went in the ring. He was a super tall, skinny, muay khao fighter who stood tall and threw long knees. He definitely added to my style and gave me the confidence to use my reach.

Sherdog.com: If someone was game planning against you, what’s the one type of strike they should fear the most?
Lessei: I think every strike, but I think other people would say my right teep. If you asked someone what Luke’s best strike was, 78% of the time, they’d say my right teep because it’s so fast and it doesn’t get blocked a lot.

Sherdog.com: What’s your favorite combat sports movie?
Lessei: “Bloodsport” changed my life because I was a young kid who probably shouldn’t have been watching it. Honestly, it’s probably “Rocky IV.” My dad forced me and my sister to watch all the Rocky movies as kids. The training montage when he’s in Russia—I remember playing that soundtrack while I was on runs when I was 13.

Sherdog.com: Who would be your dream matchup?
Lessei: Right now, it’s Tawanchai because everyone thinks he’s the GOAT of muay thai, and I want to take that spot. We could fight in Madison Square Garden. Of all-time? I would like to fight Samart [Payakaroon], and people would recognize me as the greatest muay femur fighter of all-time. That would be a treat.