Luke Lessei nearly upset Smokin’ Jo Nattawut in his ONE Championship debut to shake up the featherweight Muay Thai division. Nonetheless, he nonetheless got here out a winner by placing himself on the map. Now he returns to try to choose up his first win within the promotion in opposition to Eddie Abasolo at ONE Combat Night time 19 on Friday, February 16.
After seeing Abasolo additionally come off a slender defeat to an elite opponent, Sitthichai Sitsongpeenong, Lessei is happy for what’s to return. It’s a match the place he desires to raise American Muay Thai to the subsequent stage. “The Chef” sees the parallels enjoying into this subsequent struggle as they every search a career-defining victory.
“Two People attempting to develop into the primary American, each coming off of battles in opposition to Thai fighters who’re ranked. I imply, it’s type of like that is like America’s greatest. You actually don’t know what might occur on this struggle,” Lessei advised ONE.
Lessei’s debut was an exciting warfare that gained Combat of the Night time. However that’s nonetheless not what he desires to showcase contained in the ring. He was disenchanted that he was not as clear together with his strikes and plans to right course in Bangkok.
“I’m undecided what [Abasolo is] considering, however I understand how unhealthy I need to win, and I understand how unhealthy I need to change the momentum as a result of I don’t need to be referred to as the robust, sturdy man. That’s not how I got here up. I got here up with clear method, clear knockouts, environment friendly setups, and I’m a creator. I prefer to have created Muay Thai and technical, conventional Muay Thai,” the Iowan expressed.
In his return to Lumpinee Boxing Stadium, Lessei is out to showcase his method in opposition to his fellow American. “The Chef” believes that’s what introduced him to the dance within the first place. Though he’s ready for something, Lessei doesn’t need to hold using his sturdiness.
“They already noticed that I’m robust [in my last fight]. I’ve type of received the folks’s champ vitality. So now I need to present the brand new followers what I’ve been doing for years, and I need to present the followers which were round this entire time why they love me, for ‘The Chef’ strikes, for all of the s*** that they’ve been seeing in my seminars and the Instagram movies and s*** like that. That’s what I’m out to point out,” Lessei defined.
If it turns into one other three-round warfare, Lessei is assured he’ll nonetheless come out on prime. It’s a perception partly as a result of his upbringing in Iowa. The #5-ranked featherweight contender is pleased with the place he’s from and the values of exhausting work instilled in him.
“I received this working man mentality. I’ve been working with my arms my entire life – building, constructing s***, from the Midwest, the working class, out within the chilly, utilizing f****** hammers. We’re each clean. I’ve been clean. I’ve method. I’m a lifelong martial artist. However who has a bit of bit extra grit? Everyone has grit at this level, however I feel I’ve a bit of bit extra of an edge in relation to toughness and grit when going in opposition to Eddie,” the featherweight mentioned.
“The Chef” could need to convey the warmth, however it might be a sluggish boil. He describes the stylistic conflict as a chess match with Abasolo. Nonetheless, he expects to have the ability to make the most of all of his instruments inside his kitchen that’s the squared circle and stroll out with a knockout end.
“I feel proper now the mindset going into it, the camp I’m having, I feel I’m going to get Eddie out of there earlier than three rounds. I feel I’ll cease his smoothness and hit him with some combos which are going to make him undergo. It’ll get referred to as. I feel the struggle’s going to get referred to as late within the second or within the third spherical. I’m going to attempt to put him away,” Lessei pontificated.
ONE Combat Night time 19 airs dwell on Friday, February 16, from Bangkok. The motion begins at 8 p.m. EST/5 p.m. PST on Prime Video. The occasion is free for all Amazon Prime subscribers within the U.S. and Canada.
