Second-ranked featherweight Muay Thai contender Bampara Kouyate has expressed his deep gratitude for the opportunity to pursue his passion professionally, reflecting on how fortunate he feels to earn a living through mixed martial arts competition.The Team Mehdi Zatout star addressed his appreciation for his combat sports career while balancing his successful ventures in high fashion modeling."This feeling for me, it's just amazing. To do something that I love, and get money for it — that's just amazing. I'm just very grateful to life, and I love it," Bampara Kouyate told ONE Championship in a pre-fight interview.Kouyate's positive outlook on his professional journey demonstrates the mental approach that has allowed him to succeed across vastly different competitive environments.Since joining the ONE Championship roster, his fighting career and popularity have tremendously increased. The latter, of course, earned him a shot at modelling, where he even took to the Milan Fashion Week runway earlier this year.Per his Instagram account (@bambi.nho), the former WMC European Muay Thai champion has been spotted representing brands such as Amiri, Calvin Klein, Jacquemus, and Todd Snyder.For now, though, he'd keep his modeling career out of the way as he prepares for his toughest assignment in ONE Championship at ONE Fight Night 35 this Friday, Sept. 5. View this post on Instagram Instagram PostBampara Kouyate and Shadow Singha Mawynn go to war at ONE Fight Night 35In less than a week, Bampara Kouyate is scheduled for his fourth test in the promotion when he squares off against third-ranked Shadow Singha Mawynn inside the Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.A victory for either superstar could position them as a leading contender to challenge reigning divisional king, Tawanchai PK Saenchai.Fight fans in the United States and Canada can watch all the action unfold, live in U.S. primetime, for free with an active Amazon Prime Video subscription.