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Luke Lessei believes the result of his ONE Championship debut could have been different with two more rounds.
On Friday, December 8, Lessei fought under the ONE banner for the first time in the ONE Fight Night 17 co-main event. The American was quickly tested by Jo Nattawut, a hard-hitting Thai fighter, and ‘The Chef’ proved he belongs amongst the best Muay Thai fighters on the planet.
Nattawut vs. Lessei had high expectations because of the stylistic matchup, but nobody could have predicted what would happen. The two featherweight Muay Thai fighters went to war for three rounds, leading to a Fight of the Year contender.
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Despite losing by unanimous decision, Lessei made a statement to his future opponents. Following nine minutes of violence, ‘The Chef’ had this to say shortly after walking backstage at the legendary Lumpinee Boxing Stadium:
“I almost had him, guys. Five rounds and I might have had him done.”
The replay of ONE Fight Night 17, including Nattawut vs. Lessei, can be seen for free by North American viewers with an active Amazon Prime Video subscription.
What’s next for Luke Lessei and Jo Nattawut following their action-packed war at ONE Fight Night 17?
Before defeating Luke Lessei, Jo Nattawut took a short-notice kickboxing fight against ONE featherweight Muay Thai world champion Tawanchai PK Saenchai. Although he lost by unanimous decision, Nattawut showcased a warrior spirit as he went toe-to-toe with one of the best strikers on the planet.
Therefore, fans have called for Nattawut to receive a Muay Thai rematch against Tawanchai. Firstly, the ONE featherweight Muay Thai world champion must defend his throne against Superbon Singha Mawynn in a must-see fight on December 22 at ONE Friday Fights 46 at Lumpinee Boxing Stadium.
As for Luke Lessei, the American has solidified a spot on the ONE Championship roster for the foreseeable future. It’s unclear when he will fight again, but fans are undoubtedly excited to see if ‘The Chef’ can put together a winning streak and potentially earn a featherweight Muay Thai world title shot.
