'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Luke Lessei was ecstatic after securing his first win under the ONE Championship banner.
In December 2023, Lessei made his ONE debut and faced a tough test against the hard-hitting Jo Nattawut in the latter’s home country of Thailand. The odds were stacked against the American Muay Thai fighter, but he earned respect despite losing a unanimous decision in a Fight of the Year contender.
On Friday night, ‘The Chef’ returned to action at ONE Fight Night 19 when he faced Eddie Abasolo. Lessei’s second fight was on another war, but this time, he made a statement by securing a split decision win.
Following his first promotional win, Lessei had this to say backstage during an Instagram video showcasing his immediate reaction:
“Come on, let’s go! Finally got the W! It took a little bit, but the best food is always cooked slowly. So, sometimes it takes a little bit to get the W. Here we go. This is the start of chef season.”
The replay of ONE Fight Night 19, including Lessei’s all-out war against Abasolo, can be seen live and for free by North American viewers with an active Amazon Prime Video subscription.
Luke Lessei hopes to be ‘the chosen one’ of American Muay Thai
Luke Lessei vs. Eddie Abasolo was a special matchup, especially because they were two Americans fighting in a Muay Thai bout in Thailand. The evolution of American Muay Thai fighters has been shown over the last two years, and Lessei hopes to be a focal point in the movement.
During the ONE Fight Night 19 post-fight press conference, Lessei had this to say about wanting to be the face of American Muay Thai:
“It definitely was a challenge because I want to be known as ‘the chosen one’, ‘the star from America’. When people think of American Muay Thai, I want them to say my name in the same sentence.”
Lessei has a long way to go before becoming a world champion. With that said, the 27-year-old has proven he’s a warrior willing to engage in fan-friendly fights. He now looks to continue building momentum after starting 2024 with an impressive win.
