"My power is deceptive" - Luke Lessei ready to use his sleeper KO power to finish Bampara Kouyate
American striker Luke Lessei believes he packs a punch like no other in his division, and he vows to showcase that exact trait when he competes at ONE Fight Night 23 on July 5.
The Iowa native steps inside the Circle against Bampara Kouyate in a featherweight Muay Thai fixture for his third promotional appearance, knowing very much that he'll need to leave another lasting impression inside the legendary Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
With that in mind, the Dubuque Martial Arts Group affiliate is ready to showcase his knockout power while continuing to prove that he is a cut above the rest in his division.
Speaking to Violent Money TV, Luke Lessei touched on his knockout power and why that could be all the difference come fight night this Friday.
He shared:
"I have more power than a lot of other people in ONE in this division. Obviously, not like the heavyweights, but I think my power is deceptive."
"So, I'm just trying to catch him with something, and I don't mean just a hand or an elbow, like literally anything. I feel like I have the power to finish this fight from any area."
Across seven wins on his resume, 'The Chef' has five knockouts and boasts an impressive 88 percent finish rate.
Though he has split between a win against Eddie Abasolo and a loss to Jo Nattawut under the ONE spotlight so far, his fierce displays see him sit at the No.5-ranked spot in the stacked featherweight Muay Thai division.
Watch the full interview here:
Luke Lessei expects a 'good chess match' against Kouyate
If he fails to secure his first highlight-reel win on the global stage, Luke Lessei remains adamant about putting on a show in what he describes as a tricky contest.
Speaking to ONE Championship previously, the Iowa native noted:
"This guy, Bampara Kouyate, he's like 6-foot-2, same height as me, a Muay Femur. So he's technical. He likes to wait, counter, set up techniques, and that's the same as me. I love a good chess match."
Follow his journey by tuning in at ONE Fight Night 23, available to North American fans with an active Amazon Prime Video subscription in U.S. primetime on July 5.