Luke Lessei is back in ONE Championship action this weekend, and he’s ready to put on another show for the watching world. And his next opponent is a relative newcomer to the promotion, who, after losing his ONE debut, is eager to serve ‘The Chef’.

At ONE Friday Fights 23: Ok vs. Rasulov this Friday, July 5, the #5-ranked featherweight Muay Thai contender will square off against French striker Bampara Kouyate inside the iconic Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.

Luke Lessei is confident of defeating Kouyate

Since he arrived in the world’s largest martial arts organization, Lessei has been nothing short of magnetic – no matter the outcome of his matches. He went toe-to-toe with ‘Smokin’ Jo Nattawut in his debut at ONE Fight Night 17 last December and captured the hearts of fans with his gutsy performance.

He followed that up two months later with another barnburner against Eddie ‘Silky Smooth’ Abasolo at ONE Fight Night 19 two months later, where he took his first win in the promotion. Ahead of his third appearance, Lessei tells ONE that he wants to put on a masterclass of striking that will have fans screaming for more by the end.

“I’m going to beat the brakes off this dude. I’m going to go in there and show that there’s absolutely levels to this creativity and this muay femur game that everyone’s talking about,” he said.

Kouyate should offer up a significant challenge to ‘The Chef.’ He’s a long-limbed striker with a record of 33-2 after all, so any opponent would be wise to be aware of what he can do.

Lessei wants more cerebral fights going forward

The Frenchman also came up short in his promotional debut at ONE Fight Night 15 last October, so he’ll be motivated to get into the winners’ column and begin his climb up ONE’s stacked featherweight Muay Thai division.

However, Lessei is certain he’s ready for whatever challenge Kouyate will bring. After showcasing an all-action mentality in his first two fights, he believes he will be able to highlight his broader range of abilities against his similar-minded opponent.

“I’m hoping every fight gets a little more technical because then I can show my actual flight IQ and my skills. My last few fights, I’ve kinda been showing my Midwest mentality, my toughness, good stuff here and there,” he said.

“But 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,” he added. What are your predictions for Lessei’s bout with Kouyate?