LUKE LESSEI on Becoming "The Chef", ONE Championship, and Why Muay Thai is like Taking a Sh*t.

Hey guys — this one was so much fun. When I was in LA this month I sat down with Luke “The Chef” Lessei, currently ranked #6 in ONE Championship and one of the top faces of American Muay Thai. We got into everything: growing up in a small town in Iowa, getting thrown into martial arts by his dad at age 4, going viral for wild knockouts, feeling imposter syndrome even at the top, the highs and lows of fighting on ONE, and the DM that changed his life.

A bit of a departure from my typical MMA content but if you know me you know my origins are in Muay Thai ;) Definitely make sure to check out Luke’s next fight on ONE Championship!

Chapters
00:00 - Intro: Who is Luke “The Chef” Lessei?
02:00 - Growing Up in Iowa and Fighting Since Age 4
08:45 - Building a Unique Muay Thai Style (and Why It’s All About Aesthetics)
14:20 - Going Viral, Getting Signed to ONE While Working at FedEx
21:00 - Fighting Joe Nattawut and Winning Over the Thai Crowd
28:15 - Facing His Favorite Fighter: Eddie Abasolo
34:30 - Impostor Syndrome, Pressure, and Finding Purpose
42:00 - Rock Bottom: Losing a Fight, His Marriage, and Confidence
48:45 - Mental Coaching, Rebuilding, and Moving to New Jersey
55:30 - Being a Fighter and a Dad: Balancing Purpose and Family
1:02:00 - The Chef Persona, Social Media, and the Bigger Mission
1:08:00 - Advice to Fighters and What’s Next for Luke Lessei

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Follow Luke
📸 Instagram: @lukethechef_
🎵 TikTok: @lukethechef_
📺 YouTube: ‪@lukethecheflessei1776‬

Follow Kennedy
📸 Instagram: @itskennedylouise
🎵 TikTok: @itskennedylouise
📺 YouTube: @itskennedylouise

#MuayThai #OneChampionship #FightLife #CombatSports #Striking #MuayThaiFighter #ViralKnockout #FighterMindset #MartialArts