ONE Championship: meet fighter who alternates between cat walking and ring walking
Model Bampara ‘Bambi’ Kouyate hopes victory at ONE Fight Night 35 will be gateway to title fight
There are some athletes who appear to have been blessed with a deep cache of natural gifts – and Bampara Kouyate is one of them.
The 30-year-old Frenchman is not only a professional runway model and thoughtful communicator, but also one of the most technically gifted Nak Muays on the planet.
Known as “Bambi,” Kouyate trains out of BMTC Gym in Issy-les-Moulineaux, France, and spends long stretches at Thailand’s Venum Training Camp in Pattaya.
The blend of cultures and gyms has helped him refine a style he calls “artistic Muay Thai” – a technical, elegant approach rooted in the traditional Muay Femur school.
“I love everything – elbows, knees, kicks, punches,” Kouyate told the Post. “My style is Muay Femur, very technical, something artistic. I try to represent Muay Thai in a beautiful way.”
Kouyate has been climbing steadily towards a title shot, and his last two outings underline why he is so highly regarded. He demolished Thai veteran Jo Nattawut with a devastating first-round knockout, a win that sent shockwaves through the featherweight division.