He spent years watching others get the call he wanted, staying patient when every instinct told him to push harder.

Now, Tom "No Time" Casse has his moment – a main event debut at ONE Friday Fights 153 on May 8 against the hottest fighter in the bantamweight division. The French National Kickboxing Champion did not come to Bangkok to ease himself in. He came to go straight to the top.

A Reward For Years Of Patience

Tom Casse has been building toward this moment his entire career.

The 25-year-old from France earned the National Kickboxing Championship in 2023, went undefeated across five Muay Thai bouts in Thailand including a victory at Rajadamnern Stadium, and has been on a three-fight winning streak heading into the biggest night of his life.

Casse wanted to compete on the biggest stage the sport had to offer, and this Friday, his wish comes true. He’ll step into the iconic Lumpinee Stadium and make his first ONE Championship appearance, finally fulfilling a longtime goal.

"It's a big event, big organization, so it's stressful, but I'm also excited," Casse said. "I always wanted to fight in an organization like this and show to the world my skills. It's my opportunity to do it Friday night. I'm really happy. For me, it's like a reward for all these years of hard work."

Walking Into The Fire

That reward comes with a serious challenge attached. After all, Worapon Lukjaoporongtom is not the kind of opponent anyone wants to see across from them on debut night.

The Sor Dechapan product has rattled off back-to-back first-round knockouts – stopping Lethwei Gold Belt Champion Soe Lin Oo in 87 seconds and France's own Arthur Brossier inside two minutes – while collecting back-to-back performance bonuses along the way. He is a knee specialist with a crushing clinch game and the kind of killer instinct that makes every exchange feel dangerous.

Casse has done his homework, and he is not pretending that this will be an easy challenge. However, he is up to the task.

"Worapon is a really tough opponent. He has had 13 fights in ONE Championship, so he's a really tough fighter. He has experience. I would say he's definitely one of the best bantamweights right now," Casse offered. "I know his left side. I know a lot of things about him. My trainer puts me in situations with opponents like him, so I know what to do when he comes forward. I know what to do when we are far apart."

The Shortcut To The Top

Most debutants enter ONE Championship looking to establish themselves gradually – win a fight, build some momentum, and work their way up the ranks.

But that is not how Casse thinks. He sees this for exactly what it is: a chance to bypass the queue entirely. Beat one of the best bantamweights at ONE Friday Fights on the biggest night of his career, and there is nowhere to go but up.

The nickname "No Time" was earned from a trainer who saw a fighter with zero patience and a gift for finishing his opponents quickly. On Friday, Casse plans to live up to every letter of it.

"This fight is a big opportunity because he's one of the top opponents of ONE Friday Fights," Casse said. "I will go directly to the top. So, it's a really good opportunity for me to beat a guy who already has 13 fights in ONE. I think he's almost at the contract, so it's an easier way for me to go on top."

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