World Lethwei Championship
Private
FoundationAugust 2015
Key peopleZay Thiha (Chairman)[1]
Sein Phyo Hlaing (Executive Director)
Gerald Ng (CEO)[2]
Location countryMyanmar
Location cityYangon
IndustryLethwei promotion
OwnerMyanmar Lekkha Moun Co Ltd[3]

World Lethwei Championship (also known as WLC) was a Lethwei promotion based in Yangon, Myanmar by World Lethwei Federation.[4] The promotion brought the millennia-old Burmese martial of Lethwei to UFC Fight Pass and showcased it to the world.[5][6] The WLC events combined the historic traditions of Lethwei with modern entertainment.[7]

History

Formation

The success of ONE Championship's mixed martial arts events in Myanmar caught the eye of Zaykabar Company Vice-Chairman Zay Thiha, who decided to bring world-class Lethwei events the world.[8][9] The businessman started Lekkha Moun Co in 2015 and the World Lethwei Championship was officially founded in August 2017 by Zay Thiha and investors, as a subsidiary of Lekkha Moun Co.[1][10]

Inaugural event

In 2017, WLC signed Myanmar's top Lethwei fighters Tun Tun Min & Too Too.[11] The first WLC event, titled WLC 1: The Great Beginning, was held on 3 March 2017 at Mingalardon Event Zone in Mingaladon Township, Yangon, Myanmar.[12][13]

Signing Dave Leduc

In March 2019, the promotion announced that it had signed Lethwei superstar Dave Leduc to an exclusive contract.[14] The exclusive contract would make it impossible for him to defend his various titles from other promotions.[15] Leduc held a press conference at the Karaweik Palace in Yangon to announce that he was vacating three of his four Lethwei world titles and joining the promotion.[16][17]

For Leduc's promotional debut at WLC 9: King of Nine Limbs, the WLC signed former UFC welterweight Seth Baczynski.[18] Leduc knocked out Baczynski with punches to win the inaugural WLC Cruiserweight Championship.[19] The event received a significant viewership success on UFC Fight Pass and won multiple awards in Asia such as the 2019 Best Sport Program at The Asian Academy Awards.[20] Leduc received a $50,000 bonus for his performance and marketing efforts.[21]

International expansion

In October 2019, while on The Joe Rogan Experience podcast, Dave Leduc announced that the organization had plans to host an historical event in the United States.[22] At the pre-fight press conference for WLC 11: Battlebones, WLC executive director Sein Phyo Hlaing revealed plans to expand globally in 2020,[2] beginning with Cambodia,[23] Thailand, Japan and the United States.[24] As the promotion expands internationally, it plans to sign even more free-agents with recognizable names to compete in Lethwei.[25]

ONE Championship partnership

In October 2016, the WLC became one of ONE Championship’s partners at the occasion ONE: State of Warriors in Yangon, Myanmar. WLC Chairman Zay Thiha was inspired after witnessing the success ONE Championship in Myanmar which held total of three events in Yangon in 2015 and 2016. These events are said to be the inspiration behind WLC’s creation.[26]

“ONE Championship proved that a world-class martial arts event can thrive in the country, and we believe we can replicate that with the national martial art of Lethwei,” "We believe we can elevate the sport and showcase Myanmar as a world-class sporting nation.” said Zay Thiha.[26]

In 2017, the promotion showed interest in co-promoting events in order to expand globally and there was rumours the organization could co-promote with the US-based Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC).[27] However, the WLC officially entered into a partnership to share fighters with the mixed martial arts promotion ONE Championship.[9] Both parties agreed on sending athletes to fight in each other's organization.[28][29]

On June 30, 2017, in a collaboration between ONE and WLC, the organizations held a Lethwei dark match at ONE Championship: Light of a Nation, a contest between Soe Htet Oo and Thway Thit Win Hlaing. Soe Htet Oo would end up losing a decision according to WLC point system where a winner must be chosen by judges decision if the fight goes there is no stoppage.[30] As of 2022, there has been rumours of WLC Champion Dave Leduc crossing over to ONE Championship under Lethwei rules.[31][32]

Women division

In 2018, Cambodia's Nou Srey Pov became the first female winner in World Lethwei Championship, defeating Shwe Sin Min and Shwe Nadi.[33]

In 2019, WLC announced it will commit to the female Lethwei division with a dedicated female match at every event.[34] It held its first female fight after the announcement featuring France's Souris Manfredi and Eh Yanut from Cambodia at WLC 9: King of Nine Limbs on 2 August in Mandalay, Myanmar. Manfredi became the first winner of the newly created women's division by defeating Yanut.[35]

Broadcast

Sky Net was the first television channel to broadcast the WLC events live in Myanmar and were then delayed telecast in over 40 countries worldwide.[36] In 2018, WLC signed a broadcasting deal with international broadcaster Canal+ for exclusive broadcasting rights in Myanmar.[37][38] The end of 2018, the WLC marked Lethwei history by signing a deal with the Ultimate Fighting Championship[39] and having its first Lethwei event broadcast live on UFC Fight Pass.[40][41] World Lethwei Championship was also available in over 100 countries through broadcast deals with Fight Network,[42] Arena Sport, Fox Sports, Star Sports, Bayon Television, Titan Channel, Sport Extra and StarTimes.

Events

EventDateVenueLocation
13WLC 14: Lethwei Showcase25 September 2020Undisclosed locationUndisclosed location
12WLC 12: Hideout Battle28 August 2020Undisclosed locationUndisclosed location
11WLC 11: Battlebones31 January 2020Thein Pyu StadiumYangon, Myanmar
10WLC 10: Fearless Tigers4 October 2019Mandalar Thiri Indoor StadiumMandalay, Myanmar
9WLC 9: King of Nine Limbs2 August 2019Mandalar Thiri Indoor StadiumMandalay, Myanmar
8WLC 8: Karen Spirit5 May 2019Chit Tu Myaing ParkHpa-an, Myanmar
7WLC 7: Mighty Warriors22 February 2019Mandalar Thiri Indoor StadiumMandalay, Myanmar
6WLC 6: Heartless Tigers29 September 2018Thuwunna National Indoor StadiumYangon, Myanmar
5WLC 5: Knockout War2 June 2018Wunna Theikdi Indoor StadiumNaypitaw, Myanmar
4WLC 4: Bareknuckle-King17 February 2018Wunna Theikdi Indoor StadiumNaypitaw, Myanmar
3WLC 3: Legendary Champions4 November 2017Thuwunna National Indoor StadiumYangon, Myanmar
2WLC 2: Ancient Warriors10 June 2017Thuwunna National Indoor StadiumYangon, Myanmar
1WLC 1: The Great Beginning3 March 2017Mingalardon Event ZoneYangon, Myanmar

Final champions

World Champions

DivisionChampionEventDefenses
CruiserweightDave LeducAugust 2, 2019 (WLC 9: King of Nine Limbs)0
MiddleweightNaimjon TuhtaboyevJanuary 31, 2020 (WLC 11: Battlebones)0
Light MiddleweightSasha MoisaAugust 2, 2019 (WLC 9: King of Nine Limbs)0
Light WelterweightAntonio FariaFebruary 22, 2019 (WLC 7: Mighty Warriors)1
Women's BantamweightSouris ManfrediAugust 28, 2020 (WLC 12: Hideout Battle)0

Myanmar National Champion

DivisionChampionEvent
Light WelterweightSaw Htoo AungSeptember 29, 2018 (WLC 6: Heartless Tigers)

World championship history

Cruiserweight Championship

Weight limit: 84 kg (185.2 lb)
No.NameEventDateReignDefenses
1Dave Leduc
def. Seth Baczynski		WLC 9: King of Nine Limbs
Mandalay, Myanmar		August 2, 2019542 daysWLC defuncted February 1, 2021 due to Myanmar coup d'état

Middleweight Championship

Weight limit: 75 kg (165.3 lb)
No.NameEventDateReignDefenses
1Too Too
def. Michael Badato		WLC 3: Legendary Champions
Yangon, Myanmar		November 4, 2017818 days1. def. Vasyl Sorokin at WLC 4 on February 17, 2018
2Naimjon Tuhtaboyev
def. Too Too		WLC 11: Battlebones
Yangon, Myanmar		January 31, 2020367 daysWLC defuncted February 1, 2021 due to Myanmar coup d'état

Light Middleweight Championship

Weight limit: 71 kg (156.5 lb)
No.NameEventDateReignDefenses
1Artur Saladiak
def. Saw Ba Oo		WLC 5: Knockout War
Naypitaw, Myanmar		June 2, 2018426 days
2Sasha Moisa
def. Artur Saladiak		WLC 9: King of Nine Limbs
Mandalay, Myanmar		August 2, 2019542 daysWLC defuncted February 1, 2021 due to Myanmar coup d'état

Light Welterweight Championship

Weight limit: 63.5 kg (140.0 lb)
No.NameEventDateReignDefenses
1Antonio Faria
def. Saw Htoo Aung		WLC 7: Mighty Warriors
Mandalay, Myanmar		February 22, 2019710 days1. def. Francisco Vinuelas at WLC 14 on September 25, 2020
WLC defuncted February 1, 2021 due to Myanmar coup d'état

Women's Bantamweight Championship

Weight limit: 54 kg (119.0 lb)
No.NameEventDateReignDefenses
1Souris Manfredi
def. Maisha Katz		WLC 12: Hideout Battle
Undisclosed location		August 28, 2020157 daysWLC defuncted February 1, 2021 due to Myanmar coup d'état

Rules

The WLC uses the tournament rules established in 1996 by the MTLF.

Rounds

Each bout can be booked as a 3, 4 or 5 round fight with 3 minutes per round and a 2-minute break in between rounds. Championship bouts are 5 round fights with 3 minutes per round and a 2-minute break between rounds.

Judging

In the event that a bout goes the distance, it will go to the judges decision. The 3 judges will score the bout based on number of strikes per round. Fighters have a maximum of 3 knockdowns per round and 4 knockdowns in the entire fight before the fight is ruled a knockout.

Weight classes

Weight class nameUpper limitGender
in pounds (lb)in kilograms (kg)in stone (st)
Light Flyweight105.8487.6Female
Flyweight112.4518Male / Female
Bantamweight119548.5Male / Female
Featherweight125.7579Male / Female
Lightweight132.3609.4Male / Female
Light Welterweight14063.510Male / Female
Welterweight147.76710.5Male
Light Middleweight156.57111.2Male
Middleweight165.37511.8Male
Light Heavyweight174.27912.4Male
Cruiserweight185.28413.2Male
Heavyweight185.2+84+13.2+Male

Awards

Notable fighters

See also

References

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