World Lethwei Championship (also known as WLC) was a Lethwei promotion based in Yangon, Myanmar. The promotion brought the millennia-old Burmese martial of Lethwei to UFC Fight Pass and showcased it to the world. The WLC events combined the historic traditions of Lethwei with modern entertainment.
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. 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.
Inaugural event In 2017, WLC signed Myanmar's top Lethwei fighters Tun Tun Min & Too Too. 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.
Signing Dave Leduc In March 2019, the promotion announced that it had signed Lethwei superstar Dave Leduc to an exclusive contract. The exclusive contract would make it impossible for him to defend his various titles from other promotions. 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.
For Leduc's promotional debut at WLC 9: King of Nine Limbs, the WLC signed former UFC welterweight Seth Baczynski.
Leduc knocked out Baczynski with punches to win the inaugural WLC Cruiserweight Championship. 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. Leduc received a $50,000 bonus for his performance and marketing efforts.
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. At the pre-fight press conference for WLC 11: Battlebones, WLC executive director Sein Phyo Hlaing revealed plans to expand globally in 2020, beginning with Cambodia, Thailand, Japan and the United States. As the promotion expands internationally, it plans to sign even more free-agents with recognizable names to compete in Lethwei.
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.
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). However, the WLC officially entered into a partnership to share fighters with the mixed martial arts promotion ONE Championship. Both parties agreed on sending athletes to fight in each other's organization.
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. As of 2022, there has been rumours of WLC Champion Dave Leduc crossing over to ONE Championship under Lethwei rules.
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.
In 2019, WLC announced it will commit to the female Lethwei division with a dedicated female match at every event. 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.
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. In 2018, WLC signed a broadcasting deal with international broadcaster Canal+ for exclusive broadcasting rights in Myanmar. The end of 2018, the WLC marked Lethwei history by signing a deal with the Ultimate Fighting Championship and having its first Lethwei event broadcast live on UFC Fight Pass. World Lethwei Championship was also available in over 100 countries through broadcast deals with Fight Network, Arena Sport, Fox Sports, Star Sports, Bayon Television, Titan Channel, Sport Extra and StarTimes.
Events # Event Date Venue Location13 WLC 14: Lethwei Showcase 25 September 2020 Undisclosed location Undisclosed location12 WLC 12: Hideout Battle Undisclosed location Undisclosed location11 WLC 11: Battlebones Thein Pyu Stadium Yangon, Myanmar10 WLC 10: Fearless Tigers Mandalar Thiri Indoor Stadium Mandalay, Myanmar 9 WLC 9: King of Nine Limbs Mandalar Thiri Indoor Stadium Mandalay, Myanmar 8 WLC 8: Karen Spirit Chit Tu Myaing Park Hpa-an, Myanmar 7 WLC 7: Mighty Warriors Mandalar Thiri Indoor Stadium Mandalay, Myanmar 6 WLC 6: Heartless Tigers Thuwunna National Indoor Stadium Yangon, Myanmar 5 WLC 5: Knockout War Wunna Theikdi Indoor Stadium Naypitaw, Myanmar4 WLC 4: Bareknuckle-King Wunna Theikdi Indoor Stadium Naypitaw, Myanmar3 WLC 3: Legendary Champions Thuwunna National Indoor Stadium Yangon, Myanmar2 WLC 2: Ancient Warriors Thuwunna National Indoor Stadium Yangon, Myanmar1 WLC 1: The Great Beginning Mingalardon Event Zone Yangon, Myanmar
Final champions World Champions DivisionChampionEventDefensesCruiserweight Dave LeducAugust 2, 2019 (WLC 9: King of Nine Limbs)0Middleweight Naimjon TuhtaboyevJanuary 31, 2020 (WLC 11: Battlebones)0Light Middleweight Sasha MoisaAugust 2, 2019 (WLC 9: King of Nine Limbs)0Light Welterweight Antonio FariaFebruary 22, 2019 (WLC 7: Mighty Warriors)1Women's Bantamweight Souris ManfrediAugust 28, 2020 (WLC 12: Hideout Battle)0
Myanmar National Champion DivisionChampionEventLight Welterweight Saw Htoo AungSeptember 29, 2018 (WLC 6: Heartless Tigers)
World championship history Cruiserweight Championship Weight limit: No.NameEventDateReignDefenses1 Dave Leducdef. Seth Baczynski WLC 9: King of Nine Limbs Mandalay, Myanmar August 2, 2019 542 days
Middleweight Championship Weight limit: No.NameEventDateReignDefenses1 Too Toodef. Michael Badato WLC 3: Legendary ChampionsYangon, Myanmar November 4, 2017 818 days1. def. Vasyl Sorokin at WLC 4 on February 17, 20182 Naimjon Tuhtaboyevdef. Too Too WLC 11: BattlebonesYangon, Myanmar January 31, 2020 367 days
Light Middleweight Championship Weight limit: No.NameEventDateReignDefenses1 Artur Saladiakdef. Saw Ba Oo WLC 5: Knockout WarNaypitaw, Myanmar June 2, 2018 426 days2 Sasha Moisadef. Artur Saladiak WLC 9: King of Nine LimbsMandalay, Myanmar August 2, 2019 542 days
Light Welterweight Championship Weight limit: No.NameEventDateReignDefenses1 Antonio Fariadef. Saw Htoo Aung WLC 7: Mighty WarriorsMandalay, Myanmar February 22, 2019 710 days1. def. Francisco Vinuelas at WLC 14 on September 25, 2020
Women's Bantamweight Championship Weight limit: No.NameEventDateReignDefenses1 Souris Manfredidef. Maisha Katz WLC 12: Hideout BattleUndisclosed location August 28, 2020 157 days
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 limitGenderin pounds (lb)in kilograms (kg)in stone (st)Light Flyweight105.8487.6FemaleFlyweight112.4518Male / FemaleBantamweight119548.5Male / FemaleFeatherweight125.7579Male / FemaleLightweight132.3609.4Male / FemaleLight Welterweight14063.510Male / FemaleWelterweight147.76710.5MaleLight Middleweight156.57111.2MaleMiddleweight165.37511.8MaleLight Heavyweight174.27912.4MaleCruiserweight185.28413.2MaleHeavyweight185.2+84+13.2+Male
Awards Lethwei World 2019 Lethwei Promotion of the year 2019 Event of the Year Spia Asia Awards 2019 Best Sport Tourism Destination Campaign of the Year - Bronze Asian Academy Awards 2019 Best Sport Program - National Winner
Notable fighters
Tun Tun Min Dave Leduc Too Too Soe Lin Oo Mite Yine Saw Ba Oo Sasha Moisa Artur Saladiak Naimjon Tuhtaboyev Nguyễn Trần Duy Nhất Umar Semata Seth Baczynski
See also
Myanmar Traditional Lethwei Federation List of Lethwei fighters
References
External links