World Lethwei Championship (also known as WLC) was a Lethwei promotion based in Yangon, Myanmar.[4] The promotion brought to 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]
Despite plans of an expanding the promotion to an international level by 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic along with the arrest of chairman Zay Thiha in the aftermath of the 2021 Myanmar coup d'etat ultimately resulted in World Lethwei Championship in February 2021.
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 made 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.[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 2017, 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).[26] 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.[27][28]
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.[29] As of 2022, there has been rumours of WLC Champion Dave Leduc crossing over to ONE Championship under Lethwei rules.[30][31]
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.[32]
In 2019, WLC announced it will commit to the female Lethwei division with a dedicated female match at every event.[33] 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.[34]
Broadcast
Myanmar
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.[35]
In 2018, WLC signed a broadcasting deal with international broadcaster Canal+ for exclusive broadcasting rights in Myanmar.[36][37]
Outside Myanmar
The end of 2018, the WLC marked Lethwei history by signing a deal with the Ultimate Fighting Championship[38] and having its first Lethwei event broadcast live on UFC Fight Pass.[39][40] World Lethwei Championship was also available in over 100 countries through broadcast deals with Fight Network,[41] Arena Sport, Fox Sports, Star Sports, Bayon Television, Titan Channel, Sport Extra and StarTimes.
Cease of operations
Following the arrest of WLC chairman Zay Thiha in the aftermath of the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état in March 21, 2021, it appears that the World Lethwei Championship has now ceased operations.[42]
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
