| 2018 in ILFJ | |
|---|---|
| Information | |
| First date | February 21, 2018 |
| Last date | September 13, 2018 |
| Events | |
| Total events | 4 |
| Fights | |
| Total fights | 18 |
The year 2018 is the third year in the history of the ILFJ, a Japanese Lethwei promotion and the year started with Lethwei in Japan 7: Yuki. [1] The events are streamed online [2] by FITE TV, [3] AbemaTV in Japan [4] and through television agreements with MNTV in Myanmar. [5]
| # | Event | Date | Venue | Location | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lethwei in Japan 7: Yuki | February 21, 2018 | Korakuen Hall |  Tokyo, Japan | |
| 2 | Lethwei in Japan 8: Samurai | June 29, 2018 | Korakuen Hall | Tokyo, Japan | |
| 3 | Lethwei in Japan 9: Kodo | September 13, 2018 | Korakuen Hall | Tokyo, Japan | |
| 4 | Lethwei in Japan 10: Nori | November 14, 2018 | Korakuen Hall | Tokyo, Japan | |
| Lethwei in Japan 7: Yuki | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Information | ||||
| Promotion | ILFJ | |||
| Date | February 21, 2018 | |||
| Venue | Korakuen Hall | |||
| City | Tokyo, Japan | |||
| Event chronology | ||||
| ||||
Lethwei in Japan 7: Yuki was a Lethwei event held on February 21, 2018 at the Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan. [6]
For the main event, Myanmar rising star Tun Lwin Moe faced UFC, ROAD FC, Pancrase MMA veteran [7] Shunichi Shimizu. [6] Professional wrestler YABU and ZERO 1 athlete Chris Vice [8] competed in the first 100 kg bout of the promotion. [9]
| Lethwei in Japan 7: Yuki | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight Class | Method | Round | Time | Notes | |||
| Featherweight 63 kg |  Tun Lwin Moe | - | Shunichi Shimizu | Draw | 5 | ||
| Middleweight 73 kg | Kohei Tokeshi | def. | Min Htet Aung | TKO | 2 | 2:47 | |
| Lightweight 70 kg | Soe Lin Oo | def. | Hareruya | KO | 2 | 0:32 | |
| Openweight 100 kg |  Chris Vice | def. | YABU | TKO | 4 | 0:56 | |
| Featherweight 63 kg |  Hwang Chang-hwan | def. | Taiki Fukuda | KO | 4 | 1:01 | |
| Lightweight 66 kg | Kyal Sin Phyo | def. | Renji Kagamitsu | TKO | 4 | 2:19 | |
| Lethwei in Japan 8: Samurai | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Information | ||||
| Promotion | ILFJ | |||
| Date | June 29, 2018 | |||
| Venue | Korakuen Hall | |||
| City | Tokyo, Japan | |||
| Event chronology | ||||
| ||||
Lethwei in Japan 8: Samurai was a Lethwei event held on June 29, 2018 at the Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan.
This event marked the ILFJ debut of Myanmar Lethwei Champion Daiki Kaneko and the second fight of heavyweight Chris Vice in the organization. Japanese fighter Tokeshi Kohei defeated Lethwei veteran Saw Gaw Mu Do. [10]
| Lethwei in Japan 8: Samurai | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight Class | Method | Round | Time | Notes | |||
| Middleweight 73 kg | Tokeshi Kohei | def. | Saw Gaw Mu Do | KO | 4 | 2:24 | |
| Middleweight 75 kg | Aung Paing | def. | Keisuke Okuda | KO | 1 | 2:30 | |
| Weltertweight 67 kg | Daiki Kaneko | def. | Kyal Zin Phy | TKO | 2 | 1:50 | |
| Featherweight 64 kg | Tun Lwin Moe | def. | Hwang Chang-hwan | TKO | 2 | ||
| Openweight 100 kg | Chris Vice | def. |  Dong Xing Wu | TKO | 1 | 2:07 | |
| Featherweight 61 kg | Ikkyu Soujun | def. | Hannya Hashimoto | TKO | 1 | ||
| Lethwei in Japan 9: Kodo | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Information | ||||
| Promotion | ILFJ | |||
| Date | September 13, 2018 | |||
| Venue | Korakuen Hall | |||
| City | Tokyo, Japan | |||
| Event chronology | ||||
| ||||
Lethwei in Japan 9: Kodo was a Lethwei event held on September 13, 2018 at the Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan.
Former UFC fighter Will Chope made his Lethwei debut against Lethwei veteran Shan Ko. [12] Saw Min Aung vs. Tokeshi Kohei is a rematch from last years Air KBZ Aung Lan Championship that ended in a draw. [13] [14] The event was broadcast live on Japan’s AbemaTV [15] and in Myanmar's MNTV. [16]
| Lethwei in Japan 9: Kodo | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight Class | Method | Round | Time | Notes | |||
| Featherweight 61.5 kg | Makoto | - | Teleca∞ | Draw | 4 | ||
| Featherweight 61 kg | Voronika | - | Marina Kumagai | Draw | 4 | ||
| Lightweight 72 kg | Shan Ko | - |  Will Chope | Draw | 5 | ||
| Featherweight 64 kg | Tun Lwin Moe | def. | Sojun Ikkyu | TKO | 3 | ||
| Featherweight 62 kg | Tauk Shar | - | Shunichi Shimizu | Draw | 2 | ||
| Welterweight 73 kg | Saw Min Aung | - | Tokeshi Kohei | Draw | 5 | ||
| Lethwei in Japan 10: Nori | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Information | ||||
| Promotion | ILFJ | |||
| Date | November 14, 2018 | |||
| Venue | Korakuen Hall | |||
| City | Tokyo, Japan | |||
| Event chronology | ||||
| ||||
Lethwei in Japan 10: Nori will be a Lethwei event held on November 14, 2018 at the Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan. [17]
| Lethwei in Japan 9: Kodo | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight Class | Method | Round | Time | Notes | |||
| Featherweight 61.5 kg | Kohei Tokeshi | - | Soe Htet Oo | Draw | 4 | ||
| Featherweight 61 kg | Shuhei Azuma | - | Char Bar Haein | Draw | 4 | ||
| Lightweight 72 kg | Kane Conlan | - | Pak Cau Lin Nine | Draw | 5 | ||
| Featherweight 64 kg | Makoto aka BASTA | def. | Shunichi Shimizu | TKO | 3 | ||
| Featherweight 62 kg | Yuto Nakajima | - | Mt. Tenjo | Draw | 2 | ||
| Welterweight 73 kg | Wu Dong Xing | - | YABU | Draw | 5 | ||
Lethwei or Burmese boxing is a full contact combat sport from Myanmar that uses stand-up striking including headbutts. Lethwei is considered to be one of the most brutal martial arts in the world, as the sport is practiced bareknuckle with only tape and gauze while fighters are allowed to strike with their fists, elbows, knees, and feet, and the use of headbutts is also permitted. Disallowed in most combat sports, headbutts are important weapons in a Lethwei fighter's arsenal, giving Lethwei its name of the "Art of nine limbs". This, combined with its bareknuckle nature, gave Lethwei a reputation for being one of the bloodiest and most violent martial arts. Although popular throughout modern Myanmar, Lethwei has been primarily and historically associated with the Karen people of the Kayin State; vast majority of competitive Lethwei fighters are ethnolinguistically of Karen descent.
Korakuen Hall is a sports arena in Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan, which has hosted boxing, professional wrestling, kickboxing, mixed martial arts and Lethwei matches.
Umar Semata is a Ugandan middleweight and super middleweight Muay Thai fighter and the former World Boxing Council Muay Thai Interim Super Middleweight Champion, a title he has held since 14 June 2013.
Shunichi Shimizu is a Japanese mixed martial arts and Lethwei fighter who currently competes in the bantamweight division.
Tun Tun Min is a Burmese Lethwei fighter of Mon descent, former openweight Lethwei World Champion. In 2014, he became the youngest fighter to ever win the Lethwei Golden Belt, obtaining the title at age 21. Tun Tun Min is considered Myanmar's top Lethwei fighter and is notable for fighting foreign challengers from outside Myanmar.
Dave Leduc is a Canadian former Lethwei fighter. He is a former six-time Lethwei world champion who held the openweight Lethwei Golden Belt and was undefeated under traditional rules KO to win. Leduc gained widespread notoriety by winning his fight in the controversial Prison Fight.
Too Too was a Burmese Lethwei fighter who competed in World Lethwei Championship. He was the former WLC Middleweight World champion and was undefeated under traditional Lethwei rules, holding the 75 kg Lethwei Golden Belt since 2015 until his death in 2023, while in captivity by the Tatmadaw. He also competed in a Lethwei superfight at Kunlun Fight 25 in Slovakia.
International Lethwei Federation Japan, also known as ILFJ, is a Japanese Lethwei promotion company with headquarters in Tokyo.
2016 was the first year in the history of the ILFJ, a Japanese Lethwei promotion. The events were broadcast through television agreements with regional channels in Japan.
The year 2017 was the second year in the history of the ILFJ, a Japanese Lethwei promotion and the year started with Lethwei in Japan 2: Legacy. The events are streamed online by FITE TV, Abema TV in Japan and through television agreements with MNTV in Myanmar.
Tun Lwin Moe is a retired undefeated Burmese Lethwei fighter. He was signed to the International Lethwei Federation Japan and was the 60 kg (130 lb) Lethwei World Champion under traditional rules.
Tokyo Joshi Pro-Wrestling is a Japanese joshi puroresu or women's professional wrestling promotion founded in 2012 as a sister promotion of DDT Pro-Wrestling. Initially running alongside other shows such as live music and other idol performances, it became its own standalone promotion starting on February 28, 2015. TJPW's biggest show of the year is the annual January 4th "Ittenyon" show held at Korakuen Hall.
Diesellek TopkingBoxing is a Thai Muaythai fighter. He is a former Rajadamnern Stadium, WMPF and IKF World Champion.
The year 2017 is the 1st year in the history of the World Lethwei Championship, a Lethwei promotion based in Myanmar.
Julija Stoliarenko is a Lithuanian mixed martial artist, Lethwei fighter, submission grappler and Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) black belt athlete.
Nilmungkorn Sudsakorngym is a Thai Muay Thai fighter. As an amateur, he won the 2015 IMTF World Championship. In 2016 & 2017 as a professional, Nilmungkorn became the SUPER Muay Thai World Champion, winning the tournament two years in a row. In 2017, he also competed in Lethwei for the International Lethwei Federation Japan at Lethwei in Japan 4 in Tokyo.
Myanmar Lethwei Federation (MLF) formerly known as Myanmar Traditional Lethwei Federation is one of two major organizations which sanctions professional Lethwei bouts worldwide and the only one who oversees Lethwei competitions in Myanmar.
Hartley Jackson is an Australian professional wrestler. He is currently working as a freelancer. The main body of his career has taken place in Australia, USA and Japan. Between 2018 and 2019, he served as an official coach and producer for WWE NXT at the WWE Performance Center, before returning to Japan to wrestle for Pro Wrestling Zero1 (Zero1) in 2020.
The year 2022 was the eighth year in the history of the Rizin Fighting Federation, a mixed martial arts promotion based in Japan.
Vero Nika is a Burmese Lethwei and Muay Thai fighter. She is one of the most successful female Lethwei fighters in the sport. In 2022, amid unrest in Myanmar because of the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état, she started competing in Muay Thai in neighboring Thailand. She reached the no.1 spot in the female world rankings at 53 kg according to World Muay Thai Organization, and became Thai Fight Kard Chuek Champion.