This is a list of notable athletes and well-known Lethwei practitioners who competed, sorted by area of place of birth.
Athletes from different countries who competed in Lethwei at least once:
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.
Bando is a defensive unarmed martial art from Myanmar. Bando is sometimes mistakenly used as a generic word for all Burmese martial arts, but it is only one martial art; Burmese fighting systems collectively are referred to as thaing.
Kyar Ba Nyein was the Burmese Lethwei fighter and boxer who participated in boxing at the 1952 Summer Olympics and was a pioneer in modernizing Lethwei. Ba Nyein started boxing at the age of 13 and fought in about 50 matches over 20 years until retiring from fighting at the age of 33.
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.
Pakorn P.K. Saenchai Muaythaigym is a Thai Muay Thai kickboxer, originally from the Phra Samut Chedi District, but now fighting out of Bangkok, Thailand. Pakorn is a former 135 lbs. Lumpinee Stadium champion and 65 kg Yokkao champion. He is the former 115 lbs Rajadamnern Stadium champion and is currently ranked nr. 1 at 135bs. He holds wins over fighters such as Sagetdao Petpayathai, Jomthong Chuwattana, Nong-O Kaiyanghadaogym, Pornsanae Sitmonchai and Kongsak Sitboonmee.
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.
Patrick Marcil is a Canadian mixed martial arts and Lethwei coach. He is a sifu in Fangshendo, a modified form of Jeet Kune Do. His students include Lethwei World Champion Dave Leduc and UFC middleweight fighter Marc-André Barriault.
World Lethwei Championship was a Lethwei promotion based in Yangon, Myanmar. The promotion brought to 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.
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 from 2015 until his death in 2023. He also competed in a Lethwei superfight at Kunlun Fight 25 in Slovakia. Too Too died while in custody of the Burmese military known as the Tatmadaw on April 26, 2023.
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 is the 1st year in the history of the World Lethwei Championship, a Lethwei promotion based in Myanmar.
The year 2018 is the 2nd year in the history of the World Lethwei Championship, a Lethwei promotion based in Myanmar.
Naimjon Tuhtaboyev is an Uzbek Muay Thai and Lethwei fighter. He formerly fought in the World Lethwei Championship (WLC), where he was the final WLC Middleweight World champion.
Sasha Moisa is a Ukrainian mixed martial artist, Muay Thai and Lethwei fighter who has competed in ONE Championship and World Lethwei Championship. He is the former WMC Super welterweight World Champion in Muay Thai and the final WLC Light Middleweight World Champion in Lethwei.
Soe Lin Oo is a Burmese Lethwei fighter. He is the Lethwei Golden Belt 60kg Champion and is currently signed to ONE Championship.
Thai Fight is a Muay Thai promotion based in Bangkok, Thailand, which hosts events worldwide and all across Thailand. Thai Fight events are produced in conjunction with the Tourism Authority of Thailand. The inaugural tournament took place on August 29, 2010, and the promotion has since featured notable fighters such as Youssef Boughanem, Sudsakorn Sor Klinmee, Saiyok Pumpanmuang, Yodsanklai Fairtex, Buakaw Banchamek and Saenchai.
Cyrus Washington is an American kickboxer, Taekwondo, Muay Thai and Lethwei fighter. He is former WKA, WMF, WKBF and PK-1 Muay Thai World Champion, as well as former WBC Muaythai USA Champion, WMC and Lumpinee Stadium title contender. In 2012, he competed in the Emmy nominated Thailand VS Challenger TV Series. Washington received worldwide attention for being one of the first successful foreigners to compete in Lethwei in Myanmar.
Wan Chai is a former Burmese Lethwei fighter and Openweight Lethwei World Champion in 1998 and 1999.
Thway Thit Win Hlaing is a Burmese Lethwei fighter and current openweight Lethwei world Champion. He is known as counter fighter relying on counters rather than straight offence.