World Lethwei Championship

Last updated

World Lethwei Championship
Company typePrivate
Industry Lethwei promotion
FoundedAugust 2015
DefunctFebruary 1st, 2021 Due to 2021 Myanmar coup d'état
Headquarters,
Key people
Zay Thiha (Chairman) [1]
Sein Phyo Hlaing (Executive Director) [2]
OwnerMyanmar Lekkha Moun Co Ltd [3]
Website www.wlc.com.mm OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg

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]

Contents

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]

Events

#EventDateVenueLocation
13 WLC 14: Lethwei Showcase 25 September 2020Undisclosed locationUndisclosed location (unofficially Flag of Thailand.svg Chiang Mai, Thailand)
12 WLC 12: Hideout Battle 28 August 2020Undisclosed locationUndisclosed location (unofficially Flag of Thailand.svg Chiang Mai, Thailand)
11 WLC 11: Battlebones 31 January 2020 Thein Pyu Stadium Flag of Myanmar.svg Yangon, Myanmar
10 WLC 10: Fearless Tigers 4 October 2019 Mandalar Thiri Indoor Stadium Flag of Myanmar.svg Mandalay, Myanmar
9 WLC 9: King of Nine Limbs 2 August 2019 Mandalar Thiri Indoor Stadium Flag of Myanmar.svg Mandalay, Myanmar
8 WLC 8: Karen Spirit 5 May 2019Chit Tu Myaing Park Flag of Myanmar.svg Hpa-an, Myanmar
7 WLC 7: Mighty Warriors 22 February 2019 Mandalar Thiri Indoor Stadium Flag of Myanmar.svg Mandalay, Myanmar
6 WLC 6: Heartless Tigers 29 September 2018 Thuwunna National Indoor Stadium Flag of Myanmar.svg Yangon, Myanmar
5 WLC 5: Knockout War 2 June 2018 Wunna Theikdi Indoor Stadium Flag of Myanmar.svg Naypitaw, Myanmar
4 WLC 4: Bareknuckle-King 17 February 2018 Wunna Theikdi Indoor Stadium Flag of Myanmar.svg Naypitaw, Myanmar
3 WLC 3: Legendary Champions 4 November 2017 Thuwunna National Indoor Stadium Flag of Myanmar.svg Yangon, Myanmar
2 WLC 2: Ancient Warriors 10 June 2017 Thuwunna National Indoor Stadium Flag of Myanmar.svg Yangon, Myanmar
1 WLC 1: The Great Beginning 3 March 2017Mingalardon Event Zone Flag of Myanmar.svg Yangon, Myanmar

Final champions

World Champions

DivisionChampionEventDefenses
Cruiserweight Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Dave Leduc August 2, 2019 ( WLC 9: King of Nine Limbs )0
Middleweight Flag of Uzbekistan.svg Naimjon Tuhtaboyev January 31, 2020 ( WLC 11: Battlebones )0
Light Middleweight Flag of Ukraine.svg Sasha Moisa August 2, 2019 ( WLC 9: King of Nine Limbs )0
Light Welterweight Flag of Portugal.svg Antonio FariaFebruary 22, 2019 ( WLC 7: Mighty Warriors )1
Women's Bantamweight Flag of France.svg Souris ManfrediAugust 28, 2020 ( WLC 12: Hideout Battle )0

Myanmar National Champion

DivisionChampionEvent
Light Welterweight Flag of Myanmar.svg Saw Htoo AungSeptember 29, 2018 ( WLC 6: Heartless Tigers )

World championship history

Cruiserweight Championship

Weight limit: 79 kg (174.2 lb) to 83 kg (183.0 lb)
No.NameEventDateReignDefenses
1 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Dave 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: 71 kg (156.5 lb) to 75 kg (165.3 lb)
No.NameEventDateReignDefenses
1 Flag of Myanmar.svg Too Too
def. Michael Badato
WLC 3: Legendary Champions
Yangon, Myanmar
November 4, 2017818 days1. def. Vasyl Sorokin at WLC 4 on February 17, 2018
2 Flag of Uzbekistan.svg Naimjon 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: 67 kg (147.7 lb) to71 kg (156.5 lb)
No.NameEventDateReignDefenses
1 Flag of Poland.svg Artur Saladiak
def. Saw Ba Oo
WLC 5: Knockout War
Naypitaw, Myanmar
June 2, 2018426 days
2 Flag of Ukraine.svg Sasha 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: 60 kg (132.3 lb) to 63.5 kg (140.0 lb)
No.NameEventDateReignDefenses
1 Flag of Portugal.svg Antonio 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: 51 kg (112.4 lb) to 54 kg (119.0 lb)
No.NameEventDateReignDefenses
1 Flag of France.svg Souris 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 Flyweight 105487.6Female
Flyweight 112518Male / Female
Bantamweight 119548.5Male / Female
Featherweight 126579Male / Female
Lightweight 132609.5Male / Female
Light Welterweight 14063.510Male / Female
Welterweight 1486710.5Male
Light Middleweight 1577111.1Male
Middleweight 1657511.8Male
Super Middleweight 1747912.4Male
Cruiserweight 1838313Male

Awards

Notable fighters

See also

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