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World Lethwei Championship
World Lethwei Championship (also known as WLC) was a Lethwei promotion based in Yangon, Myanmar by World Lethwei Federation. 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
“ONE Championship proved that a world-class martial arts event can thrive in the country, and we believe we can replicate that with the national martial art of Lethwei,” "We believe we can elevate the sport and showcase Myanmar as a world-class sporting nation.” said Zay Thiha.
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World Lethwei Championship
World Lethwei Championship (also known as WLC) was a Lethwei promotion based in Yangon, Myanmar by World Lethwei Federation. 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
“ONE Championship proved that a world-class martial arts event can thrive in the country, and we believe we can replicate that with the national martial art of Lethwei,” "We believe we can elevate the sport and showcase Myanmar as a world-class sporting nation.” said Zay Thiha.