World Lethwei Championship

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]

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]

In March 2019, the promotion announced that it had signed Lethwei superstar Dave Leducto 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]

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][25] As the promotion expands internationally, it plans to sign even more free-agents with recognizable names to compete in Lethwei.[26]

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).[27] 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.[28][29]

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.[30] As of 2022, there has been rumours of WLC Champion Dave Leduc crossing over to ONE Championship under Lethwei rules.[31][32]

Cambodia's Nou Srey Pov became the first female winner in World Lethwei Championship, defeating Shwe Sin Min and Shwe Nadi in 2018. [33]

In 2019, WLC announced it will commit to the female Lethwei division with a dedicated female match at every event. 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]

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]

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 is 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.

• Fuso
• AGD Bank
• UFC Fight Pass
• Canal+
• SPEED Energy Drink
• 5BB Broadband
• Max Myanmar Group and Consumer Goods Myanmar Co.[1][42]
• Fightbro
• Sogo Plastics

Weight limit: 79 kg (174.2 lb) to 83 kg (183.0 lb)

No.	Name	Event	Date	Reign	Defenses
1	Dave Leduc def. Seth Baczynski	WLC 9: King of Nine Limbs Mandalay, Myanmar	August 2, 2019	542 days	WLC defuncted February 1, 2021 due to Myanmar coup d'état

Weight limit: 71 kg (156.5 lb) to 75 kg (165.3 lb)

No.	Name	Event	Date	Reign	Defenses
1	Too Too def. Michael Badato	WLC 3: Legendary Champions Yangon, Myanmar	November 4, 2017	818 days	1. def. Vasyl Sorokin at WLC 4 on February 17, 2018
2	Naimjon Tuhtaboyev def. Too Too	WLC 11: Battlebones Yangon, Myanmar	January 31, 2020	367 days	WLC defuncted February 1, 2021 due to Myanmar coup d'état

Weight limit: 67 kg (147.7 lb) to71 kg (156.5 lb)

No.	Name	Event	Date	Reign	Defenses
1	Artur Saladiak def. Saw Ba Oo	WLC 5: Knockout War Naypitaw, Myanmar	June 2, 2018	426 days
2	Sasha Moisa def. Artur Saladiak	WLC 9: King of Nine Limbs Mandalay, Myanmar	August 2, 2019	542 days	WLC defuncted February 1, 2021 due to Myanmar coup d'état

Weight limit: 60 kg (132.3 lb) to 63.5 kg (140.0 lb)

No.	Name	Event	Date	Reign	Defenses
1	Antonio Faria def. Saw Htoo Aung	WLC 7: Mighty Warriors Mandalay, Myanmar	February 22, 2019	710 days	1. def. Francisco Vinuelas at WLC 14 on September 25, 2020 WLC defuncted February 1, 2021 due to Myanmar coup d'état

Weight limit: 51 kg (112.4 lb) to 54 kg (119.0 lb)

No.	Name	Event	Date	Reign	Defenses
1	Souris Manfredi def. Maisha Katz	WLC 12: Hideout Battle Undisclosed location	August 28, 2020	157 days	WLC defuncted February 1, 2021 due to Myanmar coup d'état,

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.

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.