Combat sports date back centuries and have always been an integral part of various cultures around the world. They offer a distinctive blend of athleticism, skill, strategy, and resilience.

As most people know, there are various forms of combat sports, amongst the most famous, boxing, MMA, kickboxing, and more. That said, in this piece we will discuss one such combat sport that dates back to ancient times, Lethwei. 

What is Lethwei?

For those unaware, Lethwei is a form of combat sport originating from Myanmar and is also known as the “Art of nine limbs”. It is also known as Burmese boxing and is often considered by many to be the most dangerous form of combat sport.

In rural areas, this form of traditional fighting remains deeply ingrained in the community life and services as a testament to Burmese heritage.

The fighters competing in the sport are allowed to use stand-up striking. Moreover, headbutts are also allowed in this form of fighting. Headbutts are illegal in almost all combat sports, however, it is a crucial element of Lethwei.

In Lethwei, fighters compete with hand wraps of only tape and gauze, they are not allowed to wear gloves. Thanks to this, fighters are more likely to get cut and it has earned the sport the reputation of being one of the bloodiest forms of martial arts.

Interestingly, in ancient times, the fights used to take place without a scoring system. This meant that the fight would go on until a fighter was knocked out, given up or he couldn’t continue because of an injury. Over the years, the sport has faced many ups and downs and has also seen a change in the rules. 

Now, the rules are put in place to protect the fighters. The fighters are allowed to wear mouthguards and groin protectors. The fights take place over three to five rounds, if a knockout does not happen, the judges use a scoring system to determine the winner. 

What is the highest level of championship in Lethwei? 

For fighters competing in the sport, the traditional Golden Belt is regarded as the highest and most prestigious award. Interestingly, there is only one Golden Belt champion for each weight category. The title can be earned across multiple promotions or championships and is not restricted to a single promotion. 

However, the Golden Belt can be won only through decisive victories such as knockouts, TKO, forfeit, or due to disqualification, but to crown a champion a clear winner must be determined even if a knockout does not happen. 

Moreover, the Openweight class champion is considered the strongest fighter. The Openweight Champion is the equivalent of being a pound-for-pound champion in the world of Lethwei.

What are some of the Lethwei promotions?

While Lethwei happens to be one of the most dangerous forms of combat sports, the popularity of the sport in the Western world seems to be limited. The sport has a prominent presence in the Asian sub-continent and that is where most of the events take place. Interestingly, ONE championship, which is one of the biggest combat sports promotions in the world also hosts Lethwei fights. 

Other than ONE championship, there are no renowned organizations for the sport. However, here are some of the Lethwei promotions that operate regionally in Asia: 

• World Lethwei Championship: This promotion is based in Yangon, Myanmar. Interestingly, this brought the sport to UFC Fight Pass. 

• Myanmar Lethwei World Championship: This is an annual championship event that takes place in Myanmar. 

A couple more Lethwei promotions that operate regionally are Air KBZ Aung Lan Championship and ILFP (International Lethwei Federation Japan). 

Is Lethwei Safe?

As mentioned earlier, Lethwei is considered to be one of the most dangerous forms of combat sports in the world. The fact that is competed with bare knuckles and the usage of headbutts being allowed just add to making it much more dangerous than any other form of combat sports. 

However, the sport is much safer than it used to be in the past. The ancient form of Lethwei had fighters competing until one was knocked out or gave up but that has changed now and the fights are scored by the judges as well.

Final thoughts 

While the sport is deeply rooted in the Burmese culture, it is still finding its feet amongst combat sports enthusiasts around the world. The sport was kept alive thanks to the fighters who remained in the sport and followed their dreams. With the inclusion of the sport in UFC Fight Pass, the sport is destined to gain more popularity down the line. 

The popularity of Lethwei seems to growing slowly and might gain a global presence if it continues on its current trajectory. That said, it will be interesting to see what the future holds for the sport of Lethwei. 

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