The year 2017 was the second year in the history of the ILFJ, a Japanese Lethwei promotion and the year started with Lethwei in Japan 2: Legacy. The events are streamed online[1] by FITE TV,[2] Abema TV in Japan[3] and through television agreements with MNTV in Myanmar.[4]
| Event | Date | Venue | Location | Attendance | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lethwei in Japan 2: Legacy | Korakuen Hall | ||||
| 2 | Lethwei in Japan 3: Grit | Korakuen Hall |  Tokyo, Japan | |||
| 3 | Lethwei in Japan 4: Frontier | |||||
| 4 | Lethwei in Japan 5: Nexurise | Korakuen Hall | ||||
| 5 | Lethwei Grand Prix Japan 2017 | Korakuen Hall |
| Lethwei in Japan 2: Legacy | |
| Promotion: | ILFJ |
| Date: | February 16, 2017 |
| Venue: | Korakuen Hall |
| City: | Tokyo, Japan |
| Previousevent: | Lethwei Grand Prix Japan 2016 |
| Followingevent: | Lethwei in Japan 3: Grit |
Lethwei in Japan 2: Legacy was a Lethwei event held on February 16, 2017 at the Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan.
This event featured recently crowned openweight Lethwei World Champion Dave Leduc[5] defending his title for the first time against Lethwei veteran Phoe Kay.[6] [7] For his Lethwei debut, Japanese WPMF kickboxing champion Kouma faced young Myanmar fighter Yar Zar, while Thar Thae Ta Pwint was against Japanese Karate Champion Yuki Yamamoto.[8]
| Lethwei in Japan 2: Legacy | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight Class | Method | Round | Time | Notes | ||||
| Bantamweight 54 kg | Yar Zar | align=center | - | Kouma Shimizu | Draw | 5 | 5:00 | |
| Openweight 80 kg |  Dave Leduc | def. | Phoe Kay | KO | 2 | 2:32 | 4 knockdowns during the match | |
| Welterweight 70 kg | Phyan Thwe | def. | Yasuyuki Yamazaki | TKO | 1 | 1:33 | 3 knockdowns during one round | |
| Welterweight 70 kg | Shan Ko | def. | Keisuke Okuda | TKO (punches) | 3 | 3:00 | Doctor stoppage (Cut) | |
| Featherweight 64 kg | Shwe Sin Min | align=center | - | Nanae Takahashi | Draw | 4 | 3:00 | |
| Featherweight 68 kg | Thar Thae Ta Pwint | def. | Yuki Yamamoto | TKO | 1 | 2:19 | ||
| Lethwei in Japan 3 : Grit | |
| Promotion: | ILFJ |
| Date: | April 18, 2017 |
| Venue: | Korakuen Hall |
| City: | Tokyo, Japan |
| Previousevent: | Lethwei in Japan 2: Legacy |
| Followingevent: | Lethwei in Japan 4: Frontier |
Lethwei in Japan 3: Grit was a Lethwei event held on April 18, 2017 at the Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan.
For his second title defence, openweight Lethwei World Champion Dave Leduc faced Turkish Australian Adem Yilmaz[11] in traditional Lethwei rules.[12] This match was the first Lethwei world title fight headlining two non-Burmese in the sport's history. For the occasion, the Ambassador of Myanmar to Japan was present at the event held in the Korakuen Hall.[13] This event also marked the return to action of former Openweight World Champion Saw Nga Man against Japanese fighter Teruhiko Kubo.
| Lethwei in Japan 3: Grit | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight Class | Method | Round | Time | Notes | ||||
| Openweight 80 kg | Dave Leduc | align=center | - |  Adem Yilmaz | Draw | 5 | 3:00 | |
| Featherweight 69 kg | Thar Thae Ta Pwint | def. | Hikaru Hasumi | TKO | 2 | 1:18 | ||
| Featherweight 69 kg | Phyan Thwe | align=center | - |  Arana | Draw | 5 | 3:00 | |
| Bantamweight 56 kg | Yuta Hamamoto | align=center | - | Tain Tike | Draw | 5 | 3:00 | |
| Openweight 80 kg | Saw Nga Man | def. | Teruhiko Kubo | TKO | 1 | 2:13 | Cut on right eye | |
| Bantamweight 60 kg | Kyar Bar Hein | def. | Cody Moberly | TKO | 2 | 0:45 | ||
| Lethwei in Japan 4: Frontier | |
| Promotion: | ILFJ |
| Date: | June 6, 2017 |
| Venue: | Tokyo Dome City Hall |
| City: | Tokyo, Japan |
| Previousevent: | Lethwei in Japan 3: Grit |
| Followingevent: | Lethwei in Japan 5: Nexurise |
Lethwei in Japan 4: Frontier was a Lethwei event held on June 16, 2017 at the Tokyo Dome City Hall in Tokyo, Japan.[14]
This event featured the rematch of Thar Thae Ta Pwint vs Hikaru Hasumi. Thara The Ta Pwint ultimately won the first and second exchanged grabbing the ILFJ World Title. Also Openweight Champion Dave Leduc was supposed to face American champion Cyrus Washington,[15] but Washington pulled out of the fight citing a hand injury he sustained in training.[16] Leduc eventually defended his title for the third time against Muaythai world champion Nilmungkorn Sudsakorngym,[17] winning the ILFJ Openweight world title.[18]
| Lethwei in Japan 4: Frontier | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight Class | Method | Round | Time | Notes | ||||
| Openweight 80 kg | Dave Leduc | def. |  Nilmungkorn Sudsakorngym | KO | 2 | 2:23 | For the ILFJ Openweight World Championship | |
| Featherweight 65 kg | Thar Thae Ta Pwint | def. | Hikaru Hasumi | TKO | 3 | 2:28 | ||
| Bantamweight 57 kg | Yuta Hamamoto | def. | Yar Zar | KO | 3 | 0:42 | For the ILFJ Bantamweight World Championship | |
| Welterweight 70 kg | Phyan Thwe | def. | Kouhei Tokeshi | TKO (doctor stoppage) | 4 | |||
| Featherweight 64 kg | Veronika | align=center | - | Nanae Takahashi | Draw | 3 | 3:00 | |
| Featherweight 61 kg | Julija Stoliarenko | def. | Su Hlaing Oo | KO | 2 | 1:32 | ||
| Bantamweight 60 kg | Kyar Ba Hein | def. | BAKI | TKO | 4 | |||
| Lethwei in Japan 5: Nexurise | |
| Promotion: | ILFJ |
| Date: | September 28, 2017 |
| Venue: | Korakuen Hall |
| City: | Tokyo, Japan |
| Previousevent: | Lethwei in Japan 4: Frontier |
| Followingevent: | Lethwei Grand Prix Japan 2017 |
Lethwei in Japan 5: Nexurise was a Lethwei event held on September 28, 2017 at the Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan.
For unknown reasons, Hanthar Waddy replaced Tun Lwin Moe. Muaythai Champion and Lethwei veteran Pravit Sakmuangtalang, also known by his last name Aor Piriyapinyo faced Thar Thae Ta Pwint. Former Golden Belt Champion, Win Tun came out of retirement for this fight and this event marked the implementation of weight classes like in traditional tournaments.[21]
| Lethwei in Japan 5: Nexurise | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight Class | Method | Round | Time | Notes | |||||
| Bantamweight 60 kg | Hanthar Waddy Thar | align=center | - | Makoto | Draw | 5 | 3:00 | ||
| Openweight 100 kg | YABU | def. | Hartley Jackson | TKO | 3 | 0:53 | |||
| Featherweight 65 kg | Thar Thae Ta Pwint | align=center | - | Pravit Sakmuangtalang | Draw | 5 | 3:00 | ||
| Welterweight 70 kg | Phyan Thwe | def. | Hareruya | TKO | 1 | 0:34 | |||
| Welterweight 70 kg | Yan Naing Aung | def. | Tokeshi Kohei | TKO | 5 | 2:31 | |||
| Featherweight 65 kg | Win Tun | align=center | - | Hasumi Hikaru | Draw | 5 | 3:00 | ||
| Lethwei Grand Prix Japan 2017 | |
| Promotion: | ILFJ |
| Date: | November 15, 2017 |
| Venue: | Tokyo Dome City Hall, Japan |
| City: | Tokyo, Japan |
| Previousevent: | Lethwei in Japan 5: Nexurise |
| Followingevent: | Lethwei in Japan 7: Yuki |
Lethwei Grand Prix Japan 2017 was a Lethwei event held on November 15, 2017 at the Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan.
Openweight champion Dave Leduc was scheduled to be on this card but due to his opponent backing out, the fight was canceled. MMA veteran Daryl Lokuku made his successful Lethwei debut. Yan Naing Aung and Tokeshi Kohei rematched after facing each other at the September event. Julija Stoliarenko faced top Lethwei fighter in Veronika and ultimately won the Japan Lethwei World Title.[21]
| Lethwei Grand Prix Japan 2017 | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight Class | Method | Round | Time | Notes | ||||
| Featherweight 63 kg | Tun Lwin Moe | align=center | - | Higashi Shuhei | Draw | 5 | 3:00 | |
| Featherweight 65 kg | Pat Kyaw Lin Naing | def. | Hasumi Hikaru | TKO | 3 | 3:00 | ||
| Welterweight 70 kg | Yan Naing Aung | align=center | - | Tokeshi Kohei | Draw | 5 | 3:00 | |
| Openweight 80 kg | Daryl Lokuku | def. | Teruhiko Kubo | KO | 1 | 2:58 | ||
| Welterweight 72 kg | Soe Htet Oo | align=center | - |  Do Hyung Kwon | Draw | 4 | 3:00 | |
| Featherweight 62 kg | Julija Stoliarenko | def. | Vero Nika | TKO | 2 | 0:45 | For the ILFJ Women's Featherweight World Championship | |