WLC: Souris Manfredi Is The Queen Of Lethwei Fighting

Souris Manfredi is well trained in many disciplines of combat sports including Lethwei.

Manfredi, a native of Besancon, France, has also competed in mixed marital arts, jiu-jitsu, Muay Thai and judo along with Lethwei during her illustrious career.

Earlier this year, Manfredi stepped into the World Lethwei Championship arena, scoring a highlight-reel victory over Tran Thi Lua. The female bantamweight bout took place on January 31 from the Thein Pyu Stadium in Yangon, Myanmar at WLC 11: Battlebones as one of the featured bouts that also aired live on UFC Fight Pass.

With WLC having secured rights to stream events on UFC Fight Pass, it has opened the door to more fans of the sport to see Manfredi, the Queen of Lethwei.

Back in 2019, Manfredi picked up the first-ever win in the newly-created women’s division by besting Eh Yanut at WLC 9: King of Nine Limbs in August from the Mandalar Thiri Indoor Stadium in Mandalay, Myanmar.

Souris Manfredi-Eh Yanut Make WLC History

“This is the goal I’ve been dreaming of,” she said in an interview with FightMag. “When World Lethwei Championship called, I said yes right away and to be the first fight in the women’s division is a fantastic honor and I want to do the best I can to show that they made the right choice in backing me.”

The decision to sign with WLC and compete in Lethwei was an easy one for Manfredi to make as she told Fight-Library during a previous interview.

“I loved fighting in Lethwei, more than Muay Thai because I feel more free with no gloves, the head butt and my background of Judo and BJJ,” she said.

Manfredi Takes Out Tran Thi Lua

Manfredi made another career-defining decision when she decided to completely commit herself to the sport.

“As a child I did Judo few years and then nothing until seven years ago when I started MMA. Then I did more Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Muay Thai,” she said. “I was competing in both, I also did few MMA fights. But I had to choose for being able to reach the best level on one sport. I prefer the ring, so I decided to focus on Muay Thai.

“Two years and a half ago I moved to Thailand to live my fighter’s journey.”