Wan Chai (fighter)

Wan Chai (ဝမ်ချိုင်း) (born January 24, 1972) is a former Burmese Lethwei fighter and Openweight Lethwei World Champion in 1998 and 1999.

Early life
Wan Chai was born in 1972 to father U Pan Nyunt and mother Daw Khin May in Kawt Nwe, a village east of Kawkareik city in Kayin State. He started his training initially with Myawaddy U Than Shwe, a former boxer well known with the arts in both Myanmar and Thailand himself.

Lethwei career
Before his fame in Myanmar lethwei Wan Chai was already a veteran of the fight game with great experiences gained in Thailand. In 1996, the Myanmar Traditional Lethwei Federation (MTLF), a branch of the Myanmar's Ministry of Health and Sports, created the Golden Belt Championship for rising talents which uses the tournament Lethwei rules, unlike the traditional Golden Belt.

After returning to Myanmar, Wan Chai burst onto the scene and competed at the inaugural Golden Belt Championship which he won by defeating Aung Aung Tun. In 1998, he challenged the reigning Myanmar Lethwei World Champion Shwe Du Wun. Wan Chai took the Openweight Lethwei Golden Belt title away from the champion within three rounds. Wan Chai lost the title to Shan La Tway in a year later. After his retirement, Wan Chai made a commitment to support the Aung Myanmar lethwei club in 2016, which trained Daung Thi Chay, Lwann Chai, Saw George, Yan Linn Aung and Daung Phyu Lay at the time. He transferred to several clubs but eventually ended up with the one carrying his own name. His most notable students are his son Lwann Chai and Thway Thit Win Hlaing.

Myanmar vs USA challenge
In June 2001, Wan Chai was matched with American UFC veteran Doug Evans at the "International Myanmar traditional boxing challenge & Myanmar-Australia talent testing boxing competition" in Yangon, Myanmar. In the first round, Evans was dropped to the floor with a knee strike to the lower abdomen while clinching and lost by referee stoppage (TKO). Evans later claimed he was kneed in the groin by Wan Chai, however the official did not see the strike and the referee stoppage remained.

Titles and accomplishments

 * Championships
 * Myanmar National Champion (1998, 1999)
 * Golden Belt Champion (1996)
 * Other championships
 * 2001 challenge fight belt holder

Lethwei record
! style=background:white colspan=9 |Wins challenge fight belt ! style=background:white colspan=9 |Lost Openweight Lethwei World Title - Wan Chai contracted malaria shortly before the fight ! style=background:white colspan=9 |Wins Openweight Lethwei World Title ! style=background:white colspan=9 |Wins Golden Belt Championship
 * - style="background:#c5d2ea;"
 * 2012-01-08 || Draw || align="left" | Shwe War Tun || Dagon Shwe Aung Lan 2012 || Yangon, Myanmar || Draw || 3 || 3:00
 * - style="background:#c5d2ea;"
 * 2009-04-04 || Draw || align="left" |🇲🇲 Zarni Sin Yine || Dagon Shwe Aung Lan 2009 || Yangon, Myanmar || Draw || 3 || 3:00
 * - style="background:#c5d2ea;"
 * 2009-02-06 || Draw || align="left" |🇲🇲 Shwe War Tun || Myaw Sin Island Challenge Fights || Yangon, Myanmar || Draw || 3 || 3:00
 * - style="background:#c5d2ea;"
 * 2009-00-00 || Draw || align="left" |🇲🇲 Saw Thae Aung || Lethwei Challenge Fights || Myanmar || Draw || 5 || 3:00
 * - style="background:#fbb;"
 * 2006-01-26 || Loss || align="left" |🇲🇲 Lone Chaw || Myeik city Lethwei Challenge Fights || Myeik, Myanmar || TKO || 3 ||
 * - style="background:#c5d2ea;"
 * 2005-04-03 || Draw || align="left" |🇲🇲 Lone Chaw|| City F.M Aung Lan Tournament, Myanmar Convention Center || Yangon, Myanmar || Draw || 5 || 3:00
 * - style="background:#fbb;"
 * 2004-06-13 || Loss || align="left" |🇲🇲 Shwe Sai|| Challenge Fights, Thuwunna Stadium || Yangon, Myanmar || TKO || 3 || 2:52
 * - style="background:#cfc;"
 * 2004-06-05 || Win || align="left" |🇲🇲 Lone Chaw || Myeik city Lethwei Challenge Fights || Myeik, Myanmar || KO || 3 || 2:50
 * - style="background:#c5d2ea;"
 * 2003-06-01 || Draw || align="left" |🇲🇲 Shan Lay Thway || Challenge Fights, Thuwunna Stadium || Yangon, Myanmar || Draw || 5 || 3:00
 * - style="background:#cfc;"
 * 2001-06-09 || Win || align="left" |🇺🇸 Doug Evans|| International Challenge Fights, Thuwunna Stadium || Yangon, Myanmar || TKO || 1 ||
 * - style="background:#c5d2ea;"
 * 2001-04-30 || Draw || align="left" |🇲🇲 Shan Lay Thway || Challenge Fights, Ba Htoo Football field || Mandalay, Myanmar || Draw || 5 || 3:00
 * - style="background:#fbb;"
 * 1999-00-00 || Loss || align="left" |🇲🇲 Shan Lay Thway || Champions Challenge, Thuwunna Stadium || Yangon, Myanmar || TKO || 1 ||
 * - style="background:#cfc;"
 * 1998-00-00 || Win || align="left" |🇲🇲 Win Naing Tun || Challenge Fights, Ba Htoo Football field || Mandalay, Myanmar || KO || 2 ||
 * - style="background:#cfc;"
 * 1998-00-00 || Win || align="left" |🇲🇲 Shwe Du Wun || Hpayarkone village Challenge Fights || Hpa-an Township, Myanmar || KO || ||
 * - style="background:#cfc;"
 * 1998-04-01 || Win || align="left" |🇲🇲 Shwe Du Wun|| 51st Mon National Day, Aung San Indoor Stadium || Yangon, Myanmar || KO || 3 || 1:04
 * - style="background:#c5d2ea;"
 * 1997-11-06 || Draw || align="left" |🇲🇲 Shwe Du Wun || Challenge Fights, Ba Htoo Football field || Mandalay, Myanmar || Draw || 5 || 3:00
 * - style="background:#c5d2ea;"
 * 1997-07-09 || Draw || align="left" |🇲🇲 Shwe Du Wun || Challenge Fights, Ba Htoo Football field || Mandalay, Myanmar || Draw || 12 || 3:00
 * - style="background:#c5d2ea;"
 * 1997-05-05 || Draw || align="left" |🇲🇲 Aung Aung Tun || (52nd) Armed Forces Day Challenge Fights, Ba Htoo Football field || Mandalay, Myanmar || Draw || 7 || 3:00
 * - style="background:#cfc;"
 * 1997-00-00 || Win || align="left" |🇲🇲 Moe Palae || Lethwei Challenge Fights || Hpa-an Township, Myanmar || KO || 6 ||
 * - style="background:#cfc;"
 * 1997-02-25 || Win || align="left" |🇲🇲 Shwe War Tun || Kawt Gun village Challenge Fights || Hlaingbwe Township, Myanmar || KO || 4 ||
 * - style="background:#cfc;"
 * 1997-02-03 || Win || align="left" |🇲🇲 (Thar Si) Maung Maung Gyi || Lethwei Challenge Fights, Aung San Indoor Stadium || Yangon, Myanmar || KO || 4 ||
 * - style="background:#cfc;"
 * 1997-02-02 || Win || align="left" |🇲🇲 Aung Aung Tun || Golden Belt Championship, Aung San Indoor Stadium|| Yangon, Myanmar || KO || 4 ||
 * - style="background:#cfc;"
 * 1997-01-09 || Win || align="left" |🇹🇭 Kittichai Kiatbusaba || International Challenge Fights || Chiang Mai, Thailand || TKO || 4 ||
 * - style="background:#fbb;"
 * 1995-00-00 || Loss || align="left" |🇹🇭 Somdang Nongkhai || International Challenge Fights || Thailand || TKO || ||
 * - style="background:#c5d2ea;"
 * 1995-00-00 || Draw || align="left" |🇹🇭 Kolalek Lookphrayapichai || Burma-Thai Challenge Fights || Thailand || Draw || 5 ||