LETHWEI AMERICA
Lethwei America Advisors & Staff
Saya Win Zin Oo
Chief Advisor
One of Myanmar’s foremost Lethwei Saya (coach/teacher), Win Zin Oo is a highly respected and sought-after mentor and trainer. Well-educated, unassuming and kind-hearted, Saya Win is the founder and senior coach of the KLN Lethwei Club as well as the renowned Thut Ti Lethwei Club of Yangon, Myanmar.1
Saya Win’s first experience with Lethwei came from the lessons he received from his grandfather, a farmer and amateur Lethwei fighter. He continued his martial arts and Lethwei training under Sayas U Aung Gyi, U Moe Gyoe, U Daung Ni, and U Maung Nyunt. After experiencing the sport of Lethwei as an amateur fighter, Saya Win found he had a passion for teaching and coaching Lethwei.
A professional Lethwei coach since 1986, Saya Win transformed his home into the Thut Ti (Burmese for courage) Lethwei Club and has been overseeing the practice of Lethwei there to the present day. Since opening its doors, Saya Win and the Thut Ti Lethwei Club have seen a steady procession of fighters and non-fighters alike.2
Saya Win has trained numerous fighters for local, national, and international competitions. In 1997, for the first time in Myanmar’s history, professional Lethwei championships were held that included weight divisions. Out of eight divisions of the championships Saya Win’s fighters won the gold belt in four of them.
It was also during this time that Saya Win was selected as the joint secretary of the Myanmar Lethwei Federation (MLF). In 2007, he was appointed as the Vice President of the MLF. The Myanmar Lethwei Federation is responsible for overseeing the development of Lethwei in Myanmar.
In addition to serving as Senior Advisor to Lethwei America, Saya Win is also the Chief Instructor for the Thut Ti Lethwei Education & Training Initiative.
Dr. Patrick Finley
Director/Senior Instructor
Dr. Finley began studying martial arts in 1972. He currently holds an eighth-level black belt in Bando through Dr. Maung Gyi, founder and Chief Instructor of the American Bando Association, Guro/Saya Dan Inosanto, founder and Chief Instructor of the Inosanto Academy, and Grandmaster Jon Collins (dec.), founder and chief instructor of the East-West Martial Arts Alliance. He has also been recognized by Dr. Gyi as one of the great Bando fighters as and presented with the title of “Bando Chinthe”, an honor presented to individuals who are considered protectors and preservers of Bando and Burmese Bando Boxing in the United States. 3,4
Dr. Finley has also been a student and instructor under renowned martial arts instructors Tuhan Dan Inosanto since 1982 and Magulang Na Guro Paula Inosanto since 1987. He is a recognized instructor in Combat Submission Wrestling under Sensei Erik Paulson, Bukti Negara Pentjak Silat under Paul deThouars, Mande Muda Pencak Silat under Pak Herman Suwanda, Pikiti Tirsia Arnis under Tuhon Leo Gaje and holds black belt ranking in Doce Pares Escrima under Grandmaster Diony Canete, Judo under Sensei Gil Gilbert, and Kobujitsu Karate under Sensei K. Marks.
Dr. Finley previously competed in full-contact combat sports competitions between 1977 and 1996 that included PKA (Professional Karate Association) and WKA (World Karate Association) Full-Contact Karate matches, Hanthawaddy Burmese Bando Boxing tournaments, WEKAF Full-Contact Stick Fighting contests, and U.S. Shooto Association Mixed Martial Arts competitions.
In 1981, Dr. Finley founded the University of Maryland Martial Arts Club where he taught Bando, Burmese Bando Boxing, Filipino Martial Arts, and Jun Fan/Jeet Kune. He also established the George Washington University and American University Martial Arts Clubs in 1984 and 1985 respectively, offering classes five nights a week between the three clubs. In 1987 he founded the Howard Community College Martial Arts Club. Thirty-two years later the club continues to offer students instruction in Lethwei, Filipino Martial Arts, Silat, and Submission Grappling. In 2004, he founded Plato’s Cave Lethwei and Fighting Arts Club which offers advanced training in Lethwei and Southeast Asian Martial Arts.
After completing graduate school in 1985, Dr. Finley spent several years as a researcher at the Walter Reed Institute of Research (WRAIR). He spent two years teaching at the American Unversity and spent more than 30 years as community college professor, retiring in 2022. Dr. Finley has taught in a number of academic disciplines including Public Health, Exercise Sciences, Health Care Management, Health Services, Aging Studies, and Nutrition. He served as Director and Chair of the Department of Health Promotion and Human Performance for more than 20 years and has created numerous academic programs and courses.
Dr. Finley completed his baccalaureate studies in both Kinesiology and Philosophy, received his master’s degree in Exercise Science from the George Washington University, and earned his Ph.D. in Public and Community Health from the University of Maryland. He is a Certified Exercise Physiologist through the American College of Sports Medicine, a Certified Sports Nutritionist through the International Society for Sports Nutrition, and a Sport and Conditioning Specialist through the National Strength and Conditioning Association.
In addition to his role as Director of Lethwei America, Dr. Finley also serves as Director for the Thut Ti Lethwei Global Education and Training Initiative under the direction of Saya Win Zin Oo.
Saya Rod began his training in kickboxing and Bando in 1977 under the direction of Grandmaster Jon Collins, senior instructor and former Chair of the American Bando Association, as well as founder and Chief Instructor of the East-West Martial Arts Alliance. In addition to his kickboxing and Bando training, Saya Rod also spent several years studying Wing Chun Gung Fu during the early 2000s.
Saya Rod brings not only his martial arts training and knowledge to his position as Assistant Director for Lethwei America, but also 34+ years of management experience with the United Parcel Service in diverse areas including operations and industrial engineering. In addition to his role as Assistant Director, Saya Rod also serves as Member Director for the Thut Ti Lethwei Global Education and Training Initiative.
Saya Rod retired several years ago and in addition to focusing on his family including three grandchildren, he oversees the operations, logistics, and planning for our members and instructors for both the Thut Ti Lethwei Global Education and Training Initiative and Lethwei America alike.
The younger son of Saya Wi Zin Oo, Htoo Zin Oo grew up immersed in the fighting art, combat sport, and culture of Lethwei. With years of experience with Lethwei, Htoo Zin Oo often assisted his father with the training of Lethwei fighters and clients alike. In addition to helping Saya Win in the training and teaching at the Thut Ti Lethwei Club, Htoo Zin Oo has used his creative and communications skills to help his father with club and fighter promotions and communications.
Htoo Zin Oo has both bachelors and master’s degrees in communications and media production. Having worked in the creative communications and production fields he brings his extensive educational and professional experiences to the Thut Ti Lethwei Global Education and Training Initiative and Lethwei America. As the Communications and Media Advisor for both organizations, he plays an invaluable role in advising on promotional, communication, technological, and creative matters.
Dr. Saw Min Htoo has served the sport of Lethwei over the years. As the Thut Ti Lethwei Club’s team doctor, he advised Saya Win Zin Oo and his fighters. In addition to his work with the Saya Win Zin Oo and the Thut Ti Lethwei Club, Dr. Saw Min Htoo has acted as medical officer for various Lethwei competitions in Myanmar.
In addition to running his medical clinic, Dr. Saw Min Htoo also serves as the medical advisor for the Thut Ti Lethwei Global Education and Training Initiative. He has generously offered to also advise Lethwei America on medical issues related to Lethwei instruction, training, and competition.
In addition to his medical education and training, Dr. Saw Min Htoo has earned a Master of Business Administration degree in Non-Governmental Management.
A disabled American Veteran, Saya Joe Singleton served his country as a member of the United States Coast Guard during early- to mid-seventies. Saya Joe holds an Associate of Arts degree from Howard Community College and dual bachelor’s degrees from Bowie State University. He has also completed graduate coursework in business.
As competitive power lifter, Saya Joe has won numerous U.S. national and world weightlifting championships. He competed in powerlifting at the 1992 Paralympics in Barcelona, Spain. Saya Joe has also competed at the national and international levels in archery, shooting, golf, and bocce.
In 1984, Saya Joe began training in TaiJitsu and traditional Japanese jiujitsu receiving his black belt four years later. He holds the rank of fourth level black belt in Bando and Combative Martial Arts under Grandmaster Jon Collins (dec.), founder and chief instructor of the East-West Martial Arts Alliance. He also received a third level black belt rank in Bando under Dr. Maung Gi, founder and chief instructor of the American Bando Association.
Saya Joe has been a student of Guro Dan Inosanto, founder and Chief Instructor of the Inosanto Academy since 1988 and is a certified instructor under him since the early 2000s. Since 1987 he has studied various martial systems including Doce Pares Escrima under Grandmaster Diony Canete, Butki Negara Pentjak Silat with Pendekar Paul deThouars, Non-Classical Gung Fu with Jesse Glover, and Jeet Kune Do under Ted Wong as well as LaCanne with Bertrand Dubreuil.
Saya Joe is a certified Personal Trainer through the American Council for Exercise and has spent three decades training and coaching both disabled and able-bodied individuals in martial arts, weightlifting and fitness. He has served as an instructor with the Howard Community College Martial Arts Club for more than 30 years and senior instructor at Plato’s Cave Lethwei and Fighting Arts Club since its establishment in 2004.
Saya Joe passed May 23, 2020.
References
1 Burmese-Boxing.com (1999). Thut Ti Lethwei Gym, Yangon: Myanmar’s Premier Address in Burmese Boxing. http://burmese-boxing.com/Lethwei/Thut_Ti_Lethwei_Gym_Yangon.html
2 Scott,M. (2017). Inside Lethwei. https://rough.asia/analysis/inside-lethwei/
3 Gyi, M. (2005). The Future of Bando: The Future of The American Bando Association. (http://www.bohans-family.com/bando_notebook/FutureOfBando.htm)
4 American Bando Association. (2019). Chinthes in the ABA. (2019). https://americanbandoassociation.com/about-us/chinthe/