Last August, French professional female fighter Souris Manfredi made her debut in the world of Burmese martial art lethwei. Since then, there’s no turning back as she fell in love with the sport.

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She was the lone female fight at WLC: King of Nine Limbs, the biggest lethwei event in history that also featured lethwei king Dave Leduc and UFC veteran Seth Baczynski. Her opponent was Cambodia’s Eh Yanut, and the stage was set for Manfredi’s biggest fight of her career.

Manfredi came out like a house on fire, unloading her full arsenal of strikes. In the second and third rounds, the fight became one that was fought in closer proximity, especially in the clinch. Manfredi proved she was the stronger combatant, pushing her opponent around the ring. She even threw several headbutts, much to the delight of the Burmese fans in attendance.

Eventually she won a unanimous decision victory, but that satisfaction from competing in lethwei never left her.

“I loved fighting for World Lethwei Championship. It was an absolutely exhilarating experience and the purest form of fighting there is. I was so hyped from the last fight so when they offered me my second fight I immediately said yes!”

Souris Manfredi returns to lethwei action on January 31 at WLC: Battlebones in Yangon, Myanmar. She takes on Vietnam’s Tran Thi Lua as she looks to become the first female lethwei champion in the history of the sport.

“That would be a dream come true to be able to make history like that. I would love that opportunity!”

WLC: Battlebones airs live on Canal+ and UFC Fight Pass on January 31 at 6:30 pm (Myanmar time / GMT+6:30).