The championship fight. The pinnacle of achievement across combat sports for centuries. A premiere attraction that draws millions every year. But not all title bouts are created equally.
So which title bouts every week are the ones to watch? We’ll look over every title fight from across the combat sports landscape and give you the five best based on five criteria:
- Competitiveness: Is this an even matchup? Or just a warm body to throw at a champion? It’s a title fight, so we want the best possible at that division in that promotion.
- Excitement: How exciting will this fight be? A clash of two elite talents throwing everything they have at each other in an attempt to win the gold? Or a half-dead plod-fest devoid of action or risk?
- Juice: A sort of catch-all term for all the factors behind the matchup. Is there a story leading up to the match? A true rivalry? Anticipated rematch? Do the fighters dislike each other? Were the circumstances leading to the fight extraordinary, or was it just a promoter putting two names against each other? Is there a lot of excitement or hype going into it?
- Prestige: Applies to the belt itself, but also to the fighter wearing it. Is this a long-tenured champion defending? Is this an interim title or one that was vacated? Has the champion increased the prestige of the title or is this a fight that will increase the prestige of it?
- Viewing Ease: We all don’t mind suffering for our art (or hobbies), but sometimes paying twenty dollars for a choppy stream, or searching your cable plan for a channel you’re pretty sure was just invented three days ago in the 6000s isn’t the best of times. How easy, affordable, and stress-free is this bout to watch?
So here are your five best gold options for the weekend.
5. Krush Lightweight Championship: Gonnapar Weerasakreck (c) (105-29-3) vs. Takumi Yokoyama (9-3)
When/Where: Sunday, Abema TV
Competitiveness: 2
Excitement: 3
Juice: 1
Prestige: 3: Gonnapar is a legit top-level fighter, so it kind of feels like he’s slumming a bit by being in a second-tier promotion like Krush, so just by him being a champ there, he’s boosting their profile.
Viewing Ease: 1: Boot up your best VPN!
Total: 10
4. IBO World Junior Featherweight Championship: Stephen Fulton (c) (17-0) vs. Arnold Khegai (16-0-1)
When/Where: Saturday, 9:00pm, Showtime
Competitiveness: 3: Khegai is a legit challenger, especially to a second-tier title to the IBO title, but Fulton is only 25, a top-20 to top-25 fighter already, and is due for a step up very soon.
Excitement: 3
Juice: 1
Prestige: 2: I’ll give the IBO this, they sure are getting their titles on TV a lot lately.
Viewing Ease: 2
Total: 11
3. Vacant CES MMA Featherweight Championship: Charles Cheeks III (14-7) vs. Matt Bessette (23-9)
When/Where: Friday, 7:00pm, UFC Fight Pass
Competitiveness: 3: Bessette had a rough run in his maiden voyage in the UFC, but he rebounded with a win in March in CES, and is back to earn some gold and possibly earn a ticket back. Cheeks is a fine regional fighter, but he won’t be able to catch a quick submission off of Bessette like he can with other fighters.
Excitement: 2
Juice: 1
Prestige: 2
Viewing Ease: 4: Sure, having all of these different promotions on Fight Pass is convienant and worth the cash, but I can’t lie, I miss my Friday nights on AXS with Inside MMA, then a random fight card afterwards.
Total: 12
2. Vacant CES MMA Flyweight Championship: Blaine Shutt (7-4) vs. Johnny Lopez (12-4)
When/Where: Friday, 7:00pm, UFC Fight Pass
Competitiveness: 4: Mark this one as a 1! Piece of cake! Lopez is coming off of a win over Dan Cormier! What’s that? I’m being handed something.
Excitement: 3: Lopez is a decision machine, but Shutt is a hell of a fun grappler to watch.
Juice: 1
Prestige: 2
Viewing Ease: 4
Total: 14
1. Bellator Women’s Featherweight Championship: Julia Budd (c) (13-2) vs. Cristiane Justino (21-2)
When/Where: Saturday, 10:00pm, DAZN
Competitiveness: 4: Budd hasn’t lost a fight in over eight years since she lost by submission to an up-and-comer named Ronda Rousey. Immovable object, meet an unstoppable force named Cyborg.
Excitement: 5
Juice: 2
Prestige: 3: This is Budd’s fourth defense, and the prestige will raise after this fight. Either it’ll be held by Cyborg, or Budd will have conquered Cyborg to keep it.
Viewing Ease: 4
Total: 18
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