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.
1. WBC World Flyweight Championship: Cristofer Rosales (27-3) vs. Paddy Barnes (5-0)
When/Where: Saturday, 5:00pm, BT Sport
Competitiveness: 4: I’m not sure how great Rosales is. He only has one marquee win, but holy Toledo, was it a big one, TKOing Daigo Higa in Japan, handing him his first loss, and being the only pro fighter not to be knocked out by him. Was it a fluke? On the other hand, you have Barnes, a three-time Olympian, who only has five pro fights, but is 31 years old, and is not getting any younger or better. Time to make hay while the sun shines for Barnes. So at the very least, it’s a damned compelling fight between two men who we don’t really know how they stack up.
Excitement: 3
Juice: 1
Prestige: 5
Viewing Ease: 2: Not being co-opted by Showtime or HBO, so better find yourself a stream. Not really hard to do for big British cards, but, you know, I’m paying for the premium channels, so…
Total: 15
2. Krush Female Flyweight Championship: Kana (c) (11-1) vs. Liu Shibei (8-1)
When/Where: Saturday, 3:00am, Abema.tv
Competitiveness: 3
Excitement: 4
Juice: 3: Shibei is only 18 years old, and she’s stepping up to the face the mighty Kana. She’s garnered a ton of youth awards, but it’s the big time now. Is she ready? Will she meet the challenge or fold under the pressure?
Prestige: 3
Viewing Ease: 1: Unless you have a Japanese IP, you’re not seeing this legally, unfortunately.
Total: 14
t3. Interim WBO World Featherweight Championship: Carl Frampton (ic) (25-1) vs. Luke Jackson (16-0)
When/Where: Saturday, 5:00pm, BT Sport
Competitiveness: 3: Nobody doubts Jackson’s amateur credentials, but I think his pro career has been bungled badly. His last fight was against a 7-8 fighter for christ’s sakes. He’s never fought outside Australia as a pro, and has exactly zero (0) notable wins. He’s 33 years old, what the fuck were his handlers and promoters waiting on?
Excitement: 3
Juice: 1
Prestige: 4: It’s an interim title, which I absolutely despise, but the reason is legit, this is a placeholder until Oscar Valdez’s jaw is back in one piece and is in fighting shape.
Viewing Ease: 2
Total: 13
t3. NABF Super Middleweight Championship: Jesse Hart (c) (24-1) vs. Mike Gavronski (24-2-1)
When/Where: Saturday, 10:00pm, ESPN
Competitiveness: 3
Excitement: 3: Hart has some heavy hands, and Gavronski is a pretty game fighter, so this should be a fun scrap.
Juice: 1
Prestige: 2: NABF is a secondary title, but it’s a damned respectable one, and one that’ll put you right in line for a world title shot.
Viewing Ease: 4
Total: 13
t3. Vacant Cage Titans Bantamweight Championship: Jay Perrin (6-3) vs. Johnny Campbell (16-9)
When/Where: Saturday, 7:00pm, FloCombat
Competitiveness: 3: This is Cambell’s fight to lose, here. He’s finished three of his last four wins by rear-naked choke, and there’s no reason to believe he won’t do the same, here.
Excitement: 4
Juice: 1
Prestige: 1: Cage Titans isn’t one of the bigger regionals, and it’s a vacant title at that, but being a champ on the indies most times is your ticket to the big leagues.
Viewing Ease: 4
Total: 13
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