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. Glory Welterweight Championship: Harut Grigorian (c) (59-11) vs. Cedric Doumbe (69-7-1)
When/Where: Saturday, 3:00pm, ESPN3
Competitiveness: 5: Ced is a former champion and really should have earned another shot by now, but maybe they were waiting until their France card.
Excitement: 5
Juice: 4: Doumced attempts to win back his Glory strap in front of his home country.
Prestige: 5
Viewing Ease: 4
Total: 23
t2. WBA/IBF World Female Lightweight Championship: Katie Taylor (c) (10-0) vs. Cindy Serrano (27-5-3)
When/Where: Saturday, 4:30pm, DAZN
Competitiveness: 2: This is simply an American showcase for Taylor in the most Irish-friendly city in the country. The real test is Delfine Persoon, which might be on deck.
Excitement: 2
Juice: 3: Call me crazy, but I tend to think Katie is going to get a strong reaction in Boston.
Prestige: 4
Viewing Ease: 4
Total: 15
t2. Cage Warriors Welterweight Championship: Stefano Paterno (c) (12-2-1) vs. Ross Houston (7-0)
When/Where: Saturday, 4:00pm, UFC Fight Pass
Competitiveness: 4
Excitement: 3: Paterno has been nerfing opponents with his fists lately, while Houston hasn’t won by T/KO in his career, so it will be interesting to see who’s style controls the bout.
Juice: 1
Prestige: 3: Cage Warriors isn’t pumping out stars like it used to, but the name still carries some cache.
Viewing Ease: 4
Total: 15
4. WBA World Middleweight Championship: Ryota Murata (c) (14-1) vs. Rob Brant (23-1)
When/Where: Saturday, 10:30pm, ESPN+
Competitiveness: 2: Nah, not this one. Brant is a middling fighter who couldn’t get by Juergen Braehmer at super middleweight and whose best win at middleweight is…Decarlo Perez?
Excitement: 3
Juice: 1
Prestige: 4: WBA, “Regular” titles, my balls, drink, etc…
Viewing Ease: 4
Total: 14
5. Fight To Win Black Belt Welterweight Championship: JT Torres (c) vs. Dylan Royce
When/Where: Friday, 5:30pm, FloGrappling
Competitiveness: 3
Excitement: 3
Juice: 1
Prestige: 3: Not No-Gi, not Masters, not brown belt, just a straight up, Gi-on, black belt title. Pure BJJ.
Viewing Ease: 3: Wrestling season is coming, so if you’re a fan, now would be the time to start looking into a FloSports sub.
Total: 13
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