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. OneFC Flyweight Muay Thai Championship: Sam-A Gaiyanghadao (c) (366-46-9) vs. Jonathan Haggerty (14-1)
When/Where: Friday, 9:30am, OneFC App
Competitiveness: 3
Excitement: 3
Juice: 1
Prestige: 2: OneFC is just getting their kickboxing and muay thai titles settled, so I expect this to raise exponentially as they continue.
Viewing Ease: 5: For Free!
Total: 14
4. IBF World Light Heavyweight Championship: Artur Beterbiev (c) (13-0) vs. Radivoje Kalajdzic (24-1)
When/Where: Saturday, 10:00pm, ESPN
Competitiveness: 2: Nah. Kalajdzic has only fought two ten-round fights in his life, and his only name fight, Marcus Browne, he lost in an eight-round split-decision. Not exactly a prime candidate for a main event ESPN world championship bout.
Excitement: 5: But I will say this for Kalajdzic, the man comes swinging. 17 KOs in 24 wins, and a propensity for ending a fight early. Not saying he will against Beterbiev, but I like the cut of his job. Conversely, Beterbiev is a rolling death machine.
Juice: 1
Prestige: 5
Viewing Ease: 4
Total: 17
t2. Invicta FC Women’s Strawweight Championship Tournament:
When/Where: Friday, 8:00pm, UFC Fight Pass
Competitiveness: 5: Can’t argue with the field as far as competitiveness. These are truly some of the best strawweights in the world, Invicta, UFC, and international veterans getting after it for one night.
Excitement: 4
Juice: 3
Prestige: 3: Unfortunately, of maybe fortunately for the fighters, the Invicta titles don’t mean nearly as much, since the UFC has every class except for atomweight, and fighters will seldom hold a title above their head long enough that it won’t be taken on the way down and a UFC contract put in front of them.
Viewing Ease: 4
Total: 19
t2. IBF World Junior Bantamweight Championship: Jerwin Ancajas (c) (30-1-2) vs. Ryuichi Funai (31-7)
When/Where: Saturday, 10:00pm, ESPN
Competitiveness: 4
Excitement: 5: Oh hell yeah. Funai is a continuation of traditional Japanese lighter-weight boxers who throw hands like a motherfucker. We’re living in the golden age of super flyweights, and Funai, even being the underdog, is part of that. This is going to RULE.
Juice: 1
Prestige: 5
Viewing Ease: 4: Two world title fights on a regular ESPN card is a great goddamned viewing experience for those with basic cable. I have an ESPN+ subscription, but even I like watching fights on regular ESPN better, with no threat of buffering, or, even more inexplicable, HOW IS THE ESPN HOMEPAGE AHEAD OF ME ON MY PAID ESPN+ SUBSCRIPTION?!
Total: 19
1. WBA Super/WBC/IBF World Middleweight Championships: Daniel Jacobs (c) (35-2) vs. Saul Alvarez (c) (51-1-2)
When/Where: Saturday, 7:30pm, DAZN
Competitiveness: 5: Jacobs is the kind of high-risk, low-reward opponent that I’m shocked Canelo and De La Hoya took. He’s absolutely the right opponent, but it’s refreshing to see it done right.
Excitement: 4
Juice: 3: No petty “war of words”, no absurd pressers or shoving (at least not yet), just two of the best in the world fighting for supremacy. Call me old-fashioned, but goddamn, I love it.
Prestige: 5
Viewing Ease: 4
Total: 21
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