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. Stand Up Warriors 135lb Championship: Ruben Garcia vs. Tyger Banks
When/Where: Saturday, 7:00pm, Fite TV
Competitiveness: 4
Excitement: 3
Juice: 1
Prestige: 2: Stand Up Warriors won’t be a household name by any means, but they’re a solid, consistent outfit that delivers what they promise.
Viewing Ease: 2: Twenty bucks is a little steep for a promotion like Stand Up Warriors, but for what it’s worth, I’ve never had a single issue with Fite’s streams. They’re a fantastic company to watch fights through.
Total: 12
4. Vacant Invicta Featherweight Championship: Kaitlin Young (10-9-1) vs. Pam Sorenson (7-3)
When/Where: Friday, 8:00pm, Fight Pass
Competitiveness: 4: Sorensen’s record is more impressive, but Young has fought a who’s-who of fighters as a pioneer of women’s MMA. Young has lots of miles on her, but Sorensen’s recent attempts at climbing the ladder have ended in losses.
Excitement: 2
Juice: 1
Prestige: 3: It’s a vacant title in the shallowest WMMA division. I know Invicta titles aren’t meant to be defended, they’re there as a meal ticket to the UFC, but still.
Viewing Ease: 4
Total: 14
t2. UFC Women’s Flyweight Championship: Valentina Shevchenko (c) (17-3) vs. Liz Carmouche (13-6)
When/Where: Saturday, 8:00pm, ESPN+
Competitiveness: 4
Excitement: 2: Usually a Carmouche fight would merit a 1, but I’m hoping Shevchenko can bring the fireworks.
Juice: 3: In 2010, Carmouche and Shevchenko met in Concho, Oklahoma at C3 Fights: Red River Rivalry. After two three-minute rounds (WMMA was in its infancy), the doctor called off and Carmouche won. Now, nearly nine years later, much has changed, and here we are, again.
Prestige: 4
Viewing Ease: 4
Total: 17
t2. Fight To Win Female Black Belt Heavyweight Championship: Gabi Garcia vs. Nathiely Karoline De Jesus
When/Where: Saturday, 6:00pm, FloGrappling
Competitiveness: 4: No woman is on Gabi’s level, but Nathiely probably comes the closest.
Excitement: 3
Juice: 3: Garcia and Karoline have battled before and are two of the best, if not the best, female grapplers in the world. Here’s them competing in the Absolute finals of the 2019 IBJJF Pan Championship where Garcia won by the tiniest of margins.
Prestige: 4
Viewing Ease: 3
Total: 17
1. WBA International/NABF Bantamweight Championships: Joshua Franco (c) (15-1-1) vs. Oscar Negrete (18-2-1)
When/Where: Saturday, 7:00pm, DAZN
Competitiveness: 5: Read below under Juice. You’d be hard-pressed to find two more even fighters.
Excitement: 3
Juice: 4: This is the third fight between the two, and the third in a row. The first bout, last October, was a split-draw, as close as they come. The second bout, in April, was a split-decision win for Franco, and now here we are, to possibly settle the score. Unless Negrete wins, then we’re probably looking at a fourth.
Prestige: 2
Viewing Ease: 4
Total: 18
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
