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?
5. Titan Fighting Championship Lightweight Championship: Martin Brown (c) (13-5) vs. Johansser Paulino (5-1)
When/Where: Saturday, 8:00pm, UFC Fight Pass
Competitiveness: 3
Excitement: 3: Brown is a striker, Paulino is a grappler, let’s see who takes it.
Juice: 1
Prestige: 2
Viewing Ease: 4: Speaking of Fight Pass, where’s the pickup of LFA?
Total: 13
4. BBBofC British Junior Middleweight Championship: Ted Cheeseman (c) (15-1-1) vs. Scott Fitzgerald (13-0)
When/Where: Saturday, 2:00pm, DAZN
Competitiveness: 5
Excitement: 3
Juice: 1: Cheeseman’s last two fights ended in a split-draw and a unanimous decision loss, so The Cheese isn’t coming in on a flaming motorcycle of momentum, here.
Prestige: 3: BBBofC belts don’t get a ton of run over here, but they’re a big damned deal in the UK boxing scene.
Viewing Ease: 4
Total: 16
3. Featherweight King of Pancrase Championship: Isao Kobayashi (c) (24-5-4) vs. Kyle Aguon (13-7)
When/Where: Sunday, 6:00am, UFC Fight Pass
Competitiveness: 5
Excitement: 2
Juice: 3: Kobayashi lost an absolute stunner to an unknown Aguon in August of 2017. He rebounded to eventually win and unify the King Of Pancrase Featherweight titles, and now Aguon, his last loss, tries to catch lightning in a bottle twice.
Prestige: 3: Pancrase was the OG in Mixed Martial Arts, its name will always carry cache.
Viewing Ease: 4
Total: 17
2. Fight To Win Black Belt Featherweight No-Gi Championship: Joao Miyao vs. Lucas Pinheiro
When/Where: Saturday, 5:00pm, FloGrappling
Competitiveness: 5: This is a get, my brothers and sisters, Miyao is fresh of ADCC gold, and Pinheiro is one of the best featherweights in the grappling game.
Excitement: 4: Your mileage may vary, but Miyao usually puts on a good show.
Juice: 2
Prestige: 4
Viewing Ease: 3
Total: 18
1. IBF/WBC World Light Heavyweight Championships: Artur Beterbiev (c) (14-0) vs. Oleksandr Gvozdyk (c) (17-0)
When/Where: Friday, 10:00pm, ESPN
Competitiveness: 5: The parallels between the two are vast. Both in their early 30s, both decorated amateur medalists, earning a ton of medals, both from the Eastern Bloc, and between them, 31 combined wins, and 28 by KO. These are technically brilliant boxers with devastating power, iron resolve, and a world-class pedigree. This is going to rule.
Excitement: 5
Juice: 3
Prestige: 5: You know how I feel about title unifications. Especially with 175 being a little crowded but full of talent, this will answer a bumch of questions.
Viewing Ease: 4
Total: 22
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