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 Light Heavyweight Championship: Artem Vakhitov (c) (16-5) vs. Saulo Cavalari (60-4)
When/Where: Friday, 10:30pm, ESPN3
Competitiveness: 5: These are each other’s only losses in the past three years. Suffice it to say, they’re rather evenly-matched.
Excitement: 3
Juice: 5: Vakhitov is 6-1 in Glory, with his lone loss coming to Cavalari at Glory 20 in April of 2015. He avenged his loss at Glory 28, and now we have the rubber match.
Prestige: 5
Viewing Ease: 5
Total: 23
t2. WBC World Heavyweight Championship: Deontay Wilder (c) (37-0) vs. Gerald Washington (18-0-1)
When/Where: Saturday, 8:00pm, FOX
Competitiveness: 2: Clearly a tune-up fight to get Wilder network exposure before a real title fight.
Excitement: 4: I mean, it’s the Bronze Bomber, it’s not going to last long and it’s going to be violent.
Juice: 1:
Prestige: 5
Viewing Ease: 5
Total: 17
t2. K-1 World Super Featherweight Championship: Hirotaka Urabe (c) (33-12-3) vs. Taiga (15-3)
When/Where: Saturday, 4:00am, GAORA TV
Competitiveness: 5
Excitement: 5: AND WE MADE IT TO THE GODDAMNED FIREWORKS FACTORY, FOLKS!! YEEEEE-HAWW!!
Juice: 2
Prestige: 4
Viewing Ease: 1: The fact that K-1 doesn’t have an international streaming deal is atrocious. Glory is partnered with the biggest sports entity the world has ever known, and K-1 can’t grab a spot on FloSports or YouTube?
Total: 17
4. Vacant WBC World Junior Featherweight Championship: Gavin McDonnell (16-0-2) vs. Rey Vargas (28-0)
When/Where: Saturday, 4:00pm, Sky Sports
Competitiveness: 5
Excitement: 3
Juice: 3: Two undefeated fighters both in search of their first world championship in McDonnell’s native Yorkshire? Heck of a story.
Prestige: 4
Viewing Ease: 1: Unless you’re in the UK, find yourself a less-than-legal stream.
Total: 16
5. WBC/WBA/IBF/WBO/IBO World Female Welterweight Championship: Cecilia Braekhus (c) (29-0) vs. Klara Svensson (17-1)
When/Where: Friday, 4:00pm, Untelevised
Competitiveness: 2: Svensson is actually a talented boxer, but still, it’s the freaking First Lady.
Excitement: 2
Juice: 1
Prestige: 5: Braekhus is essentially Ultimo Dragon in WCW with all her title belts.
Viewing Ease: 1
Total: 11
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