MILLIONS of new MMA fans will have nothing to watch this weekend as there is no UFC this week.
But not to worry, instead of watching a romcom with your significant other for Valentine’s, here is an MMA guide on what to watch this weekend.
To make it easier for the average fan I will be comparing MMA organisations with the most popular sport on the planet: football.
For example, I would argue the UFC is the Premier League of MMA: for a UK fan, it is the most popular and biggest version of that sport.
However, there are plenty of other organisations you should know about!
One Championship = Prime Chinese Super League
This weekend, One Fight Night 40 is taking place, with the rematch of Jackie Buntan vs Stella Hemetsberger for the strawweight kickboxing belt.
One championship reminds me a lot of the Chinese Super League when they were buying a lot of well-known players from around the world for inflated fees.
One Championship brought Demetrious Johnson which was a very similar tranfer to Oscar to Shanghai Port:
- Both huge names going to Asia
- Both still in their primes
- Fans of Chelsea & the UFC were NOT happy with these tranfers
Another similarity is that both are predominantly watched in Asia, despite offering a unique viewing experience.
If you’re a fan of kickboxing or Muay Thai, One Championship is the one for you, with American-esque production and high-level MMA.
Oktagon MMA = Europa League
Oktagon MMA is a very good option if you want to see the next big European fighters, who are on the verge of the big stage, similarly to some players in the Europa league on the verge of playing for teams in the Champions League.
They also have some UFC veterans in their ranks, just like the Europa League has players like Paulo Dybala and Thiago Silva still competing at a high level.
At Oktagon 84, there is a large amount of Czech talent on the card, so stay tuned to see the next Vladimir Coufal of MMA.
Cage Warriors = Championship
Even though it is not tomorrow, I thought I would include my personal favourite alternative, Cage Warriors. This is where all the UK talent, like Conor McGregor and Paddy Pimblett, comes from.
This is very similar to how players like Adam Wharton and Marc Guehi came from the championship and turned into first-team players.
Thats my guide on different MMA organisations! Even though the UFC is the Premier League of MMA, it does not mean there isn’t great mixed martial arts available to watch this Valentine’s Day!
