The Top 5 Combat Sports Main Events of 2023
Francis N’Gannou knocks down Tyson Fury in the third round of their bout in Riyad, Saudi Arabia on October 28, 2023 (via SkySports.com)
2023 was one of the most exciting years for combat sports, and the number of captivating main events in MMA and Boxing in 2023 was staggering. The sheer number of main events that met or exceeded expectations was staggering, making it one of the best years for combat sports in recent memory.
By evaluating these fights based on entertainment value, the anticipation before the fight, and the subversion of expectations one can narrow down the very best main events in a year full of great ones. Weight classes will not be a deciding factor in the evaluation due to the fact that they are benign in the realm of fight quality, technical ability and general captivation.
5. Sean O’Malley vs Aljamain Sterling UFC 292
Sean O’Malley has been an aspirational superstar ever since he won a UFC contract on Dana White’s Contender Series, and his championship bid against Aljamain Sterling was the fight that solidified his current status as one of the biggest and well known mixed martial artists in the world. The build up to this fight was doubtful of O’Malley’s ability to avoid grappling with Sterling. When O’Malley knocked Sterling out in the second round, it became one of the premier knockouts of the year, and was one of the biggest upsets at the same time. Although his picture perfect right hand will be on highlight reels for years to come, it does not quite measure up to the top four.
4. Terrance Crawford vs Errol Spence Jr.
This fight was dubbed “The Fight of the Century,” and it showcased the two greatest Welterweights in boxing fighting in their prime. Crawford and Spence Jr. captivated the world in a way that few boxing matches have been able to do, and fans anticipated a back and forth battle between two fighters with wildly different styles. During the fight, however, it was evident who the greatest Welterweight in the world was, and it was certainly Terrance Crawford. His dominance of Spence Jr. was indicitive of how his style was the perfect antidote to Spence Jr’s stick and move style. Even though it may not have been the most competitive fight, it deserves to be on this list based on hype alone.
3. Tyson Fury vs Francis N’Gannou
Despite the obvious robbery in the decision in favor of Fury, this fight completely surpassed expectations. Every major journalist was writing N’Gannou’s obituary before he even stepped into the ring, and they believed that it would be a disastrous outcome for the former UFC Heavyweight Champion. Then N’Gannou came out and beat the best heavyweight boxing champion of the current generation, and even scored a knockdown in the third round. Not to mention the incredible production value of the event, which made an exhibition look like the Super Bowl. This event was not destined to be on this list, but after watching such an incredible performance by N’Gannou, it was more than deserving of a spot on this list.
2. Israel Adesanya vs Sean Strickland UFC 293
After Israel Adesanya knocked out Alex Pereira in April 2023, there was seemingly no one else that could theoretically give him a legitimate challenge. When the fight with Sean Strickland was announced, many fans thought the UFC was giving him a soft ball to get him back on a winning streak. Then hell froze over. Strickland completely dominated the former world champion kickboxer from bell to bell and knocked him down hard at the end of the first round. This was statistically the third biggest upset in UFC history, but the way the fight played out was completely out of the realm of consideration by anyone that knew either fighter.
1. Gervonta Davis vs Ryan Garcia
This fight is responsible for the growing trend in boxing, in which the best actually fight the best. The star power of these two made the announcement of this fight an absolute explosion in the fight world. Since this was not for the title, it was even more impressive that they both agreed to take this fight. Additionally, the way Gervonta Davis absolutely dominated the social media darling in Ryan Garcia made the fight all the more special for hard core boxing fans. There were even non fight fans that tuned into this bout because of how much hype surrounded the event. In retrospect, fight fans will recognize this event as the turning of the leaf in boxing matchmaking, proving it was the most important main event of 2023.
