Best Sports on TV and Stream this Weekend (October 27-30, 2023)
After a blockbuster week last time out, with huge results in the UFC and Premier League especially, we go even bigger this weekend. Massive finals, intriguing clashes, and big rivalry matches are in store on a weekend which will live long in the memory. Let’s take a look at what we have in store for us in the world of sport.
Rugby Union World Cup Final: New Zealand vs. South Africa (October 28th)
After what has been a cracking tournament, the Rugby World Cup comes to its conclusion this weekend, with the two historic powerhouses of New Zealand and South Africa going heads up in the final for the first time since 1995.
Both countries have won the World Cup a record 3 times, with New Zealand being the most feared Rugby nation for the past 10 years, including back-to-back wins in 2011 and 2015. South Africa won the 2019 edition, along with beating New Zealand in that classic 1995 matchup.
These two really are the most deserving, with South Africa getting past both France and England to get here, and New Zealand beating out an Ireland side that had won 17 games in a row before their quarter final matchup.
In terms of who is the favorite for the final, New Zealand are slight favorites at online sportsbooks, but it’s almost impossible to call with any real confidence. South Africa’s power will be a tough test for New Zealand, and the All Blacks’ trickery and pace will be tough for the Springboks.
Whoever comes out on top, this should be a classic match to round off a classic World Cup.
Boxing: Tyson Fury vs. Francis Ngannou (October 28th)
In the world of boxing, there has been huge debate in recent years about the state of the sport, especially with “influencer boxing” and other types of gimmick fights becoming more common after the huge spectacle that was UFC star Conor McGregor vs. boxing legend Floyd Mayweather in 2017.
The money that fight generated woke a lot of fight promoters to the potential of these crossover fights, and the rise of social media star Jake Paul in the boxing world, fighting MMA legends such as Nate Diaz and Tyron Woodley, just furthered that idea.
Why does all of this matter? Well, this weekend, WBC heavyweight champion of the world Tyson Fury is going up against former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou in a boxing ring. The fight, dubbed “The Battle of the Baddest”, is intriguing due to Ngannou’s ferocious power in the octagon, but the fact that Fury has taken this fight before a unification bout with Oleksandr Usyk or a British matchup against Anthony Joshua has frustrated many boxing fans.
Fury will go into this bout a heavy favorite, but the spectacle should be fantastic, especially taking place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. As we have said in other such fights, the unfancied opponent, Ngannou, definitely has a punchers chance, especially with his power.
But Fury is one of the trickiest and most technical boxers of our generation, and the smart money is on him to come out on top.
Premier League: Manchester United vs. Manchester City (October 29th)
A Manchester derby in the Premier League is always a treat, no matter where the teams are in the league. Manchester United and Manchester City have given us classic matches over the years, with goals that will live long in the memory (Wayne Rooney, Mario Balotelli, Michael Owen, the list goes on).
And even though Manchester United are in 8th place at the moment, they have shown signs recently of improving, winning their last two games. Beating Brentford and Sheffield United 2-1 in back to back games is not easy, especially with the team performing as bad as they had done before, but Erik ten Hag’s men have shown resilience that will stand them in good stead against City.
Scott McTominay has been in fine form in the midfield, scoring twice late against Brentford and also scoring against Sheffield United, and he will be crucial to their chances of getting something from the game at Old Trafford.
Man City, on the other hand, sit top of the league, but they are definitely on a downward trend after winning the first 6 games in dominant fashion. They have lost two of their last three, with losses against Arsenal and Wolves, and they only just scraped past an admittedly excellent Brighton team 2-1 at the weekend.
Erling Haaland is still top of the goalscoring charts with 9 in 9 games, but he has missed a fair few chances in recent games, and has cut a frustrated figure with the absence of midfield maestro Kevin de Bruyne due to injury. He scored against Brighton, but he will want to be more involved against United if City are to win.
Formula 1: Mexican GP (October 29th)
After a hectic United States GP last weekend, with Lewis Hamilton almost dragging his Mercedes to first place before getting disqualified after the race for “excessive wear on the underfloor skid blocks”, we head to Mexico for what should be a fun and colorful race in Formula 1.
Max Verstappen has already won the Driver’s Championship, and Red Bull has already won the Constructor’s Championship, so there are no titles to race for, but we still have some fun racing ahead of us.
There are also some battles in the driver’s standing, with Lewis Hamilton almost catching up to Sergio Perez for 2nd place before his disqualification. A strong performance in Mexico could get him within touching distance again.
Further down the grid, Fernando Alonso has been performing well in his Aston Martin, and he will probably be battling Lando Norris’ McLaren and Carlos Sainz’s Ferrari for a podium spot in Mexico, and we will surely see some great overtakes and battles among that group.
But, of course, the Red Bull of Verstappen is the favorite to win on Sunday. Let’s see if anyone can break his dominance and come out on top.
Author: Dan Anderson