mano a mano

one-on-one

Direct, between two

• tête-à-têteIntimate two-person discussion
• heart-to-heartSincere personal discussion
• intimateClosely personal or private

private · candid · frank · direct · facetime · eyeball · individual · unmediated · personal

showdown

Decisive final confrontation

• faceoffDirect competitive confrontation
• standoffUnresolved confrontation between opponents
• clashViolent disagreement or collision

duel · matchup · encounter · challenge · throwdown · reckoning · staredown · ultimatum

boxing

Combat sport using fists

• wrestlingCombat sport requiring holds
• sparringPractice combat training
• boutLimited stretch of something

pugilism · prizefighting · grappling · octagon · heavyweight · kickboxing · jiujitsu · judo · karate · fencing

rivalry

Ongoing contest between opponents

• contestOrganized competitive event
• opponentsThose who compete against
• adversariesThose who oppose you

championship · tournament · contenders · challenger · defending · underdog · rematch · tiebreaker · finals · elimination

handshake

Mutual palm-gripping gesture

• bargainingNegotiating mutually acceptable terms
• dealmakingNegotiating mutual agreements
• parleyDiscussion between opposing sides

haggling · backroom · bilateral · mediation · arbitration · settlement · compromise · diplomacy

• competitioncompete, competitor, contender, winner, sports
• duelsduel, sword duel, pistol duel, one-on-one, single combat
• fighting wordsfight me, bring it, square up, throw hands, step outside
• one-on-one encountersduel, match, bout, showdown, face-off
• showdownsshowdown, face-off, faceoff, confrontation, duel
• Spanish Wordsagua, adios, amigo, bueno, casa