History Main / Cockfight

* ''LightNovel/AiNoKusabi'' has the two {{Yandere}}s Iason and Guy fighting over the latter's former lover which Iason refuses to let go of.

* This trope is PlayedWith in ''Fanfic/TheNightUnfurls''. Kyril is [[CelibateHero not interested in romance]], but there are cases where a guy who wants to get a girl believes that Kyril wants the same as him. They include [[RoyalBrat Michelle]] (for Maia) and Morgan (for Grace; remastered version). The latter is [[InvokedTrope invoked]] by Kyril as a BatmanGambit to [[IShallTauntYou provoke]] Morgan, hence getting rid of him.

* Played for [[RuleOfCute aww-ness]] in the backstory of Franchise/KingdomHearts, Sora and Riku always compete for Kairi's affection (she supports the friendly rivalry, oblivious to the reason). [[WhamEpisode But things]] [[RivalTurnedEvil don't go]] [[TheUnchosenOne that smooth]] [[KudzuPlot later]]... [[IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy at first]]

* In ''Literature/ProtectorOfTheSmall'', Kel breaks one up in her role as commander (/referee) of a refugee camp. She [[PutTheirHeadsTogether bangs the combatants’ heads together]] twice to settle them down, makes them grateful to be sent to a healer instead of a flogging, and gives the woman involved a public lecture and a week of [[PunishmentDuty latrine detail]] for encouraging two much-needed fighters to beat each other up for her own vanity instead of declaring her choice as tradition dictates.

Contrast CourtlyLove, IfICantHaveYou, and StalkerWithACrush. See also OppositesAttractRevenge for what this might lead to, and LoverTugOfWar, a rough DistaffCounterpart that is usually more light-hearted.

** The [[RunningGag staple]] of the first season had him and Slater fighting over Kelly. By the beginning of season two, she ultimately chose Zack, [[ForegoneConclusion but ypu knew this already.]]

* ''Series/{{Friends}}'' episode " The One with The Football" sees Joey and Chandler competing for the attention of a Dutch girl who happens to be in the park while the gang are playing touch football. When their competition starts to get out of hand Ross decides to put an end to it by asking her who she'd rather go out with. She chooses Chandler...only to be put off by his gloating and decides she doesn't want either of them. Chandler is briefly disappointed but happily points out that "the Dutch girl picked me!"

* Let's just say Germany and Japan ended up in one over Italy in ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11886910/1/Gankona-Unnachgiebig-Unità Gankona, Unnachgiebig, Unità]]''. If Italy hadn't intervened, it would have become a case of MurderTheHypotenuse.

* Lampshaded and averted in ''Fanfic/PokemonResetBloodlines''. Iris compares [[TheHero Ash]] and [[TheRival Paul]] squaring off at each other in Chapter 18 with two male Pokémon competing for a mate and asks Misty whether this is normal teenage human behavior, but Misty explains to her that's not what's happening. However, and no matter how ridiculous the scenario of Paul somehow "winning" her from Ash in a fight was, [[NoJustNoReaction the mere idea of it was enough to make Misty throw up in her mouth a little.]]

* The opening trap in ''Film/Saw3D'' concerns two best friends who were dating the same woman who are forced to choose between each other's lives or that of the woman. They spend a good minute trying to kill each other and get the girl, [[SubvertedTrope until they realize]] that their girlfriend was a two-timing, backstabbing adulterer who was playing them both, causing them to put BrosBeforeHoes and cut her in half.

[[folder:Web Comics]]

[[folder:Literature]]
* Edward and Jacob over Bella in ''Literature/{{Twilight}}''.
* Variation in ''Literature/FriedGreenTomatoesAtTheWhistleStopCafe'': In the book, Ruth's husband fights with Ruth's lesbian lover, Imogen (Idgie), when Ruth says she wants to escape her abusive marriage to live with her.
* ''Literature/ColasBreugnon'' has the protagonist reminiscencing on his young love, which eventually drove him to fight his friend Pinon for her affections, to the death (but nobody died, though there was a lot of bleeding). Both competitors are even referred to as roosters.
* In ''Literature/OurMutualFriend'' by Charles Dickens, a rivalry of this nature springs up between upper-class lawyer Eugene Wrayburn and schoolteacher Bradley Headstone, over Lizzie Hexam. Particularly in Headstone's case, it's debatable whether love for Lizzie or hatred for the other man is stronger.
* In ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'' there was a non-heroic example of this long before the events of the book. Though she eventually married Eddard Stark, as a child Catelyn was betrothed to his older brother Brandon (who died in an unrelated incident) but was loved by a young Petyr Baelish (who would grow up to become the series premiere MagnificentBastard Littlefinger). This rivalry over Catelyn eventually led Petyr to challenge Brandon to a duel for Catelyn, where he got utterly [[CurbStompBattle curb stomped]]. The [[StartOfDarkness resulting effect on his character]] causes no end of problems for the whole of Westeros.
** Also in the back story is the cock fight to end all cock fights. Robert was rather understandably furious when Rhaegar kidnapped/eloped with Lyanna, his betrothed, which then sparked a ''war''. When Rhaegar and Robert finally met at the end of said war, they had an epic battle that Rhaegar fatally lost. Unfortunately for pretty much everyone, Lyanna died anyway.
* ''Literature/AmeliaPeabody'' finds watching her husband Emerson fight the 'Master Criminal' Sethos for her quite an 'interesting and stimulating sensation.
* Played with in ''Literature/HarryPotter'' with [[spoiler: Lily Evans, James Potter and Severus Snape. What subverts it is that the resentment existed not ''just'' because of Lily; Snape hated James because of James' charmed life and popularity, and James hated Snape because he was a budding [[ANaziByAnyOtherName Death Eater]]. James couldn't understand why Lily would be friends with someone not only generally unpleasant, but who viewed people of her birth as inferior. Lily eventually cut all ties with Snape when he called her a Mudblood, and in their last talk made clear she could no longer justify or excuse him. Meanwhile, once James matured and became a bit more humble, she fell for him, even marrying him when they got out of school.]]
* According to Creator/DaveBarry, elk do this until the female leaves in boredom, at which point the winning male has taken so much brain damage he mates with the first thing he sees, including shrubbery.
--> This is the great irony of macho behavior: women never seemed impressed by it.
* ''Literature/JourneyToChaos'': Siron of Esrah and Culmus of Stratos fight each over Princess Kasile. They're so intense about it that they are not allowed to joust each other for fear of "accidents". In the aftermath of a RescueArc, she has to plead with them not to fight each other and even then there's a close call with StabTheScorpion. When they make their DeclarationOfProtection to her, they glance sidelong at each other: "Your Highness is safe with ''me''." This state of affairs is even more depressing for Kasile than the typical version; she confides in Eric, [[LikeBrotherAndSister her surrogate big brother]] that she hoped they would become BashBrothers.
* In ''[[Literature/ApprenticeAdept Out of Phaze]]'' by Creator/PiersAnthony, Mach's lover encourages a rival to challenge him to a Game, puts herself up as a prize for the winner, and then betrays Mach. This is an unusual case, as the woman is actually manipulating the CockFight herself, and it's ultimately a way for her to dump her current boyfriend (who she's gotten bored with) without looking fickle (though everyone who sees it knows what's going on, except Mach).
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* ''Webcomic/{{Homestuck}}'' had a bizarre instance of this resulting from culture clash. In short: [[TheNapoleon Karkat]] thinks [[DeadpanSnarker Dave]] is dating [[TheTrickster Terezi]], which [[SheIsNotMyGirlfriend Dave denies]]. Karkat also wants to date Terezi, and suggests an unnecessarily complicated form of {{polyamory}} as a solution. Dave is [[NoJustNoReaction mortified]] that they're even having this conversation. Fisticuffs ensue when Karkat tries to draw a diagram of his plan, the boys spend several pages squabbling over a pen, Dave forces Karkat to draw several penises with said pen, and Karkat [[SincerityMode tells Dave]] to [[FoeYay stop flirting with him]].

For literal animal fights, see BeastlyBloodsports and {{Mon}}.

* PlayedWith in ''{{Series/Firefly}}'' in “War Stories”. Mal has never wanted Zoe romantically, but he goads Wash, who’s been jealous of his and Zoe’s friendship lately, into thinking he does so that Wash won’t break when they’re being tortured. Later, Wash gets annoyed by Zoe and Mal mocking it
-->'''Mal''':Your husband has demanded that we get it on
-->'''Zoe''' : I understand. We have no choice. Take me sir, take me hard
-->'''Wash''' *Grabs Zoe before Mal can kiss her* We’ll be in our bunk

* Taken one step further in one GameMod for ''VideoGame/FridayNightFunkin'', ''VideoGame/FridayNightFunkinMinus'', when ''three'' guys are fighting over a girl instead of two. Half of ''Minus'''s plot is that Beta, Blue, and Mean Boyfriend are in love with Girlfriend, who has them fighting for her her affection.

* ''Manga/{{Horimiya}}'' features a rare mixed gender version, where Miyamura finds himself competing with the resident {{Schoolgirl Lesbian|s}} Sawada for Hori's attention. Hori is less than amused by them fighting over her and just avoids both of them until they start getting along.

* In ''Series/MalcolmInTheMiddle'', Hal and Lois each set their babysitter up with, respectively, Abe and Craig, and she tries to date them both simultaneously until it leads to this. The two guys [[HollywoodNerd being who they are]], though, it's just a furious [[WimpFight slap fight]], and she chooses to dump both of them and "concentrate on her career" (despite having managed to lose the baby in all the excitement).

* ''Series/{{Friends}}'' episode "TheOneWith The Football" sees Joey and Chandler competing for the attention of a Dutch girl who happens to be in the park while the gang are playing touch football. When their competition starts to get out of hand Ross decides to put an end to it by asking her who she'd rather go out with. She chooses Chandler...only to be put off by his gloating and decides she doesn't want either of them. Chandler is briefly disappointed but happily points out that "the Dutch girl picked me!"

* Purposely invoked by a hyponotized Smurfette in ''WesternAnimation/TheSmurfs'' episode "Romeo And Smurfette" when she fell under the influence of Gargamel's hypnotic flower, and she chose Hefty and Handy as her primary suitors, which led them and the whole village into a ShipToShipCombat.