showdown, face-off, matchup, match-up, encounter; clash, confrontation, conflict, battle; fighting, strife, hostilities; addressing (e.g. of an issue or problem with an aggressive approach); match
to confront, to face, to stand up to, (a person or force aggressively); to face, to confront, to address, to deal with, to meet, to tackle, to cope with, to handle, to contend, to contend with (e.g. reality, an issue, a problem); to counter, to combat (e.g. a threat, terrorism, criminal activity); to pit (two sides against each other); to take on, to face off, to face off against, to fight, to engage, to clash (e.g. take on somebody in a challenge) (+ a)