Aside from having a large fanbase, Gohan might also be one of the most discussed characters in Dragon Ball Z. So much of the early arcs feel like they're about his growth as a person and as a warrior, yet by the end of DBZ, he's arguably the third most important character. However, that doesn't mean he hasn't had some great fights.
While he lacks the excitement for battle his dad has, Gohan has been responsible for some of the best fights in Dragon Ball Z and Dragon Ball Super. He's defeated major villains and saved the world several times, often without getting the credit that Goku or Vegeta do.
10 Gohan vs. Raditz Revealed Gohan's Potential
Dragon Ball Z Episode 5, "Gohan's Rage"
Dragon Ball Z fans witnessed Gohan's potential for the first time against the very first enemy on the show. After Raditz kidnaps Gohan, he picks a fight with Goku and Piccolo. However, neither of them were anywhere near Raditz's power, despite being the two strongest people on the planet. The only person who came close to Raditz's strength was an angry five-year-old Gohan.
After witnessing his dad being harmed by a stranger, Gohan unleashed his rage for the first time. He destroyed Raditz's ship and then launched himself at Raditz, scoring the first painful blow on the Saiyan. Gohan's actions were what helped turn the tide against Raditz. This fight ranks low though, because while Gohan's actions were vital, he's not the one who wins this battle or even fights in most of it.
9 Gohan vs. Cell Juniors Gave The Good Guys A Major Win In The Cell Saga
Dragon Ball Z Episode 185, "Awakening"
This is definitely one of the most satisfying fights in the Cell Saga, not just for Gohan fans, but fans of the Z Warriors. After Goku gave up against Cell, Cell's confidence shot up so high that he just started making up powers. Suddenly, he was capable of creating tiny mini-clones almost as strong as he was to beat up Gohan's friends, all in an attempt to get him to bring out his true power.
When Cell finally saw Gohan's true power, though, he realized pushing so hard might have been a mistake. The Cell Juniors felt the might of Super Saiyan 2, with Gohan tearing through them with ease. It was the first time anyone on Dragon Ball Z hit someone so hard they exploded on contact. Ridiculous as it looked, it was nice to see Gohan finally accept how strong he is.
8 Gohan vs. Piccolo Allowed Gohan To Regain His True Power
Dragon Ball Super Episode 88, "Gohan and Piccolo Master and Pupil Clash in Max Training!"
Just before the Tournament of Power, Gohan knew he needed to train to get back into fighting shape. He went straight to Piccolo to get the training he needed, in a shoutout to Gohan's training arc in the Saiyan Saga. Just like back then, Piccolo didn't hold back, pushing Gohan to his limits. However, since Gohan was severely out of practice, he allowed Piccolo to overwhelm him at first.
Eventually, Gohan was able to push his limits, re-awakening the hidden power he got from the Kai. While it didn't make much sense from a lore perspective, it was awesome seeing Gohan regain his Ultimate form again. Though Gohan had abandoned the path of the warrior to become a teacher, here, viewers were reminded that a Saiyan warrior's instincts never truly go away.
7 Gohan and Frieza vs. Dyspo Proved Gohan's Determination To Win
Dragon Ball Super Episode 124, "A Storm-and-Stress Assault! Gohan's Last Stand!"
The Tournament of Power allowed for some unexpected team-up moments, like having Gohan and Frieza working together. Near the end of the tournament, it was pretty much only Universe 7's Z Warriors vs. Universe 11's Pride Troopers. Though some characters should be brought back because of how easily they were eliminated, their three best fighters required selflessness and teamwork on another level.
To defeat the speedster Dyspo, Gohan and Frieza had to work together to slow him down. With Frieza trapping them both in a cage of energy, Gohan had to beat Dyspo in straight hand-to-hand combat. While winning this fight ultimately eliminates Gohan from the battle, it still shows his grit and willingness to do whatever needs to be done to help his side win.
6 Gohan vs. Gamma 1 Revealed How Far Gohan Would Go To Protect His Daughter
Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero
Never get between a parent and their child. Gamma 1 learned this lesson the hard way in Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero. Though he was initially able to overpower Gohan, Gohan managed to pull from multiple Super Saiyan forms and eventually reach his Ultimate Form to overpower Gamma 1.
One of the big concerns for Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero was its transition to 3D animation. However, that might have also resulted in Gohan's best-choreographed fight by far. Instead of relying on reused animation and speedlines, this is just a hard-hitting, Saiyan vs. Android showdown. Plus, Gohan gets to bust out random wrestling moves, so what's not to like?
5 Future Gohan vs. Android 17 and Android 18 Showed Gohan At His Most Desperate And Heroic
Dragon Ball Z: History of Trunks
Future Gohan did his best to protect a dark timeline after the fall of both his dad, Piccolo, and anyone else who could've defended the planet. After the Androids arrived, they turned the world into their plaything, and only Gohan was strong enough to stand even half a chance against them.
Future Gohan's last battle against the Androids is legendary. Despite being outclassed, he takes on both of them, pressuring them until they're forced to get serious. Bonus points go to the dub, where Gohan gives a chilling speech that predicts Trunks' rise into a warrior who can finally take them both down. This fight only ranks lower because Gohan went on to achieve greater heights against more dangerous opponents in the main timeline.
4 Gohan vs. Super Buu Was Cut Short From Reaching Full Greatness
Dragon Ball Z Episode 263, "A Whole New Gohan"–Episode 266, "The Old Kai's Weapon"
Once again, Gohan fans were treated to what should've been a crowning moment for the character in his battle against Super Buu. After both Goku and Vegeta failed to bring down Majin Buu, everything once again fell on Son Gohan's shoulders. While he lost his match against Dabura, time in the Other World getting a boost from the Old Kai helped him reach his full potential.
Returning to Earth, Gohan had everything he needed — the power, the motivation, and the confidence necessary to win. Gohan gave Super Buu a thrashing he'd never forget, and for a moment, it felt like Gohan was going to be the main character. However, Gohan took slightly too long to finish Buu off, allowing him to absorb Gotenks to overpower him again.
3 Gohan and Piccolo vs. Saonel and Pirina Displayed Piccolo And Gohan's Teamwork
Dragon Ball Super Episode 118, "Accelerating Tragedy Vanishing Universes"
The Tournament of Power gave Gohan some great moments, but his team-up with Piccolo was the best. Near the end of the tournament, the two were forced to face Saonel and Pirina, two Namekians with abnormally high power levels, and one big secret. The two of them had absorbed every other Namekian on their planet for the sake of their shared survival.
This fight was a full-circle moment for Gohan and Piccolo. After years of battles, Gohan was finally able to be the fighter he wasn't as a child. Not only was he able to protect Piccolo the same way Piccolo protected him against Nappa, but he gave Piccolo enough time to charge up his Special Beam Cannon attack. This fight was for every fan who grew up watching all the Saiyan Saga reruns.
2 Gohan vs. Cell Max Allowed Gohan To Save The Day Again
Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero
Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero's biggest achievement had to be allowing Gohan to be the main hero again. After years of leaving things to his dad or Vegeta, Super Hero placed Gohan front and center for all the action. After convincing the Gammas they were both being misled, Gohan is left fighting Cell Max, a mindless yet more powerful version of the Ultimate Lifeform.
While Gohan struggles at first, Cell makes the mistake of trying to kill Piccolo, causing Gohan to achieve a new transformation. Entitled "Beast form," this version of Gohan represents the height of Gohan's potential as a human. Wielding this new power, Gohan was able to make quick work of Cell Max, saving everyone without having to rely on the usual cast.
1 Gohan vs. Cell Is One Of The Best Moments In Dragon Ball Z History
Dragon Ball Z Episode 181, "Faith in a Boy"–Episode 191 "Save the World"
While the Cell Saga has some flaws, Gohan's transformation into Super Saiyan 2 and subsequent fight against Perfect Cell are both good enough to forgive all of them. Everything in Dragon Ball Z felt like it was building to the moment when Gohan finally took the place of his dad as protector of the Earth. Though he didn't want to fight at first, eventually Cell brought out enough of his rage for Gohan to attain the true next level of Super Saiyan, becoming even stronger than Goku.
From there, even Cell's perfection wasn't enough to pose a decent threat. While Cell's last-ditch gambit allowed him to come back stronger than before, even that wasn't enough to defeat Gohan when he finally gave it his all. This stands as Gohan's best fight because it recognizes Gohan reaching his full potential — and also because the Father-Son Kamehameha is one of anime's best moments.
