Before anything else, Goku is a fighter. Living for battle and always working to grow stronger, the hero of Dragon Ball loves nothing more than fighting strong opponents. Combined with his responsibility to protect his friends, family, and home, this leads to Goku taking on all forms of powerful villains.
While Goku's early fights as a kid were against other mortals such as Master Roshi, Tien, and Piccolo, his modern brawls are against those on the level of gods, such as Beerus, Jiren, and Moro. As the main character of Dragon Ball, Goku's fights are unsurprisingly the greatest in the franchise, and there's no shortage of them to choose from when selecting the best of the best.
10 Goku vs Hit Got Fans Reinvigorated for Dragon Ball Super
After the Battle of Gods Arc and Resurrection F Arc earned Dragon Ball Super a negative response from fans, the first original arc of the series, the Universe 6 Arc, was a breath of fresh air. While this arc isn't universally loved, viewers enjoy the boisterous dynamic between Beerus and Champa, the introduction of Cabba, and, most especially, the climactic battle between Goku and Hit.
The fight between the strongest fighters from Universe 7 and Universe 6 is one of the most creative in modern Dragon Ball, as Hit doesn't rely on raw power; instead, he uses his signature Time-Skip technique, and his mysterious nature and lack of ill intentions make him one of the most interesting antagonists in the franchise. Goku piecing together Hit's ability through the fight is a great demonstration of his combat intelligence, and his combination of Super Saiyan Blue with the Kaio-Ken is one of the most exciting moments in Super. Goku's ultimate surrender is shocking, and Hit joining him in refusing to continue to play the gods' game is a perfect ending to the arc.
9 Goku vs Beerus Revived the Franchise
Were Goku and Beerus' first fight not one of the best the franchise has ever featured, Dragon Ball may have remained dormant like it was prior to the release of Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods. Powered up by his friends and family into a Super Saiyan God, Goku ascends to divine heights as he battles the God of Destruction in a universe-shaking bout.
With "Hero ~ Song of Hope" hyping fans up, Goku shows off the power of the Super Saiyan God transformation as he and Beerus clash in diverse locations across the planet, before finishing their fight in space. The animation is the best the franchise has seen up to this point. More than just a spectacle, Goku and Beerus discuss the meaning of strength as they fight, with Goku eventually abandoning the Super Saiyan God form to fight with his own power, and proudly losing as a result.
8 Goku and Piccolo vs Raditz Began the Z-Era with a Bang
The first fight in Dragon Ball Z kicks off the second era of the franchise with a bang. Raditz suddenly appears, reveals Goku's Saiyan heritage, and kidnaps Gohan, which forces Goku to team up with Piccolo for the first time. All of these events happen within the first two episodes of the series, and the stage is swiftly set for the first of many explosive fights between Saiyans.
Nowhere near as strong as Raditz, Goku, and Piccolo are forced to rely on techniques, teamwork, and trickery to defeat him. Even a four-year-old Gohan is forced to get involved, as he receives his first Rage Boost to critically injure Raditz. The high-octane martial arts shown off serve as a great transition between the previous series and Z, with Goku's strategy of grabbing Raditz's tail to weaken him harkening back to classic Dragon Ball. The ending is one of the biggest twists in the franchise, as Goku sacrifices himself to beat Raditz, allowing Piccolo to kill them both with a Special Beam Cannon.
7 Goku vs Jiren Was an Event
Goku vs Jiren takes place in the middle of the Tournament of Power, following dozens of episodes of build-up surrounding Jiren as the strongest competitor in the competition, and the man that Goku will have to defeat to protect Universe 7. Their eventual first fight was heavily advertised, making sure every Dragon Ball fan was tuned in, and it didn't disappoint.
Jiren comes off as an unstoppable force, as none of Goku's forms can keep up with him. Even when Goku launches a Spirit Bomb, it does nothing. This all builds up to the spectacular first appearance of Ultra Instinct. With his brand-new form unlike any seen before in the series, Goku fights Jiren on even footing, featuring some of the best animation in the series. It's a fight that leaves viewers wanting more, as Goku runs out of power, causing it to end prematurely.
6 Goku vs Frieza is One of the Most Legendary Anime Fights of All Time
Goku vs Frieza is infamous for being one of the longest fights in anime history. While some filler could stand to be cut out, the climax of the Frieza Saga is as legendary as the Super Saiyan transformation that makes its debut here, with many fans believing Dragon Ball Z should have ended after this fight.
Although the fight is long, multiple sections of the fight clearly tell a story through the combat. The first section features Goku at his best, as he's completely overpowered by Frieza, and forced to fight creatively and defensively. Piccolo briefly tags in, but that's just to give Goku a chance to charge and launch a Spirit Bomb. Frieza's fake-out defeat is perfect, and the emperor's survival is made all the more devastating once he murders Krillin. This leads to the part everyone remembers: Goku becoming a Super Saiyan. From there, it's a one-sided, cathartic beatdown, as Goku is finally able to make Frieza pay for all his evil, even as Namek explodes around them.
5 Goku vs Broly is Goku's Most Beautifully Animated Fight
For the longest time, Broly was arguably the most divisive Dragon Ball character, with some fans loving him for his overwhelming power and design while others saw him as a shallow embodiment of everything wrong with the series. This has changed in modern times, as Broly was completely reinvented in the film, Dragon Ball Super: Broly; he becomes a well-developed character and gives Goku one of his all-time best fights.
Kicking off with the best-ever transformation into Super Saiyan Blue, Goku and Broly start exchanging punches. The animation, choreography, and use of the environment are all glorious, and the contrast between Goku's martial skill and The Legendary Super Saiyan's savage ruthlessness is perfectly displayed. While it may lack in comparison to the film's dimension-shattering final fight between Gogeta and Broly, Goku and Broly's prior brawl is still a delicious appetizer.
4 Goku vs Tien Was a Battle of Ideals
Going into the 22nd World Martial Arts Tournament finals, Goku's priorities are avenging Yamcha and making up for his loss in the previous tournament's final round. While Goku's motivations are simple, things are much more complex for his opponent: the star student of the Crane School, Tien Shinhan.
As Goku and Tien clash with equal strength, Tien finds himself held back by his encounters with Master Roshi. Tien questions whether he wishes to travel down the path of the assassin like he's always planned, or if he wants to pursue a more noble path. Tien's character development throughout this fight is outstanding, as is the battle itself. Tien possesses one of the widest and most creative sets of techniques in the series, and Goku has equally inventive counters to all of them. Master Shen using Chiaotzu to cheat for Tien adds an extra level of drama to the proceedings; the climax is unforgettable, with Tien launching his first-ever Tri-Beam to destroy the arena and Goku losing another tournament.
3 Goku vs Piccolo Finally Saw Goku Win a Tournament
The final fight of the original Dragon Ball is also its best. Having lost both of the previous World Martial Arts Tournaments he's participated in, Goku seeks to finally claim victory while saving the world from the evil Piccolo Jr. With both fighters having already proven how strong they are in their previous battles against Chi-Chi and Tien, and Krillin and Kami, Goku's hard-fought victory here is the first time he cements himself as the world's strongest man.
Goku and Piccolo beat each other to bloody pulps, with Goku relying on his training from Kami to keep up, while Piccolo, having eaten Kami alive, uses him as a hostage. Piccolo tortures Goku with his energy blasts, stretchy arms, and giant-sized form, but it's Goku who ends the fight victoriously in an almost comically anti-climactic way when, echoing his defeat of King Piccolo, Goku slams his body into Piccolo Jr. to put him down.
2 Goku, Frieza, and 17 vs Jiren is an Epic Last Stand
The final fight in the Universe Survival Arc is among the shortest in the franchise, but it contains more action than fights ten times its length. All completely devastated by their previous battles, Goku, Frieza, and Android 17 put aside their differences to work together and overcome the unbreakable wall that is Jiren.
While Android 17 provides support and cover fire, the archenemies Goku and Frieza launch themselves at Jiren in a desperate assault. The fighting is lightning-fast, ferocious, and almost entirely without repeated animation. The choreography and animation are the best of any fight in a Dragon Ball TV series. The end of the fight is perfection, with Goku and Frieza solidifying the arc's themes of trust as they take out themselves and Jiren, leaving Android 17 as the winner of the Tournament of Power.
1 Goku, Krillin, Gohan, and Yajirobe vs Vegeta is the Best Fight in Dragon Ball
There is no greater rivalry in Dragon Ball than the classic conflict between Goku and Vegeta, and their first fight at the end of the Saiyan Saga remains their best. Also featuring Krillin, Gohan, and Yajirobe, this all-out brawl showcases some of the most dynamic action in the series while also wonderfully portraying the themes of the arc. Goku and Vegeta's first fight emphasizes Goku's status as a low-born Saiyan raised on Earth vs Vegeta's status as the elite Saiyan prince, and how Goku's humanity has made him stronger. The beam clashes between Goku and Vegeta are as iconic as it gets.
Goku uses the Kaio-Ken in an attempt to even stand a chance against Vegeta, even as it breaks apart his own body, making every successful attack feel earned. Things only get more exciting in the second half of the fight, with Great Ape Vegeta crushing Goku and Goku's friends and son having to step in to help. The teamwork the four surviving Z-Fighters show together is the best in the franchise, and by the time Vegeta is defeated and Krillin is the last man standing, the brutal injuries everyone's received show just how much it has taken to reach this point.
