Highlights

• Luffy vs Arlong: Emotional weight added to an exciting fight to liberate Nami from oppression.
• Nami vs Kalifa: Nami uses her wits and weather science knowledge to defeat Kalifa in an impressive battle.
• Sanji vs Bon Clay: Underrated fight where Sanji defeats Bon Clay and forges a bond of friendship.

Eiichiro Oda's long-enduring manga and anime One Piece is quite easily one of the most captivating stories ever written and with the incredible careful story writing and worldbuilding, it's not a surprise to see it as popular as it is today. Being a shonen manga, One Piece has had its fair share of fights.

Even though they aren't the biggest selling point of the series, they're incredible nonetheless. Over the years, Luffy and his crew have been in countless battles and they've delivered some incredible action for the fans to enjoy. Among the swordfights and swashbuckling the series has to offer, here are some of the best battles in the series.

Updated by Rei Penber on February 15, 2024: the world of One Piece is absolutely massive, and fans have witnessed Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates go from island to island, embarking on several adventures and, along the way, fighting many battles as well. One Piece features quite a lot of exciting battles and, in the Final Saga, fans have already seen many exciting clashes being fought already. The story is getting more intense with each passing chapter and that means bigger fights and, of course, bigger stakes than ever before. While this list already goes over the best One Piece fights of all time, the final saga has seen to it that new fights be added to it as well. As such, this list has now been updated.

30 Luffy Vs Arlong

Arc: Arlong Park

Luffy versus Arlong is one of the most exciting fights that fans have witnessed in the story. This arc marked the culmination of Luffy's adventures across East Blue before receiving his first bounty. Luffy fought against Arlong, the captain of the Arlong Pirates, in order to secure Nami's freedom. Essentially, this was Luffy's very first attempt at liberating people from year-long oppression.

While the combat in this fight was exciting on its own, what made it even more special is the fact that quite a lot of emotional weight was added to it, thanks to Nami and the oppression that she had to live with deep in her heart ever since she was a child. Luffy absolutely crushed Arlong in the end right in the map room, where Nami slaved as a child.

29 Nami Vs Kalifa

Arc: Enies Lobby

Nami's battle against Kalifa is certainly an exciting one, and given that she is a character who doesn't often get into many incredible fights, this one was quite special. Nami has always been a character who uses her wits to get the better of her opponents. As such, a fight against a very powerful individual, such as Kalifa, was the perfect opportunity for Oda to draw an exciting battle with her.

In that regard, he certainly delivered. Nami used her amazing knowledge of weather science in this battle to the fullest and surprised Kalifa with one trick after another, eventually even tricking her to a point where she lost her cool and, with that, gave Nami an opportunity to strike her down. Nami's advanced lightning manipulation powers shone brightly in this arc and were enough to take down this member of the CP9.

28 Sanji Vs Bon Clay

Arc: Arabasta

Sanji has fought many battles in One Piece and one that often gets underrated quite a lot is the fight he fought against Bon Cay, also known as Mr. 2 of the Baroque Works. Bon Clay was quite powerful, and with his own fighting style that utilized legs primarily, he was the perfect match for Sanji. What made him even more dangerous were his swan shoes, which were powerful enough to pierce even solid steel itself.

This battle was quite difficult for Sanji, however, he was able to pull through, defeating Bon Clay and, more importantly, forging a bond of friendship. It was thanks to Sanji that Bon Clay became an ally of the Straw Hat Pirates, and later down the line, helped the crew, and even Luffy on separate occasions.

27 Nico Robin Vs Yama

Arc: Skypiea

Nico Robin is a character who hasn't received many fights in One Piece and that is quite unfortunate, given that her ability is absolutely incredible whenever it is put on display. Robin's fights are usually quite brutal and in Skypiea, she received her first proper fight in One Piece as a Straw Hat. Robin fought against Yama, one of the followers of Enel, and she absolutely demolished him in battle.

Initially, Robin was not too intent on taking him down, however, once he started wrecking the ruins that she dearly wanted to protect, Robin lost her cool and completely obliterated him in combat, beating him until he completely passed out and showing her superiority as a fighter of the straw hat crew.

26 Kid And Law Versus Big Mom

Arc: Wano

Trafalgar Law and Eustass Kid combined their forces to find Yonko Big Mom in the Wano Country arc of One Piece. This fight was a big hit and a miss for many fans, simply because of how Oda chose to handle Big Mom in this fight. While the action and the new abilities that Law and Kid displayed were certainly very intriguing and exciting, the downsides of the fight came from Big Mom's side. Despite being a Yonko, Big Mom barely utilized her powerful Haki, which didn't make much sense, throughout the fight.

In fact, her inability to use Conqueror's Haki seemed way too convenient for both Law and Kid. What's more, both Law and Kid seemed to be invulnerable to any damage that she threw their way and it took away tension from the fight. Nonetheless, some action sequences throughout the fight were certainly decent and while it is by no means the best One Piece fight, for some fans, it does the job.

25 Luffy Versus Lucci (Rematch)

Arc: Egghead

Luffy ended up fighting against Lucci once again in the final saga of One Piece. When Luffy arrived on Egghead Island, it was made pretty clear shortly afterwards that the CP0 were headed to the same place. However, their goal was not to target the Straw Hat Pirates. Instead, they were gunning for Dr. Vegapunk for reasons of their own.

When Lucci attacked a body of Dr. Vegapunk, namely Atlas, Luffy was enraged and the two broke into a fight shortly afterwards. What was surprising for the fans was the fact that Luffy entered his Nika state immediately, and Rob Lucci displayed his newly Awakened Devil Fruit powers as well. The two clashed for quite some time and Luffy proved to be completely superior to him in every way, as is expected of a Yonko. Nonetheless, Oda also threw in some callbacks to their first fight from Enies Lobby and, it goes without saying that this fight was extremely nostalgic for the fans. For this reason, this clash is certainly one of the very best fights in One Piece in the Final Saga.

24 Luffy vs Kizaru

Arc: Egghead

Luffy recently traded blows with Kizaru and this proved to be one of the most intense fights in the Final Saga so far. Initially, Luffy engaged him in Snakeman, however, and that proved to not be enough, so he turned to Gear 5. Gear 5 was more than enough for Kizaru and it kept him at bay, even though Luffy was not actively trying to best him in combat.

His only goal was to keep the others alive while they made their preparations and he succeeded in doing that. At the end of the fight, shortly before Gear 5 ran out, Luffy landed a powerful blow called White Star Gun on Kizaru and completely knocked him down. Kizaru was put in a state where he couldn't stand up and Luffy was, undoubtedly, the victor of the fight.

23 Zoro Vs Ryuma

Arc: Thriller Bark

Zoro fought against Ryuma in the Thriller Bark arc of One Piece. This arc can't be everyone's favorite, however, the fights that it featured were certainly amazing. One of the very best fights that the fans saw in this saga was the one between Zoro and Ryuma. In order to retrieve Brooks' shadow, Zoro confronted the zombie samurai, and this battle, although short-lived, was an incredible one with high intensity.

At the end of it, Zoro defeated Ryuma and, as a gift, he received Shusui from him. Zoro later took this sword to Wano and returned it to the people, and in exchange, he received the famed blade Enma.

22 Blackbeard Pirates Versus Heart Pirates

Arc: Egghead

Blackbeard Pirates versus the Heart Pirates took place after the events of Wano Country. After Trafalgar Law left Wano, Blackbeard intercepted him on the seas and the two ended up clashing on Winner Island. On this island, Law and Blackbeard clashed and the former actually held his own very well against the Yonko. By using his Awakened Devil Fruit powers, Law was able to hurt Blackbeard quite seriously.

Sadly, much of the fight was skipped over and fans only got to see the aftermath of their battle. It was revealed that Blackbeard had triumphed over Law. While the full fight was never seen, the excitement that the clash generated was incredible. It remains to be one of the most exciting fights in One Piece in the Final Saga.

21 Whitebeard Vs Akainu

Arc: Marineford

Whitebeard versus Akainu was a short-lived fight, however, it is certainly one of the best ones in One Piece. This fight came directly after Ace ended up dying and Whitebeard was enraged.

Despite having holes in his chest and one foot in the grave, Whitebeard still took on the strongest Admiral and absolutely demolished him in combat, breaking all of his bones and sending him crashing down below the surface of Marineford. Of course, Akainu returned later on, however, Whitebeard absolutely destroyed him in this fight and proved himself to be the victor.

20 Yamato Versus Kaido

Arc: Wano

Yamato was introduced to the fans in the Wano Country country arc and she played quite an important role throughout it. When Luffy was knocked out by Kaido, shortly after learning the ability to infuse Conqueror's Haki, it was Yamato who held the Yonko back from killing everyone in the skull dome. Yamato revealed the powers of the Inu Inu no Mi, Model: Okuchi no Makami, which were nothing short of spectacular to look at.

With the Devil Fruit power and an advanced mastery over Haki, she was able to combat Kaido and hold him off in a very impressive manner. Yamato went toe to toe with the Yonko and this fight shortly delivered everything that fans had expected of it, and more. Not only did it elevate the character that is Yamato and explain the relationship that she shared with her father, but it also gave fans a look into the incredible power this monstrous character possessed.

19 Smoker Versus Vergo

Arc: Punk Hazard

Smoker and Vergo traded blows during the Punk Hazard arc of One Piece in what was quite a surprising fight for most fans. The two Navy Vice Admirals used the full extent of their abilities against each other and delivered what was an action-packed fight, especially in the anime.

With high-level Haki, some clever usage of Devil Fruit abilities, and incredible choreography, this fight stands out as one of One Piece's best. Eventually, Smoker set up Law to take Vergo down by taking his heart back from Vergo.

18 Shanks Versus Kid

Arc: Egghead

Shanks Versus Kid is one of the most incredible fights that took place in One Piece after the conclusion of the Wano arc, despite being one of the very shortest fights seen in One Piece. As soon as Kid was done with his adventure in Wano, he followed the Log Pose and, to his surprise, it took him to Elbaf. Before reaching this incredible island, Eustass Kid was confronted by the fleet of Red Haired Shanks and the two pirate groups ensued in combat.

Shanks immediately heard of it and realized that Kid had come for him. As expected, he went to confront Kid himself, fearing that his allies could be hurt. When Kid was about to destroy the vast majority of Shanks' fleet, who are famously weak, Shanks sprung into action and took down Eustass Kid, a pirate worth 3 billion berries, in a single swing of his sword. What was even more exciting for the fans was the fact that Shanks was using the same technique that Roger used, meaning that he has inherited the finding style of the late Pirate King, Gol D. Roger. Shanks' attack didn't just take down Kid but Killer as well. The Giants of Elbaf, Dorry and Broggy, who fans are familiar with already, followed up and destroyed Victoria Punk. On this day, the Kid Pirates were utterly decimated.

17 Nami Vs Ms. Doublefinger

Arc: Alabasta

Nami's fight against Ms. Doublefinger is quite an underrated one and is definitely one of One Piece's best fights. Although Nami isn't strong like the Monster Trio of the crew and is a part of the Weak Trio, her fights are almost always intriguing. She relies on her wits and her knowledge of science to best her enemies, and that's precisely what she did against Ms. Doublefinger.

Despite having little to no skill in fighting, Nami overcame a massive obstacle, which made her fight even better. Furthermore, the stakes that the fight carried for the survival of the land of Alabasta made it all the better for fans to witness as Nami fought not just for herself, but for Vivi too.

16 Sanji Versus Jabra

Arc: Enies Lobby

One of Sanji's biggest fights so far came against Jabra, during the Enies Lobby arc of One Piece. Jabra, being a master of the Rokushiki, was incredibly skilled and proved quite a challenge for Sanji to overcome.

To defeat him, Sanji had to tap into the powers of Diable Jambe, a technique that set his foot ablaze. With this power, he was able to finish Jabra off without much trouble. Thanks to Diable Jambe, Sanji got a lot stronger, and even became powerful enough to burn through the Iron Body of his enemies. Undoubtedly, this clash reigns as one of the best One Piece fights.

15 Nico Robin Versus Black Maria

Arc: Wano

Nico Robin is rarely ever seen fighting in One Piece. Before the Wano Country arc, her last major battle came during the Skypiea arc, where she fought Yama. Since then, Robin has had small skirmishes, such as the one with Hammond on Fishman Island.

The Wano Country arc changed all that though, when Robin fought Black Maria, a member of the Tobiroppo. Black Maria, being incredibly skilled, dominated the fight. However, Robin was able to use two new powers in Grande Fleur and then Demonio Fleur to overpower her and take her down in a crushing manner.

14 Zoro Versus King

Arc: Wano

Zoro's fight against King in the Wano Country arc was destined to happen. When the two finally clashed with each other, it turned out to be anything but a dull affair. Zoro, despite being strong, was dominated by King throughout the battle and his own sword, Enma, refused to listen to him.

Eventually though, Zoro managed to get a grip on his sword and channeled the maximum amount of Haki through it. This allowed him to use both Ryou and Conqueror's Haki through his swords. While King was certainly powerful, he wasn't strong enough to take Zoro down.

13 The Scabbards Versus Kaido

Arc: Wano

The Nine Red Scabbards finally got a chance to take Kaido down after waiting 20 years to avenge Oden and the fight certainly lived up to all expectations. With incredible teamwork, they were able to deliver some serious injuries to Kaido, which is a big deal in itself.

What's more, they followed it up with their Oden Two Sword Style attack, called Paradise Totsuka, which weakened Kaido quite a bit. Unfortunately, they didn't have what it took to defeat Kaido and ended up failing in the end. However, their effort was commendable nonetheless, and certainly made for a great watch.

12 Straw Hat Pirates Vs Oars

Arc: Thriller Bark

Quite easily, one of the very best battles in One Piece came in the Thriller Bark arc, where the Straw Hat Pirates had to combine their forces to fight Oars, the Continent Puller that was reanimated by Moria using the power of his shadow Devil Fruit. Moria put Luffy's shadow in Oars, making sure that he was the strongest zombie that he had.

Of course, Oars proved to be quite difficult for the Straw Hat Pirates to take on in battle. Even when the entire crew channeled their strength together, they struggled against him. However, what made this battle truly special is that it brought together the entire crew and had them fighting together. This was a rare sight in One Piece as, usually, every single one of them fights their individual battles. This was a one-of-a-kind experience for fans and it certainly delivered some amazing moments that remain special to this day. In the end, the entire crew collaborated to take down Oars, with the final blow being delivered by Luffy.

11 Ace Versus Blackbeard

Arc: Post Enies Lobby

Ace's great search for Blackbeard finally ended on Banaro Island in the Grand Line, where the two fought to their heart's content. The fight gave the fans a clear look at the abilities of both Ace's Mera Mera no Mi and Blackbeard's Yami Yami no Mi Devil Fruit abilities.

Ace threw everything that he had Blackbeard's way and managed to injure him quite a lot as well; however, Blackbeard was simply on a different level compared to him. The fight ended in Ace's failure, which triggered the biggest war in One Piece to date.