From the moment Gohan headbutted Raditz as a child, it was clear that he wasn’t your average Saiyan hybrid—he was something more. Gohan’s journey in Dragon Ball has always been about untapped potential, raw emotion, and a quiet strength that rivals even Goku and Vegeta. While he’s often seen as a reluctant warrior—more scholar than soldier—when Gohan does choose to fight, he unleashes a ferocity and brilliance that stops time. These ten epic battles reveal the true depth of Gohan’s power and why, when pushed to the edge, he can be the strongest fighter in the entire multiverse.
#10: Gohan vs. Raditz – The First Burst of Power
Gohan’s earliest showcase of raw, unrefined power comes during the battle against Raditz. Though just a child trapped inside a space pod, Gohan senses Piccolo and Goku in danger, explodes with emotion, and shatters the pod in a blinding flash of energy. He rockets into Raditz’s chest with a headbutt so powerful it cracks his armor and leaves even the villain stunned.
This moment is important because it sets the tone for Gohan’s entire arc: a gentle soul with terrifying strength when pushed. While it’s short and uncontrolled, the emotional surge behind the attack shows that Gohan doesn’t need training or techniques to protect the people he loves. He just needs emotion. And it’s that emotional core—pure, explosive, and deeply human—that makes him one of the most dangerous fighters in the series when provoked.
#9: Gohan vs. Bojack – Unleashing Super Saiyan 2 Again
In the Dragon Ball Z: Bojack Unbound movie, Gohan is thrust into the spotlight again when Earth’s strongest fighters are overwhelmed by Bojack’s gang. With Goku stuck in the afterlife and the other Z Fighters incapacitated, it’s up to Gohan to face the alien pirate and his crew alone. And when Bojack threatens to kill his friends, Gohan snaps, transforming into Super Saiyan 2 for the first time since the Cell Games.
The transformation is electric, and the fight that follows is pure Gohan at his best—focused, fierce, and righteous. He destroys Bojack’s gang effortlessly, dodging blasts and landing brutal counters with surgical precision. It’s the moment that confirms Gohan’s Cell Games power wasn’t a one-time fluke. Given the right emotional trigger, Gohan will rise—and when he does, he dominates. It’s a fan-favorite battle and a strong reminder of what Gohan can do when he lets loose.
#8: Gohan vs. Dabura – Holding His Own as the Supreme Kai’s Hope
Though often criticized for being rusty during the Majin Buu Saga, Gohan’s battle against Dabura is still a clear example of his untapped strength. Dabura, the Demon King and right-hand to Babidi, is said to be on par with Cell. Yet Gohan, years out of serious training, keeps up with him—trading blows, blocking attacks, and matching his energy.
While Gohan doesn’t win outright, what’s remarkable is how much power he retains even without consistent training. The fact that Supreme Kai pins the hopes of the universe on Gohan speaks volumes. His performance against Dabura is a warning: even when not at his peak, Gohan’s base level is higher than most villains can handle. His instincts, inherited brilliance, and explosive potential never fade—they just need reawakening.
#7: Gohan vs. Nappa – First Real Combat Experience
Gohan’s first true trial by fire comes during the battle against Nappa and Vegeta. At just five years old, he faces off against Nappa, a mountain of a Saiyan who had already decimated the Z Fighters. While terrified and hesitant at first, Gohan ultimately steps up—charging into battle, blasting Nappa with unexpected strength, and even surviving brutal hits that would have crushed lesser fighters.
The significance of this fight lies in Gohan’s development. It’s the first time he fights because he has to, not just out of emotion. His power surges in response to fear, rage, and desperation, but also courage. It’s a messy, imperfect battle, but it reveals the seed of greatness. Piccolo, who had once written him off, sees his potential firsthand here—and begins to believe that Gohan may one day surpass even Goku. He wasn’t wrong.
#6: Gohan vs. Frieza (Golden Form) – Resurrection and Redemption
In Dragon Ball Super, Gohan re-enters the battlefield during the Resurrection ‘F’ arc to face a revived—and stronger—Frieza. While Frieza dominates most of the resistance, Gohan steps up to protect Earth in Goku’s absence. Though undertrained and far from his Cell Saga peak, Gohan taps into his dormant power, transforming into Super Saiyan and holding his ground against Frieza’s army—and even lands solid hits against Frieza himself.
This moment matters because it marks Gohan’s return to relevance. He nearly dies protecting others, proving that his fighting spirit was never truly gone. The fact that Frieza deems him dangerous enough to require elimination is proof of the threat he still poses. Gohan’s brief but determined performance reminds fans that beneath the glasses and scholar’s calm lies a Saiyan forged in fire. He doesn’t fight often—but when he does, he reminds the galaxy why he should never be underestimated.
#5: Gohan vs. Goku – Father-Son Showdown in the Tournament of Power Prelims
During the preliminary exhibition matches before the Tournament of Power in Dragon Ball Super, Gohan squares off against his father, Goku. This isn’t a typical father-son sparring match—it’s a brutal, strategic, and high-level fight that forces Gohan to unleash his full power. At this point, he has re-committed to his training, and it shows. He not only holds his own against Goku in Super Saiyan Blue but pushes him hard enough to make Goku acknowledge his son’s strength.
Gohan doesn’t transform—instead, he fights in his Ultimate form, relying on speed, precision, and tactics. The fact that he can trade blows with his Super Saiyan Blue father speaks volumes. More importantly, Gohan fights with intention. He’s not just trying to win; he’s trying to prove that his way—growing stronger without relying on Saiyan transformations—can stand toe-to-toe with the best. And he succeeds. The match ends in mutual respect and pride, with Goku declaring that Gohan is truly back. It’s a moment of legacy and legitimacy.
#4: Gohan vs. Super Buu – Ultimate Gohan’s Debut
After being trained by the Elder Kai and having his hidden power fully unlocked, Gohan returns to the battlefield to face Super Buu. What follows is one of the most dominant performances in Dragon Ball Z. Gohan doesn’t just fight Buu—he humiliates him. He dodges every punch, counters every blast, and taunts him with the calm confidence of a fighter who knows he has the upper hand.
This is Gohan in his prime—no longer driven by rage or desperation, but by control. Ultimate Gohan represents what he always had the potential to become: a warrior who doesn’t need transformations to stand at the top. His clean technique, strategic focus, and stoic demeanor make this fight stand out from others. Though it eventually ends in tragedy due to Gotenks and Buu’s tricks, the initial one-on-one bout is a stunning showcase of Gohan’s brilliance and maturity as a fighter.
#3: Gohan vs. Gamma 1 – Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero
In Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero, Gohan takes on Gamma 1, one of the powerful androids created by Dr. Hedo. Though he starts the fight in his base form, Gohan quickly escalates once his daughter Pan is threatened. The battle reignites the fire that’s long lain dormant in him. The choreography, intensity, and growth he shows are nothing short of spectacular.
What makes this fight special is how it mirrors Gohan’s earlier battles—hesitant at first, then explosive once his loved ones are in danger. As the fight progresses, Gohan taps into his old instincts, shedding the scholar and embracing the fighter. He even adapts mid-fight, going from defensive to aggressive, proving he still has the mind of a martial artist. This clash is a love letter to Gohan fans: a reawakening of the prodigy, tempered by years of wisdom.
#2: Gohan vs. Kefla – Tournament of Power
In one of the most strategic battles of the Tournament of Power, Gohan faces Kefla, the Potara fusion of Universe 6’s strongest female Saiyans, Caulifla and Kale. Unlike Goku’s bombastic fight with her earlier, Gohan chooses a tactical approach, fighting without transforming, relying solely on his Ultimate form and pure technique. He holds his own against a warrior who gave even Ultra Instinct Goku a challenge.
What stands out is Gohan’s restraint. He doesn’t go Super Saiyan. He doesn’t get emotional. He fights with intellect and stamina, focusing on outlasting Kefla’s raw power with precision and timing. It’s a reminder that Gohan’s greatest strength might not be his energy—it’s his mind. The battle ends in a mutual ring-out, but the respect between them is undeniable. Gohan proves that you don’t need to shout or glow to be elite. Sometimes, the quietest fighter hits the hardest.
#1: Gohan vs. Cell – Super Saiyan 2 Awakening
No Gohan moment will ever top the fight that defined a generation: his battle against Cell in the climax of the Cell Games. After witnessing Android 16’s death and watching his friends fall one by one, Gohan explodes into Super Saiyan 2—the first to ever achieve the form. Lightning crackles. Tears fall. And the once-shy teen becomes a force of nature.
What follows is a dismantling. Gohan moves with precision, breaking Cell’s confidence and body alike. But the real highlight comes after Cell regenerates and launches a doomsday Kamehameha. With one arm broken, Gohan joins Goku in spirit and unleashes the most iconic beam struggle in anime history. His final blast incinerates Cell completely saving Earth and fulfilling the destiny Goku always believed in.
This isn’t just Gohan’s best fight. It’s his moment. It shows that when he fights for love, not pride, his power is limitless. The transformation, the tears, the final blast—it’s the most unforgettable example of Gohan’s true potential.
Gohan’s power is rooted not just in strength, but in purpose. He’s a warrior driven by love, not conquest. While he may step back from the battlefield, when the stakes are highest, Gohan always returns—and when he does, he reminds the universe why he might be the strongest of them all. These ten fights capture the complexity, emotion, and greatness of a hero who fights not to win, but to protect.
