One Piece: Luffy’s Most Important Fights

Key Takeaways

• Luffy’s important battles have led to character growth and new powers.
• Battles with Arlong, Doflamingo, Usopp, Crocodile, Katakuri, Rob Lucci, and Kaido stood out.
• Power-ups, sacrifices, responsibilities, and growth marked these significant battles.

The plucky, hot-headed protagonist of One Piece, Monkey D. Luffy, is no stranger to a good ol’ fashioned bust-up. However, while Luffy has had potentially hundreds of battles throughout One Piece’s longrunning story, there have been a select few which pushed him so far that it forced him to grow as a character, whether that be by acquiring new powers, or simply maturing as a captain.

The Luffy that fans are used to seeing today would be a lot different if he hadn’t taken on these rigorous fights, and he definitely would never have achieved the level of Yonko if they had been skipped over. As a result, when it comes to battles that push Luffy past his limits, these encounters below are among the most important.

7 Luffy VS Arlong

Luffy Proved He Was Willing To Sacrifice Everything For His Comrade

Believe it or not, there was once a time in the series where Luffy’s name wasn’t known by virtually everyone in the world of One Piece. However, the fight that arguably made people begin to notice him was his battle against the brutal Fishman, Arlong, who’s unique abilities and physical prowess far exceeded those of the young Luffy.

As a result, Luffy was forced to get extra experimental with his Gomu Gomu abilities, which he would then toy around with even further in later battles. Not only that, but Luffy’s brave confrontation with Arlong was also the first time he proved that he was willing to lay down his own life for the sake of his comrade, in this case, for Nami specifically.

6 Luffy VS Doflamingo

The First Reveal Of Luffy’s Go-To Technique, Gear Four

Before Luffy took on the ‘JOKER’, more commonly known as Doflamingo, he hadn’t received a power up in the story for quite some time. Doflamingo is no ordinary foe though, and his ability to manipulate people with his strings made him especially dangerous, forcing Luffy to unleash his latest ability: Gear 4.

Gear 4 would become Luffy’s go-to ability for many tough encounters after Doflamingo’s defeat, but there’s another point to be made here concerning the importance of this fight. Realistically, this was a fight between Law and Doflamingo, but despite being a member of the Worst Generation, and technically a rival, Luffy still went out of his way to save Law’s life and even protect him against Doflamingo. This highlights how he is always willing to protect those that he feels have been dealt a bad hand, even if they should be considered his enemy.

5 Luffy VS Usopp

A Heartbreaking Bout That Taught Luffy The Harsh Responsibilities Of Being A Captain

Luffy’s heartbreaking battle against Usopp is the first time he has ever had to try and fight without being reckless. This was someone he loved like a brother, and now that Usopp had seemingly turned on him, Luffy made sure to hold back his abilities in order to try and beat some sense into Usopp, rather than beating him senseless.

Most importantly though, this was the battle that taught Luffy the true responsibilities of being a captain. As Zoro says to him just moments before, Luffy can’t afford to play pretend when he’s got an entire crew who look up to him, and sometimes, he needs to make difficult decisions that he may otherwise want to avoid, and this was the battle that ensured he understood what Zoro meant by that.

4 Luffy VS Crocodile (Third Fight)

Luffy’s Rise To Infamy Among The World Government Started With His Victory Over Crocodile

Luffy may have earned some notoriety after beating down Arlong, but it was his fight with Crocodile that can be seen as the starting point of his path to becoming a Yonko. Crocodile was a member of the Shichibukai; immensely powerful pirates who had essentially been pardoned by the World Government. These were individuals who were not to be messed with, something Luffy soon found out after losing to Crocodile twice.

However, by the third time, Luffy was determined to prove his resolve and save Alabasta from its cruel ruler, though the battle was far from an easy one, seeing Luffy get battered and bruised more than he ever had before. Upon defeating Crocodile, Smoker, Tashigi, and the Marines at large became aware of Luffy and his crew, kicking off his rise to infamy.

3 Luffy VS Katakuri

Luffy Meets His Match And Is Thrust Into His Hardest Fight Up To That Point

When Luffy and the crew arrive at Whole Cake Island in an attempt to rescue Sanji, they knew all too well that they were invading a Yonko’s territory. As a result, they fight their way through numerous of Big Mom’s family members in the hopes of seeing their friend again, but the one enemy who refuses to let them pass by is Katakuri.

Katakuri uses the power of Mochi to expand and stretch his body, making him virtually identical to Luffy. Luffy has won quite a few of his fights due to having a natural advantage thanks to his rubber, but this time, he was forced to prove his raw strength to an enemy who was fully willing to take his life. This was also the fight where Luffy showcased his Snake Man form for the first time, while also enhancing his Haki, which he would rely on heavily in Wano Kuni.

2 Luffy vs Rob Lucci (First Fight)

Luffy Proves Why He Deserves To Be The Straw Hats’ Captain Through Blood, Sweat And Tears

Luffy’s epic bout with Rob Lucci felt like the crucial moment where he could prove his worth as a captain. Earlier in the Water 7 arc, Luffy’s responsibilities as a captain were called into question when Usopp leaves the crew, and Robin is kidnapped. By the time Luffy is confronted by Rob Lucci, who is seemingly much stronger than the Straw Hat captain, his allies are being surrounded by marines, leaving it up to him to finish off Lucci and save his friends once and for all.

What ensues is a grizzly battle where Luffy manages to pick himself up time and time again, even after getting pummeled with devastating attacks like Rokuogan. After barely scraping it through, Luffy can be seen flat on the floor with a smile spread across his face, having proven to himself, and his crewmates, that he can be relied on as a captain when the going gets tough.

1 Luffy VS Kaido (Third Fight)

A Fight That Proved Luffy Was Strong Enough To Be Considered A Yonko

For years, fans had been pondering how on earth Luffy would ever succeed in taking down the unbeatable Yonko known as Kaido. After two miserable defeats, Luffy once again reaches the rooftop to face Kaido, unleashing Gear Four and throwing everything he has at the mighty ruler of Wano. Though he does put up some resistance, Luffy is ultimately beaten yet again, that is, until he unleashes his Fifth Gear and becomes a cartoon-like version of himself, revealed to be a manifestation of Nika.

Luffy is no stranger to receiving random power ups, but this was one that was truly unexpected and firmly established that Luffy was now one if, if not, the strongest beings in the One Piece verse. This fight was important as it not only shed more light on Luffy as a character, but also the mysterious Devil Fruit which he has been carrying for the entirety of the story.