10 Best Dragon Ball Martial Artists Not Named Goku, Ranked (2024)

Prior to DBZ, Dragon Ball was primarily about comedy, adventure, and martial arts action. Half of the original anime is based around martial arts tournaments, with each one challenging Goku in new ways. Rather than being surrounded by Saiyans and other aliens, Goku's group of friends is primarily composed of other martial artists.

Even if they aren't as powerful as Goku, many of his friends and family members can fight as well as he can. Warriors like Tien Shinhan and Master Roshi have defeated Goku, and invented numerous incredible techniques, while younger fighters like Pan and Uub have learned directly from the older Z-Warriors. They each have their own distinct fighting style, and their intelligence in combat gives them an edge over characters who are otherwise stronger than they are.

10 Pan Has Been Trained by the Universe's Strongest Fighters

Pan Strives to Be Just Like Her Grandpa

The daughter of Gohan and the granddaughter of Goku, Pan is destined for greatness. Compared to her father, Goten, and Trunks, Pan has always been passionate about her training. She's always looked up to Goku, and she trains hard to live up to his legacy.

At the end of Dragon Ball Z, a 4-year-old Pan competes in, and reaches the quarter-finals of, the 28th World Martial Arts Tournament. In Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero, her training prior to this is shown, with her studying under Gohan, Piccolo, and her grandfather on her mother's side, Mr. Satan. She may not even be in Kindergarten yet, but she's already one of the best-trained fighters in Universe 7.

9 Vegeta is More of a Warrior Than a Martial Artist

Vegeta Didn't Learn Martial Arts Until He Moved to Earth

When first introduced in the Saiyan Saga, Vegeta was completely detached from the spiritual, technique-focused aspects of combat that the Z-Warriors specialize in. While he was a powerful warrior born with remarkable strength, Vegeta relied on brute force, rather than skill. Since joining the Z-Warriors at the start of the Cell Saga, Vegeta has trained to catch up to Goku as a martial artist.

Even at his least technically skilled, Vegeta has always been an intelligent combatant. While he still can't come up with any techniques that don't involve firing basic ki blasts, Vegeta is quick on his feat, and routinely uses his energy blasts and physical strength in creative ways. In Dragon Ball Super, Vegeta has become a better martial artist than ever, thanks to his training from Whis.

8 Piccolo Trained in Martial Arts to Defeat Goku

Piccolo Aimed to Humiliate Goku at the World Martial Arts Tournament

Piccolo was spawned by his father, King Piccolo, for the sole purpose of enacting revenge upon his murderer, Goku. Wanting not just to kill Goku, but humiliate him, Piccolo spent the first three years of his life studying martial arts so he could defeat his father's killer at the 23rd World Martial Arts Tournament. Piccolo proves himself an equal to Goku, who's just completed his training with Kami, when they meet in the tournament's finals, and only loses because he wastes time torturing him.

In Dragon Ball Z, Piccolo spends most of his time alone, training. The fruits of his labor are repeatedly showcased, with him developing both the Special Beam Cannon and the Hellzone Grenade, two of the series' most unique ki attacks. Piccolo's fusion with Kami not only enhances his powers, but gives him Kami's skills and, by Dragon Ball Super, he openly declares himself to be a strategist.

7 Yamcha is a Formidable Former Student of the Turtle School

Yamcha Held His Own Against Kami

Yamcha may be one of the weakest Z-Warriors, but there's no denying his skills as a fighter. As a lowly desert bandit, Yamcha trained himself to the point he could defeat a hungry Goku. Based on his encyclopedic knowledge of famous martial artists, it's likely Yamcha learned by studying their moves from afar. Since meeting Goku, Yamcha has undergone better training than he ever could have hoped for.

He's spent three years as a student of the Turtle School, he spent another three years traveling the world and training with Tien Shinhan, Krillin, and Chiaotzu, and he spent a year being trained by Kami. In all three World Martial Arts Tournaments he participates in, Yamcha reaches the quarter-finals. While his performance against Jackie Chun is embarrassing, he holds his own against both Tien and Kami, becoming the first character besides Roshi and Goku to use the Kamehameha, and developing the Spirit Ball.

6 Hit is the Greatest Assassin in Universe 6

Hit is Universe 6's Most Skilled Martial Artist

The Universal Survival Saga revealed the 10 strongest warriors in Universe 6. Of them, the only one to stand out as a martial artist is the universe's most talented assassin, Hit. Hit is a centuries-old alien whose martial prowess enables him to skip through time and deliver swift, killing blows to his targets.

During the Tournament of Destroyers, neither Goku nor Vegeta were able to adapt to Hit's Time Skip, and he claimed victory over both Saiyans. While Hit loses his rematch against Goku, it's shown that continued training enables Hit to increase the amount of time he can skip. It's unclear exactly how well Hit would fare in a fight without his signature ability, but his subtle and deliberate movements make him stand out from the rest of the cast.

5 Uub Spent 10 Years Being Trained by Goku

Goku Sees Uub as His True Successor

Although Uub fails to defeat Baby in Dragon Ball GT, his skill level in the series is extraordinarily high. The human reincarnation of Kid Buu, Uub reached the top 16 of the 28th World Martial Arts Tournament when he was only 10-years-old. Seeing his potential, Goku took Uub under his wing, and dedicated the next 10 years of his life solely to training him.

Uub has spent more time training under Goku than any other character. More importantly, the Goku he learned from was far older and wiser than the one who trained Gohan. Unfortunately, along with getting few opportunities to show the results of his training, Uub becomes a worse fighter after permanently fusing with Fat Buu to become Majuub. Buu's presence in Uub's head is such a hindrance to him that it allows Mr. Satan to defeat him during the 31st World Martial Arts Tournament.

4 The Gods of Destruction and Angels Are All Master Martial Artists

Dragon Ball's Gods and Angels Have Millenia of Experience

Prior to becoming Gods of Destruction, Beerus and his peers were all mortals. Each of them were only able to achieve their current positions by devoting themselves to their training, and becoming near-unbeatable fighters. Were they not skilled in martial arts, the Gods of Destruction wouldn't be able to utilize one of their signature techniques, Ultra Ego.

Far older, and far more powerful than Gods of Destruction, the Angels who attend to them are also more skilled in martial artists. While the Angels do train, access to Autonomous Ultra Instinct comes naturally to them, allowing their bodies to move on their own. Whis has now trained Goku and Vegeta for several years and, even after everything they've been through, neither Saiyan is equipped to fight him.

3 Krillin is a Highly Technical Fighter

Krillin Fights More Creatively Than Any Other Z-Warrior

Krillin was training to be a martial artist before he ever met Goku. While he's never been able to keep up with his best friend's incredible strength, he's always been his equal as a fighter. He trains alongside Goku under Master Roshi, spends three additional years with Roshi joined by Yamcha, spends another three years traveling the world and training with Yamcha, Tien Shinhan, and Chiaotzu, and then spends a year training under Kami.

Throughout the original Dragon Ball, Krillin reaches the sem-finals of the World Martial Arts Tournament twice, and holds his own against Piccolo during the quarter-finals of the 23rd World Martial Arts Tournament. The inventor of the Destructo Disc, and the most frequent practioner of the Solar Flare, Krillin often fights through unconventional means. Rather than simply charging towards his opponent, Krillin's fighting style is based around distracting and disorienting them to give him an edge. In Dragon Ball Super, his near unmatched intelligence in battle enables him to hold his own against Goku, and to score a win against Gohan.

2 Master Roshi Compensates For His Lack of Power With Pure Skill

Master Roshi Went Toe-to-Toe with Jiren

Master Roshi has spent centuries training to be the ultimate martial artist. Taught by Master Mutaito, Roshi became the strongest man on Earth, and the founder of the Turtle School. As the head of this school, Roshi is responsible for training Grandpa Gohan, Goku, Krillin, and Yamcha.

A genius who relies on technique over power, Roshi is responsible for developing the Thunder Shock Surprise, the Sleepy Boy Technique, and the most famous beam attack in history, the Kamehameha. In Dragon Ball Super, Roshi's martial arts mastery enables him to perform marvelously in the Tournament of Power and eliminate several opponents. In the manga, he's even able to briefly take on the strongest fighter in the tournament, Jiren.

1 Tien Shinhan is Dragon Ball's Ultimate Martial Artist

Tien Defeated Goku and Master Roshi

When first introduced, Tien Shinhan was the strongest man on Earth. The star pupil of the Crane School, Tien was determined to become an assassin like Mercenary Tao. By training under Master Shen, he surpassed Tao Pai Pai as only a teenager. Tien defeated Yamcha, Jackie Chun, and Goku to win the 22nd World Martial Arts Tournament. In the 23rd World Martial Arts Tournament, he defeats Cyborg Tao with a single punch.

During his tournament outings, Tien unveils one original technique after another. He repels Yamcha's Kamehameha by copying it after only seeing it once, uses the Volleyball, Four Witches, and Multi-Form techniques, and debuts both Sky Dancing – later just known as flight – and the Solar Flare. Tien's most iconic attack is the Tri-Beam, which enables him to channel his life force into energy blasts capable of making an impact against foes infinitely stronger than him, like Semi-Perfect Cell and Super Buu.

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  Dragon Ball

  Dragon Ball tells the tale of a young warrior by the name of Son Goku, a young peculiar boy with a tail who embarks on a quest to become stronger and learns of the Dragon Balls, when, once all 7 are gathered, grant any wish of choice.

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  Dragon Ball Z

  With the help of the powerful Dragonballs, a team of fighters led by the saiyan warrior Goku defend the planet earth from extraterrestrial enemies.

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  Dragon Ball GT

  After Goku is made a kid again by the Black Star Dragon Balls, he goes on a journey to get back to his old self.

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  Dragon Ball Super

  With Majin Buu defeated half-a-year prior, peace returns to Earth, where Son Goku (now a radish farmer) and his friends now live peaceful lives.