10 Best Non-Canon Dragon Ball Battles, Ranked

One of the main reasons Dragon Ball is so beloved is its exciting and powerful battles. Even the original series, which wasn’t as over-the-top as later installments, featured fights that are still considered some of the best in the shonen genre.

Over the years, many different Dragon Ball series and movies have been released, and some don’t follow the main storyline. While these non-canon adventures might be easy to miss, they still feature some of the most exciting battles in the Dragon Ball universe, including those from spin-offs and filler episodes.

10. Bardock’s True Potential Showed in His ‘What If’ Battle Against Chilled

Bardock quickly became popular with fans even though he didn’t appear much and wasn’t as strong as many of the main characters. However, the Episode of Bardock OVA and manga showed us his full potential.

In the ‘What If’ story, Bardock is transported back in time to the original Planet Vegeta, known as Planet Plant. He comes face-to-face with Chilled, Frieza’s ancestor, and their battle begins. Initially, Chilled easily overpowers Bardock. However, when Chilled attacks Bardock’s wife, Berry, it triggers a memory of Frieza’s treachery, unlocking Bardock’s hidden power and transforming him into a Super Saiyan. Caught off guard, and still in his normal form, Chilled is completely defeated by Bardock and blasted into outer space.

9. Gohan Bodied Final Form Frieza in a Fight That Some Fans Don’t Know is Filler

The Frieza Saga is full of memorable moments in Dragon Ball, but a particular scene on Namek isn’t actually part of the original story – it was added for extra content. This explains why Gohan briefly showed a surprising level of strength, even being able to easily defeat Frieza despite his young age.

Gohan mistakenly believed Frieza had killed Goku, and angrily attacked the villain, immediately sending him reeling. He landed a surprisingly powerful first hit and followed up with a relentless assault, finishing with a Masenko attack. Considering Frieza’s immense power, it’s unlikely he would have been hurt that easily, highlighting how filler episodes can sometimes contradict established power levels, though it makes for an exciting scene for Gohan.

8. Gogeta vs Janemba is a Quick But Spectacular Battle

It’s amazing how quickly fans fell in love with Gogeta, despite him only appearing on screen for a short time. Even with limited screentime, he’s become a hugely popular character.

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Gogeta easily overpowered Janemba, quickly defeating the previously formidable demon with a powerful combo and finishing him off with the Stardust Breaker attack. This exciting battle not only provided a satisfying conclusion but also officially established both Gogeta and the Stardust Breaker as part of the series’ storyline in the movie Broly.

7. Piccolo Put Cooler’s Armored Squadron in Their Place

Piccolo has never been the most showy fighter in Dragon Ball, and he couldn’t quite match the power of characters like Goku, Vegeta, or Gohan. Still, he was always capable of holding his own. I remember watching Cooler’s Revenge and being really impressed with his battle against Cooler’s Armored Squadron – it’s a fantastic fight for him, even though it isn’t officially part of the main story.

I watched as Piccolo showed up just when Gohan really needed help, rescuing him from Neiz, Dore, and Salza. It was clear Piccolo was on another level – he quickly defeated Dore and Neiz, and was far stronger than Salza. Even though Cooler intervened and saved Salza for a bit, Piccolo ultimately found a way to take him down at the movie’s end.

6. Meta-Cooler Was Almost Too Much For Goku & Vegeta

Frieza’s Mecha form didn’t last long, so his brother, Meta-Cooler, became the more iconic of the two. Meta-Cooler gave Goku and Vegeta a tough fight on New Namek, not because he was overwhelmingly powerful, but because he constantly created numerous copies of himself for them to battle.

The first Meta-Cooler was a huge fight for both of them, and he seemed to handle it effortlessly even with them transforming into Super Saiyans. They eventually defeated him, but then were immediately confronted by a whole group of Meta-Coolers. Already exhausted and injured, they didn’t have much hope of winning after that.

5. OG Broly Took on the Z-Fighters And Became a Fan Favorite

Dragon Ball Super did a fantastic job of officially adding Broly to the story, but the original Broly was a truly terrifying villain. He really earned the title of ‘Legendary Super Saiyan’! It took the combined power of Piccolo, Goku, Vegeta, Gohan, and Future Trunks just to stand a chance against him.

Goku ultimately wins the battle, but there were moments when even Earth’s most powerful heroes couldn’t even faze Broly. He’s a popular movie villain for many fans, and this fight is a key reason why people love him.

4. Gohan Took on Bojack and Proved He Could Be Goku’s Successor

Bojack and his Galaxy Soldiers almost conquered Earth, proving incredibly powerful and overwhelming the Z-Fighters. Even strong warriors like Piccolo and Vegeta struggled against Bojack, who posed a huge danger. Gohan’s final battle with Bojack felt similar to the climactic fight against Cell.

When his friends were in serious trouble, Gohan tapped into his Super Saiyan 2 power once more, becoming strong enough to defeat Bojack and his crew. It was very satisfying to see Bujin and Bido quickly defeated, and despite surviving a powerful attack, Bojack was finally finished off with a beam clash and a final blow.

3. Goku vs. Pikkon is Some of the Anime’s Best Filler

Besides Broly and Cooler, Pikkon is a popular character who isn’t part of the main Dragon Ball story. Although he didn’t appear often, his fight with Goku in the Other World Saga proved he was a powerful opponent.

Pikkon pushed Goku to his limits with his powerful Thunder Flash attack, and both fighters constantly fired energy blasts at each other. While some viewers might not have liked how much the fight relied on special moves, it was visually impressive and remains memorable. Although Goku ultimately won, both he and Pikkon were disqualified for a rule violation. Despite that, many fans consider this fight to be one of the best filler episodes in the entire series.

2. Cooler Brought the Fight to Earth, But Wasn’t Ready For SSJ

While perhaps not as iconic as his brother, Cooler remains a popular villain that many fans would like to see officially added to the Dragon Ball story, similar to how Broly was. He gave Goku a challenging battle, even though he ultimately couldn’t defeat Goku’s Super Saiyan power.

Man, the fight between Goku and Cooler was incredible! At first, they were pretty evenly matched, but when Cooler powered up to his Fourth Form, he totally dominated, tossing Goku around like he was nothing! It looked bad until Goku finally went Super Saiyan and started to push back. I figured Cooler’s new form would make him even stronger than Frieza was back on Namek, but it wasn’t enough! The fight ended with this epic showdown – Cooler’s Supernova against Goku’s Super Kamehameha – and it was just amazing to see Cooler get blasted right into the sun! Completely incinerated, it was a fantastic finish.

1. SSJ4 Gogeta Absolutely Bullied Omega Shenron

Though GT isn’t always popular with fans, it definitely had some memorable scenes. A standout moment was the epic battle between SSJ4 Gogeta and Omega Shenron.

Omega Shenron was a truly powerful villain, seemingly impossible to defeat. However, Gogeta easily handled him, and even surpassed the necessary power level with his Super Saiyan 4 transformation. What initially appeared to be an unstoppable enemy was quickly defeated – Gogeta was simply faster, stronger, and more skilled, and didn’t even seem to be trying his best! This makes the fight incredibly fun to watch, blending exciting action with lighthearted moments that remind you of the series’ humor.

2026-04-11 21:07