One Piece: 6 Old Generation Swordsmen That Can Defeat Mihawk

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Mihawk is widely considered the greatest swordsman in the world of One Piece, renowned for his incredible skill. He’s famous for wielding the powerful, legendary sword Yoru, and holds a title many, like Zoro, aspire to achieve. However, despite its prestige, the title isn’t the ultimate goal for a swordsman.

While the title of ‘world’s greatest swordsman’ suggests exceptional skill, combat involves more than just swordsmanship. There have been other incredibly powerful fighters in the One Piece universe who surpass Dracule Mihawk in overall strength. It’s evident that legends like Roger and Rocks from an earlier era were significantly more powerful than Mihawk.

Silvers Rayleigh

The Right Arm of the Pirate King

The Roger Pirates boasted three incredibly strong members, including two skilled swordsmen. Naturally, the first was Gol D. Roger himself. The second was the renowned Silvers Rayleigh, also known as the Dark King. According to the story, Rayleigh was nearly as powerful as Roger, which speaks volumes about his abilities. While he’s not at his peak anymore, Rayleigh still managed to battle an Admiral and intimidate a Yonko. In his prime, he was a truly formidable opponent.

Ethanbaron V. Nusjuro

One of the Five Elders

During the Egghead arc of One Piece, Saint Ethanbaron V. Nusjuro was introduced along with the other Elders, and his abilities were showcased. We learned that Nusjuro possesses a powerful Yokai form resembling a horse-like creature called Bakotsu. He’s also immortal and wields Shodai Kitetsu, a legendary Supreme Grade Sword. Considering his skills and powers, Nusjuro is clearly a top-tier swordsman in the One Piece world, and many fans believe he’s even stronger than Mihawk.

Garling Figarland

The Supreme Leader of the Holy Knights And A New Elder

The character Garling Figarland is likely to become a major villain in the final part of the One Piece story. While he didn’t stand out during the battle at God Valley – he was defeated by Rocks D. Xebec – he wasn’t at his strongest then.

Currently, Garling is the Supreme Leader of the Holy Knights and has just been promoted to one of the Five Elders. He’s much more powerful than when we saw him in flashbacks, and since he’s Shanks’ father, fans anticipate he’s incredibly strong. It’s even possible he’s stronger than Mihawk, considering his immortality and potential new Yokai abilities.

King Harald

The Strongest King of Elbaf

The Elbaf flashback began with Harald, immediately demonstrating his incredible strength. Harald was famous as the strongest king of Elbaf, and viewers can easily understand why – he was powerful enough to fight on equal footing with the legendary Rocks D. Xebec, engaging in intense battles with him.

The flashback showed us how Harald fights, confirming he’s a skilled swordsman. Given his power – comparable to legendary figures like Rocks and the Pirate King – it’s not shocking he was able to beat even Mihawk.

Rocks D. Xebec

The Captain of the Rocks Pirates

Rocks D. Xebec is considered one of the most important characters in the One Piece story. The recent flashback featuring Loki revealed that Xebec primarily fought using a sword.

As a huge One Piece fan, whenever we get a new strong swordsman, everyone immediately starts comparing them to Mihawk, right? And while Mihawk is undeniably incredible, I truly believe Rocks D. Xebec was on another level entirely. It’s wild to think he basically created the foundation for attacks like Roger and Shanks’ ‘Divine Departure’! Plus, we’ve seen glimpses of his power – casually taking down an Admiral, and even defeating Garling Figarland at God Valley. It just proves he was a force to be reckoned with, far beyond anyone else.

Gol D. Roger

The Pirate King

Gol D. Roger is a legendary figure who dramatically reshaped the world of One Piece. He and his crew were the first to successfully navigate the entire Grand Line and discover the One Piece treasure. This incredible accomplishment earned him the title of Pirate King, a title he rightfully deserved thanks to his exceptional skills.

As many fans are aware, Roger’s primary weapon was a sword named Ace, an incredibly powerful, top-tier blade. Similar to Rocks, he wielded it in a unique style. Roger’s attacks were devastatingly forceful, and his swordsmanship surpassed even that of Mihawk.

Chapter 1164 of One Piece will be released this week, following the usual Sunday schedule. While it becomes available in Japan at midnight on Monday (JST), most international fans will be able to read it on November 2, 2025. The official release date is November 2nd, and it will be available to read for free on Manga Plus.

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2025-10-31 21:36