One Piece Characters Who Fought Luffy And Should Have Won

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Monkey D. Luffy is the central character in the manga series One Piece, and he possesses many strong abilities that help him defeat his enemies. Now that One Piece is entering its final arc, it’s becoming clear that the author, Eiichiro Oda, is accelerating the story and giving Luffy new powers to overcome increasingly difficult challenges.

Sometimes, the story seems to protect Luffy from losing, which isn’t fair to the characters fighting him. Here’s a look at some of those opponents who actually deserved to win.

This post contains spoilers for One Piece.

6. Charlotte Katakuri

Affiliation: Big Mom Pirates

  • Haki: Yes

Charlotte Katakuri played a major villain role in the Whole Cake Island story arc. Being the oldest son and most powerful of Big Mom’s Sweet Commanders, he was responsible for protecting his family from any danger. When Luffy threatened Big Mom’s reputation, Katakuri attempted to capture him by trapping him in the Mirror World.

As anticipated, Katakuri controlled the battle with his powerful Haki and Devil Fruit ability. His Devil Fruit, the Mochi Mochi no Mi, let him create and manipulate mochi however he pleased. Katakuri’s strong Armament Haki also gave Luffy a lot of trouble. Luffy seemed completely outmatched, but the author needed to find a way for the hero to ultimately win.

5. Kaido

Affiliation: Beast Pirates

  • Haki: Yes

Kaido was renowned as the world’s most powerful being, and it seemed impossible to defeat him in a one-on-one fight. The Wano Country arc clearly showed why he was so much stronger than anyone else in the One Piece world. He relentlessly pushed Luffy to his limits, repeatedly demonstrating his overwhelming strength. Kaido’s mastery of his Devil Fruit powers and Haki played a key role in his dominance.

Kaido possessed a powerful Devil Fruit called the Uo Uo no Mi, which let him transform into an Azure Dragon. He was also a master of all three types of Haki, making him incredibly difficult to defeat in battle. Near the end of the Wano arc, Kaido defeated Luffy, confident he had won. But Luffy unexpectedly awakened his own Devil Fruit powers and managed to overcome Kaido.

4. Charlotte Cracker

Affiliation: Big Mom Pirates

  • Haki: Yes

Charlotte Cracker was the first of Big Mom’s Sweet Commanders we met in the Whole Cake Island story. His job was to stop Luffy, and he quickly went to find him. As soon as they met, Cracker started attacking, and Luffy struggled to defend himself against the powerful attacks.

Cracker’s Devil Fruit power allowed him to create incredibly durable biscuit soldiers, strong enough to block even Luffy’s most powerful attacks in Gear 4th. He didn’t just make one or two, but a whole army of them, nearly overwhelming Luffy. Luckily, Nami intervened, using Big Mom’s Vivre Card and her Climat Tact to weaken the biscuit soldiers, letting Luffy eat through them and overcome their defenses. Without Nami’s help, Cracker would have likely won the fight.

3. Crocodile

Affiliation: Baroque Works

  • Haki: Likely

During the events in Alabasta, Crocodile held a position as one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, which he used to secretly conduct criminal operations. He operated behind the scenes so effectively that no one suspected his involvement in the problems plaguing the kingdom. Had the Straw Hat Pirates not gotten involved, he likely would have succeeded in his plans.

Crocodile actually beat Luffy twice, and without the plot protecting Luffy, he would have died. Crocodile’s Devil Fruit power, the Suna Suna no Mi, allowed him to control sand so effectively that Luffy couldn’t even land a hit. Honestly, Crocodile should have won every time they fought, but the story needed Luffy to win.

2. Enel

Affiliation: Skypiea

  • Haki: Yes

After losing his home, Enel arrived in Skypiea and became a ruthless ruler. He combined his Observation Haki, a special ability called Mantra, with the power of his Devil Fruit to greatly extend its reach. This allowed him to overhear every conversation on the island, and he didn’t hesitate to punish anyone who said anything he didn’t like.

Given that Enel possessed a powerful Devil Fruit and the ability to sense others, Luffy shouldn’t have been able to win. However, Luffy discovered a way to temporarily shut down his own consciousness. This effectively disabled Enel’s sensing power and allowed Luffy to achieve victory.

1. Rob Lucci

Affiliation: World Government, CP9

  • Haki: Yes

Rob Lucci served as the main villain in the Water 7 and Enies Lobby storylines. He was a cold and merciless killer, responsible for the deaths of many people, regardless of their guilt or innocence. His extreme ruthlessness impressed his superiors in the World Government, leading to his rapid advancement.

Lucci consistently overpowered Luffy during the Water 7 and Enies Lobby arcs. He skillfully combined his Devil Fruit powers – a Zoan type – with the Rokushiki techniques, creating a formidable challenge. There were multiple times when it seemed like Lucci was on the verge of defeating Luffy.

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2026-01-05 19:38