One Piece: Luffy's Most Important Matches

Key things

• Luffy's important battles led to character growth and new abilities.
• The battles with Arlong, Doflamingo, Usopp, Crocodile, Katakuri, Rob Lucci and Kaido stood out.
• Improvements, sacrifices, responsibilities and growth marked these significant battles.

A sassy, ​​hot protagonist One pieceMonkey D. Luffy is no stranger to a good old fashioned bust. However, while Luffy had potentially hundreds of battles throughout One Piece's In the long-running storyline, there were a select few who pushed him so far that it forced him to grow as a character, either by gaining new powers or simply maturing as a captain.

The Luffy that fans are used to today would be a lot different if he didn't engage in these tough fights, and he certainly would never have reached Yonko level if someone skipped them. As a result, when it comes to battles that push Luffy beyond his limits, these encounters below are among the most important.

7 Luffy versus Arlong

Luffy proved that he was willing to sacrifice everything for his friend

Believe it or not, there was a time in the series when practically everyone in the world didn't know Luffy's name One piece. However, the fight that got people to notice him was his fight against the brutal Fishman Arlong, whose unique abilities and physical prowess far exceeded young Luffy's.

As a result, Luffy was forced to experiment extra with his Gomu Gomu abilities, which he then played 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 mate, in this case specifically for Nami.

6 Luffy VS Doflamingo

The first reveal of Luffy's go-To technique, speed four

Before Luffy took on 'JOKER', more commonly known as Doflamingo, he hadn't gotten much in the story for quite some time. However, Doflamingo is no ordinary enemy, and his ability to manipulate people with his strings made him particularly dangerous, prompting Luffy to unleash his newest ability: Gear 4.

Gear 4 becomes Luffy's go-to ability for many tough encounters after defeating Doflamingo, but there is one more point to the importance of this fight. Realistically it was a fight between Law and Doflamingo, but despite being a member of the worst generation and technically a rival, Luffy still tried to save Law's life and even protect him from Doflamingo. This highlights how he is always willing to protect those he feels have been dealt a wrong hand, even if they should be considered his enemy.

5 Luffy VS Usopp

A heartbreaking match that taught Luffy the cruel responsibility of being a captain

Luffy's heartbreaking battle against Usopp is the first time he's ever had to try to fight without being ruthless. He was someone he loved like a brother, and now that Usopp had seemingly turned on him, Luffy made sure to hold back his powers to try to knock some sense into Usopp rather than beating him unconscious.

But most importantly, it was the battle that taught Luffy the true responsibilities of a captain. As Zoro had told him moments ago, Luffy can't afford to pretend when he has an entire crew looking up to him and sometimes he needs to make difficult decisions that he might otherwise want to avoid, and this was the battle that made sure he understood what that's what Zoro meant.

4 Luffy VS Crocodile (Third Fight)

Luffy's rise to infamy among the world government began with his victory over the crocodile

Luffy may have gained some notoriety after defeating Arlong, but it was his fight with the Crocodile that can be considered the starting point of his journey to becoming a Yonk. Crocodile was a member of the Shichibukai; immensely powerful pirates who were essentially pardoned by the world government. They were individuals not to be trifled with, as Luffy soon found out after losing to Crocodile twice.

However, for the third time, Luffy was determined to prove his resolve and save Alabasta from its cruel ruler, though the battle was far from easy as Luffy was beaten and bruised more than ever before. After defeating the Crocodile, Smoker, Tashigi, and the Marines learned of Luffy and his crew, starting his rise to infamy.

3 Luffy VS Katakuri

Luffy meets his match and is thrust into his toughest fight up to this point

When Luffy and crew arrive at Whole Cake Island in an attempt to rescue Sanji, they know all too well that they are invading Yonka territory. As a result, they fight their way through a number of Big Mom's family members in hopes of seeing their friend again, but the only enemy who refuses to let them pass is Katakuri.

Katakuri uses Mochi's power to expand and stretch his body, making him virtually identical to Luffy. Luffy had won quite a few of his fights due to the natural superiority of his rubber, but this time he was forced to prove his raw strength against an enemy who was fully willing to take his life. This was also the fight where Luffy showed off his Snake Man form for the first time while improving 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 captain of the Straw Hats with blood, sweat and tears

Luffy's epic match with Rob Lucci felt like a defining moment where he could prove his worth as a captain. Earlier in the Water 7 arc, Luffy's responsibilities as captain were challenged when Usopp left the crew and Robin was kidnapped. By the time Luffy is confronted by Rob Lucci, who is seemingly much stronger than the Straw Hat captain, his allies are surrounded by marines and it is up to him to put an end to Lucci and save his friends once and for all.

A grizzly battle ensues, in which Luffy manages to gather his strength again and again, even after being tossed around by devastating attacks like the Rokuogan. After barely making it through, Luffy is seen lying on the floor with a smile on his face as he proved to himself and his teammates that he can be relied upon as a captain when the going gets tough.

1 Luffy VS Kaido (Third Fight)

A fight that showed Luffy was strong enough to be considered a Yonko

For years, fans wondered how Luffy would ever manage to take down the unbeatable Yonko known as Kaido. After two miserable defeats, Luffy once again makes his way to the roof to face Kaido, unleashing the Gear Four and throwing everything he has at the powerful Wan ruler. Although he puts up some resistance, Luffy is eventually defeated again, that is until he unleashes his fifth speed and becomes a cartoon version of himself, revealed as a manifestation of Nika.

Luffy is no stranger to receiving random power ups, but this was truly unexpected and firmly established that Luffy is now one of, if not, the most powerful beings in the world. One piece verse. This fight was important because it not only shed more light on Luffy as a character, but also on the mysterious Devil Fruit he carried throughout the story.