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Combat is ever-changing, and the Dragon Ball franchise has no shortage of fight scenes. Since the start of the series, Dragon Ball has always been about Goku's rise to the top of martial arts.
But it certainly hasn't been a straight forward road. Over the course of the series' long run, there have been many fights and not all of them have had the outcome the audience expected.
Unexpected Dragon Ball outcomes
And as a product of those many battles, sometimes the outcome just wasn't what you thought it was. Let's take a look at the many battles throughout Dragon Ball's history.
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10) Jiren vs Goku: Round one
To start things off, let's take a look at one of the more shocking moments in Dragon Ball: Super. Goku has just had his Spirit Bomb thrown back at him, but when all hope seems lost, he appears once more, in a new form. And, in a surprise, this fight did not end with Goku winning as most fights go, as he lost outright.
9) Goku vs Raditz
And speaking of another fight that Goku technically loses, if only for the given value that he gets killed at the end of it, we have his battle against Raditz. What makes this outcome so surprising is that, for first-time fans, no one expected the main character to die at the end of the first episode.
8) Vegeta vs Android 18
It is common knowledge that no one really saw this coming. The only time a Super Saiyan had lost before was when Goku had a heart attack and couldn't continue his battle against Android 19. But Android 18 quickly makes light work of Vegeta.
7) Vegeta vs Hit
The trend of Vegeta getting the stuffing beat out of him continues with Hit. The infamous hitman from another universe, with the power to stop time, has no trouble beating the Prince of all Saiyans down and making the audience gasp in exasperation.
6) Goku vs Beerus
If there's a way to kick off a new series, this is it. Fresh off the adventures of Dragon Ball Z, with Majin Buu defeated and peace restored, no one really thought there was anyone left for the Saiyan to fight.
However, the God of Destruction, Beerus, proves his strength by casually finger flicking Super Saiyan 3 Goku all around King Kai's planet.
5) Trunks vs Frieza and King Cold
For the start of the Android/Cell Saga, no one really expected Frieza to somehow still be alive after Goku blew him up with an energy blast. He managed to survive being blown up on planet Namek after the blast, and being cut in half. The infamous tyrant was remade with mechanical parts.
However, in stepped a mysterious young boy from the future. With a sword on his back, and Super Saiyan power flowing through his veins, Trunks made his appearance, and it was one for the ages.
4) Goku vs Majin Vegeta
Vegeta has always been egotistical, but at the Buu saga, the audience sees him at his lowest point yet. He wants nothing more than to fight Goku, reclaim his lost pride, and yet that fight keeps getting put off. Until finally, he snaps, and can't take any more. Vegeta submits himself to evil and has his brawl with Goku.
And though it was interrupted before it could be finished, Vegeta delivered the last blow by way of a sneak attack.
3) Z fighters vs Nappa
One of the early fights in Dragon Ball Z, and just like Goku's clash against Raditz, no one really knew what to expect. The plucky Z fighters have banded together against an evil alien threat. You would expect them to win, or at least hold out long enough for Goku to arrive and save them all.
However, you would be wrong. Several Z fighters get killed before Goku steps foot on the battlefield, and there's a real sense of dread throughout the fight.
2) Goku vs Tien
One of the biggest shockers in early Dragon Ball was that Goku lost his fights, and sure, while he always won round two, the Goku vs Tien fight in the World Martial Arts tournament was nothing less than a surprise to the fans. After all, who would have expected Goku to lose because he hit a truck?
1) Gohan vs Perfect Cell
By now, you should probably understand that Dragon Ball fights are not always clear cut, and there's going to be a few losses along the way. That wasn't any more obvious in the Gohan vs Perfect Cell fight. The former is backed into a corner and unleashes a newfound power, just like his father before him.
But it isn't a clear victory. Trunks gets killed, and so does Son Goku. While Gohan ultimately bests the time-traveling bio-android, it doesn't change the fact that this outcome was the one fans never wanted.
