The 10 best Fighting Pokémon of all time
Who needs beams of fire or psychic powers when you can punch a skyscraper in half with a single punch? When two Pokémon square up in an arena, it’s hard not to route for the one using just their fits and their wits against powerful creatures with magical powers. They feel more distinct from other Pokémon than almost any other type, as many of them have similar designs.
It’s the one type that can get away with looking mostly humanoid, as it makes their movements and attacks read better with all of the moves they can learn. It makes it difficult to choose between the best Fighting Pokémon, but we’ve done our best.
If you want to see more Pokémon rankings then check out our lists of the best Psychic Pokémon, the best Fairy Pokémon, and the best Steel Pokémon.
Blaziken
The Pokémon Company International
A chicken that can kick your head clean off is pretty easy to love as a starter Pokémon, especially when a few generations later it would get the ability to Mega Evolve and become a complete speed demon in the process. It makes good use of the humanoid body shape but includes just enough animal features to still feel like a Pokémon, which is a hard balancing act not every fighting type can manage.
Falinks
The Pokémon Company International
Everything about Falinks is adorable. Its pun name is based on a Roman infantry unit, they march in uniform behind each other, and they change formations to attack. It takes a simple concept to the absolute extreme, going all-in on the joke, and it pays off beautifully.
Cobalion
The Pokémon Company International
Picking one of the Swords of Justice to go on this list was tough, and if you prefer Virizion and Terrakion, I sympathize. They’re all easy-to-love Pokémon with simple designs that radiate the power they hold. Cobalion just takes the cake for our favorite though, mostly because of how it stands so much taller than the others. While the others have a regal sense about them, Cobalion truly thinks it's better than you, and I can appreciate that.
Kommo-o
The Pokémon Company International
Big dragons are always cool, but Kommo-o has always felt like more of a fighter than a dragon. While its body is draped in scales, it’s the strikes that make it stand out. This lumbering beast may be slow, but if it lands a hit, you’re going to be flattened in an instant. Plus, despite a grey body, the colorful scales make it visually pop with ease.
Heracross
The Pokémon Company International
Heracross is a simple design that didn’t need anything flashy to be great. Its body clearly indicates what animal it's based on, and despite minimal details, it feels very charismatic. As for attacks, it’s got a giant horn that it simply rams into whatever it doesn’t like, and no matter what way you slice it, that is cute.
Toxicroak
The Pokémon Company International
A Pokémon that’s lethal with its strikes is scary enough, but when you realize it can poison you with only its fingertips too, you should start running. A ninja frog isn’t something I would’ve thought would work, but Toxicroak is just one of two such Pokémon, and they’re both great.
Hawlucha
The Pokémon Company International
As a pro-wrestling fan, I always appreciate Pokémon taking elements from the culture. Incineroar’s role as a heel is great, but Hawlucha does it the best. Fighting/Flying is the perfect choice for the stereotypical high-flying luchador. The intricate mask designs worked into its face mark a wrestler who values honor above all else, while its shiny form feels more like the bad guy Hawlucha would fight to take down.
Machamp
The Pokémon Company International
Sometimes the simplest, most obvious solution is the best one. Such is the way with Machamp. It’s a big muscley monster with four arms, what more is there to say? Of course it’s a great Fighting type.
Infernape
People mock the streak of Fire/Fighting-type starters, but it gave us two of the best starters out there, so it can’t have been that bad. Infernape is such an easy Pokémon to love. Aside from it being a big ape with fire for hair, it was one of Ash’s best Pokémon ever from the anime, so the nostalgia factor wins out every single time.
Lucario
The Pokémon Company International
Maybe this is the basic pick for the best Fighting-type, as Lucario has been pushed down our throats a lot over the years. However, there’s a reason for that, it’s because Lucario’s a brilliant design. It has that nice blend of the humanoid body but animalistic features that stop it from feeling uncanny, and the lore surrounding its aura abilities gives it a nice anime-protagonist mystery about it.
