Dragon Ball Z gave fans arguably the most iconic fights in anime history. DBZ delighted viewers for decades when it came to delivering straight-up beatdowns, from Goku and Vegeta’s multiple clashes to the former’s planet-destroying battle with Frieza, and let’s never forget Piccolo vs. Android 17.
However, even a legendary show such as Dragon Ball Z sometimes suffered from missed opportunities. Several match-ups in the series should have materialized but never occurred, either because the plot didn’t directly demand it or because the spotlight was elsewhere.
This list is dedicated to those characters who should have gotten just a bit more of the limelight and to those fights that should have happened. Here are seven fights that fans should have gotten in Dragon Ball Z.
7. Nail vs. Vegeta
Right before the Ginyu Force lands on Namek to absolutely wallop Vegeta, Gohan, and Krillin, it seemed like, for a split second, we were going to see the Prince of all Saiyans tangle with Nail.
Namek didn’t fare well with Frieza’s army; the planet’s denizens bravely tried to fight back, but the Namekians simply did not have anyone with noteworthy power. However, it’s implied that Nail, Grand Elder Guru’s protector, is the planet’s strongest warrior. So, when Vegeta comes rolling up to Guru’s place and Nail steps up, the two have an epic staredown, and things … don’t go anywhere.
Sadly, the Ginyu Force arrives on the planet, and Vegeta, Gohan, and Krillin worriedly leave to secure the Dragon Balls, robbing us of this clash. Seeing Nail and Vegeta fight for at least a little bit would have been great since the former would not battle the Ginyus at all and because his only outing in the series saw him get brutalized by Frieza.
6. Vegeta vs. an older Gohan
While we’ve seen a young Gohan and Vegeta tangle a bit, especially when the latter was introduced as an evil jackass and galactic conqueror, we’ve never gotten a proper showdown of a matured Gohan taking on the Prince of all Saiyans.
Dragon Ball Z, for a time, emphasized Gohan’s rise as the strongest character. He was the one who defeated Cell after he achieved the Super Saiyan 2 transformation; he was also the most powerful for a brief period in the Buu arc when he became “Mystic” or “Ultimate” Gohan. Sadly, Gohan, like many characters, took a backseat after the series became the Goku show once more.
It would have been cool to see Vegeta try and take on the Son of Kakarot at his peak, especially in his Majin state.
5. Goku vs. the Androids
Granted, this entry comes with a caveat, as Androids 17 and 18 were always accompanied by the giant 16, whose sole purpose was to kill Goku. And while 16 could have easily killed Goku upon his introduction, let’s focus more on Androids 17 and 18.
Due to a heart virus, Goku was out of commission for most of the Android Saga. This left all the other DBZ heroes vulnerable to getting rag-dolled by Androids 17 and 18.
While it’s highly unlikely Goku could have defeated them, it still feels that there should have been some type of clash. Goku is the proven DBZ champion, so seeing him miss out on all the action against Dr. Gero’s creations feels like a missed opportunity.
This would have been especially helpful in humanizing Goku’s character, as he was rarely on the losing end of a fight post-Frieza. Seeing him struggle against Androids 17 and 18 and have to overcome a superior duo could have made for a worthwhile story.
4. Goku vs. Imperfect Cell
Fans got the chance to see Goku vs. Cell in his perfect form. But a showdown between Goku and Cell’s scariest form would have been a fun clash to watch.
Imperfect Cell was such a diabolical villain. He literally sucked the life out of people. From his unsettling voice, those terrifying footsteps, that awful tail of his, everything about Imperfect Cell made him such a horrifying foe. On top of this, he appeared to use a more diverse set of abilities than his future forms. From Solar Flares to Special Beam Cannons and Kamehamehas, Imperfect Cell had quite the arsenal of weapons.
In his pre-Hyperbolic Time Chamber state, seeing Goku take on this horrifying and versatile form of Cell would have been a delight. How would Earth’s greatest defender have fared against this Cell’s nasty box of unpredictable tricks?
3. Piccolo vs. Shin
When Shin is introduced during the Majin Buu Saga, he’s shrouded in this eerie mystery. Topped off with a pretty unique look, the Supreme Kai immediately gets put into some limelight during the World Martial Arts Tournament.
In the tournament, he’s paired up with Piccolo. By this point in the series, everyone’s beloved Namekian took a backseat to the Saiyan characters. Gone were the days of Piccolo fighting Android 17. So it was nice to see him get some notice in the tournament, especially against an entirely new character.
Except they never fought. Piccolo, stunned by Shin’s aura, bowed out of the fight. It could have been a fun match even if Piccolo had lost. Piccolo could have gotten the chance to use some of his unique abilities, such as making clones of himself. He and Shin could have exchanged some unique Ki blasts. Sadly, nada. What makes this even worse is that Shin was hyped up to such a degree and did absolutely squat by the time the Buu threat finally arrived.
2. Future Trunks vs. Vegeta
Father vs. son. Angry vs. angrier. Egomaniac vs. pragmatist. A Future Trunks-Vegeta showdown could’ve been perfect.
Despite being family and Saiyans, the father-son duo has literally nothing else in common. They are such polar opposite characters. And while we did see the two hit and blast each other on occasion, you know, like every healthy Saiyan family, we never got to see these two beasts actually lock horns.
A full Vegeta-Future Trunks fight would have been spectacular, especially since the former hints to Semi-Perfect Cell that both he and his son were nearly around the same level after their time together in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber; coming from Vegeta, this is the highest praise.
There was an opportunity to show some type of clash since both fighters entered the chamber together. Sadly, this never happened.
1. Piccolo vs. Vegeta
Every DBZ fan probably knew this was going to be the last entry. It’s almost unbelievable how Piccolo and Vegeta actually never fought. Despite their paths consistently crossing throughout Dragon Ball Z, these two anime superstars actually never went toe-to-toe.
During the initial Saiyan story arcs, Piccolo bravely went up against Nappa while Vegeta observed. That’s about the closest we ever got. What makes this missed opportunity even more astounding is how much Piccolo and Vegeta hate each other, especially during the Android and Cell Sagas. The Saiyan Prince often mocks the Namekian. How Piccolo was able to frequently brush this disrespect off is beyond belief!
Because their power levels flipped and altered so frequently, the characters were stronger than one another at various points in the story. It wasn’t until the Buu arcs that Vegeta was way above Piccolo. So, if they had clashed at some point before that particular saga, it could have been anyone’s fight. And what a battle it could’ve been. Seeing the same Piccolo who fought Android 17 smack Vegeta around would have been epic. Sorry, not sorry.