‘Dragon Ball’: Has Vegeta Ever Defeated Goku In A One-On-One Battle?

If you are a Manga and an anime fanatic, the crown for the most recommended anime will definitely be facilitated to the team ‘Dragon Ball‘. A story about valor, companionship, and hope, this manga takes us on the adventurous journey of the protagonist, Goku, an orphan boy with a tale, who is raised by a hermit by the name of Gohan.

Talking about Vegeta, he may not be the protagonist, however, his strength, sheer willpower, and nasty attitude make him stand out. Being one of the strongest characters that Goku ever fought, he can make Goku run for all his Zenith. A long-time debate that every fan wants the answer to, has Vegeta ever defeated Goku in a one-on-one battle? Well, the answer is Yes! Let us dive in more to analyze what the manga offered us.

Vegeta v/s Goku: Who Triumphed In Their First Battle

One of the most integral and considered to be the best Arc of ‘Dragon Ball’ is the Saiyan race. It has all the elements to be considered one of the greatest shonen creations of all time- intense fight sequences, humorous comedy relief, and a simple yet compelling narrative.

The story revolves around Vegeta, who came to the Earth in search of dragon balls in order to attain immortality. With various encounters between Goku and Vageta’s allies, where Goku’s comrades remained unbeatable, it was finally, Goku and Vageta’s faceoff.

Goku and Vegeta’s first one-on-one combat remains one of the most intense and fan-favorite sequences from the entire Manga. Goku’s kaioken power-up in his Ozaru form was enough to crush Vegeta’s determination. As great power comes with great consequences, this transformation inflicted damage to Goku’s muscles, creating an opening and final blow from Vegeta that resulted in Goku’s defeat. However, this victory was interrupted by Gohan, Krillin, and Yajirobe’s arrival.

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Majin Buu Arc: Goku Vs Magin Vegeta

Once again, Goku and Vegeta came face to face to put an end to what was left unfinished in their earlier facedown. In this arc we came across Vageta, stronger than ever, post his transformation to Majin Vageta, after voluntarily surrendering himself to Babidi. Goku faced a lot of hardship in his fight with Majin Vegeta and Babidi which ended with Goku being knocked out. In the end, Vegeta had a change of heart and helped his friends battle Majin Buu sacrificing himself in the process.

To sum it up, Vageta was a strong character and could have easily won over Goku. Due to creative decisions, and the fact that it could have had an adverse impact on the business and fan following of the anime, the creators never moved forward in delivering this theory of Vageta over Goku. However, there is no denying that Vegeta is one of the most powerful beings in the ‘Dragon Ball‘ universe probably even more powerful than Goku.