So, what are the most evenly matched fights in the DB series?
The ones I can think of are Goku vs Jackie Chun, Goku vs Tenshinhan/Tien, and 17 vs Piccolo.
Some fights that seem equal but aren't are:
Goku vs Piccolo Jr. Goku outsmarts him numerous times during their fight, using the latters own tricks against him, and I think he did have the slightly higher power level if their numbers during Raditz's arrival are anything to go on.
Goku vs Majin Vegeta: as we later find out, Goku could have won that fight in seconds with SSJ 3, but purposely didn't use it (and not even for the logical reason of it using too much energy either, but for the far less interesting reason of wanting to satisfy Vegeta).
I think that's it. DB doesn't really do those kinds of fights, as they tend to almost always be really one sided.
One Strip! One Strip!Bear in mind that Goku got a bullshit zenkai boost after the tournament fight and Piccolo did not
Forever liveblogging the AvengersI'd say Goku v.s. King Piccolo is closer than Goku v.s. Tien.
Also Goku v.s. Piccolo Jr. had Goku with a few disadvantages that Piccolo did not have - notably, Goku was trying not to kill him or Kami and was still playing by tourney rules unlike Piccolo.
edited 17th Apr '18 8:00:39 AM by Sigilbreaker26
"And when the last law was down and the Devil turned round on you, where would you hide, the laws all being flat?"I think I read that Goku's power level during the King Piccolo fight (or Tao Pai Pai) was equal to that of his opponent. It didn't look that way, but both Tao and Piccolo probably aren't used to not instantly crushing their enemy, so they were thrown off and lost their shit pretty quickly.
One Strip! One Strip!....wait, what?
Goku literally cannot have the same power level as Taopaipai in their rematch. He's clearly stronger than him. At one point he even lets TPP beat the shit out of him without fighting back just to show how much stronger he is. It's one of the biggest curb stomps in the whole of DB.
"And when the last law was down and the Devil turned round on you, where would you hide, the laws all being flat?"![]()
Yeah, that's true. I do need to look up that tidbit again (if I can even find it).
Not really. That fight traded the advantage ball from one stomp (Goku winning) to another (19 winning due to Goku's heart disease).
Edit: checked the DB Wiki. They have a list of Power Levels from various sources, and according to Daizenshuu 7, both Goku and King Piccolo had a power level of 260.
Also, when he fought Tien at the 22nd Budokai, both of them had a power level of 180, so it looks like I called that fight right as well.
edited 17th Apr '18 8:32:14 AM by HandsomeRob
One Strip! One Strip!That's a good point. Then again, it seemed to take some time to charge, and Cell only didn't try to avoid it because he knew it would do nothing.
In contrast, I think 17 would have either tried to attack him before he could get it off, or just dodged
One Strip! One Strip!Super had the issue of letting the mood determine the fight, instead of the fight determine the mood.
This happened a bunch during the Jiren fight where it seems like he's being pressured despite us knowing very clearly there's no reason for him to be, and then all of a sudden he's winning (like he should be from the beginning) even though he doesn't actually seem to be trying harder.
edited 17th Apr '18 12:01:52 PM by LSBK
Update on Chris Ayres
(dub Freeza).
He's doing about as well as someone with his condition can be (he's even improved slightly), and is now awaiting a pair of lungs to be donated so the surgery can proceed.
Obviously that's kind of random as to if and when some lungs become available, so no end date in sight just yet.
edited 17th Apr '18 1:43:07 PM by DarkHunter
IIRC he had oral surgery or something like that; lung transplants are quite of a bigger deal.
No seriously, chest surgery is about the most invasive thing you can end up needing, and recovering from it takes its time (picture having to hold shut your ribcage if you have to sneeze, or when getting up from bed, or when laying down on a bed...); here is hoping things go as well as then can be.
Damn. I can't really imagine that at all. I hope his luck is good.
So I just considered something. Should we put Toriyama down as a Trolling Creator considering his Contrarian nature and love of subverting expectations?
One Strip! One Strip!

I want to say Master Roshi. He has the endurance to get past his techniques and could probably tank one of his Kamehameha waves.