Warning: Manga spoilersGiven the recent developments of Eiichiro Oda’sOne Pieceand the currentEgghead Island arc, fans have been expecting the most anticipated encounters to occur. After a long and hard-fought battle against Kaido and Big Mom, both members of the Worst Generation and theStraw Hatsmay still have many more hard hitters to take down before reaching the final island.
Related:Strongest Characters In One Piece
While there are no guarantees as to who will battle with who given the number of twists and turns Oda creates with this story, some battles are almost certainly set in stone to occur before the end of the story.
5Sanji vs Kizaru
Considering Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji standing as the ‘monster trio’ of the Straw Hats' as fans call them, the most suitable and expected Admiral for Sanji to come up against would be Kizaru. Both characters are known for their exceptional feats in terms of their speed and kicks, and the 17th opening intro for the anime gave fans a preview of what this fight would look like.
As Kizaru will play a role in the current Egghead Island arc as revealed in chapter 1070 on his way to deal with Vegapunk, it is an opportunity for Oda to showcase a showdown between Sanji and Kizaru. Given the clear leaps in strength and durability after his face-off with Queen in Wano just like his captain and crewmates, it would open the door to show how far Sanji and the rest of his peers have come since the start of the series.
4Zoro vs Mihawk
As Luffy has set himself in the position as one of the strongest characters in the series after defeating Kaido andfinally awakening, so has his first mate Roronoa Zoro. After Luffy’s time out of the battle on Onigashima, Zoro revealed the extent of his capabilities by infusing Conqueror’s Haki in his attack, which managed to scar Kaido. Out of all the Straw Hats, Zoro is the closest one to Luffy’s strength, which means an encounter with Mihawk could occur much sooner.
Related:Zoro’s Strongest Abilities
Zoro’s goal alongside assisting his captain’s dream of becoming the King of the Pirates is to become the world’s strongest swordsman which has been pre-time skip and still is. Many fans will be aware of their first clash that was completely one-sided for Mihawk, but it certainly will not be the same this time around with a far more powerful and formidable Zoro.
3Luffy vs Akainu
After witnessing Akainu brutally kill Ace and having him die for his sake in his arms, Monkey D. Luffy’s opportunity to avenge his brother is a highly anticipated fight for most fans. Considering the incredibly large gap between the pair in terms of strength and capabilities during Marineford, there was no way Luffy would have been able to go toe-to-toe with the current Fleet Admiral. Without any knowledge of Haki and how to use it, the best outcome was Luffy’s escape with the help of Jimbei and Trafalgar D. Water Law.
As the story is in its final saga and fans are coming off the back ofLuffy’s convincing triumph over Kaido, managing to fight with him equally in his base form, it would not be a stretch to suggest that Luffy is far more than capable of defeating Akainu. With access to Gear 5, advanced Conquerors' Haki attacks, and more experience in combat, Luffy up against Akainu could turn out to be one of the best fights inOne Pieceyet if it is set in stone to happen.
2Luffy vs Blackbeard
Since his first appearance during the early stages of the story during the Jaya arc, Blackbeard has been set up as the main antagonist of the story. Not only is Blackbeard also in the mix of finding theOne Piece, but he is also directly responsible for the death of Ace after his triumph between the two led to Ace’s capture and the Marineford War. With some suggesting Garp’sdemisemay be close as he ison the verge of fighting Blackbeard in his attempt to rescue Coby, this could turn out to be the most personal fight inOne Piecefor Luffy.
Out of all the fights yet to come in the series, this is most likely going to be the final showdown and the decider of who will become Pirate King. Given both characters' huge advancement in their abilities and Luffy’s grudge held on him, it could turn out to be far more chaotic and brutal compared to Luffy’s previous encounters.
1Luffy Or Blackbeard vs Shanks
As fans will know, Shanks still remains a mysterious character who has rare appearances despite his clear level of importance to the story as a Yonko and former member of the Roger Pirates. Given the lack of information on his true motives, his hidden conversation with the Gorosei, andhis recent declaration of claiming theOne Piece, many fans believe Shanks could turn out to be either an enemy or at the very least an eventual battle for Luffy on his road to becoming Pirate King.
While there is still an uncertainty about the Red-Haired Yonko clashing with Luffy, what is more likely to occur is a confrontation between him and Blackbeard. Tensions between the two characters have been at a high point ever since their childhood days with Whitebeard and Roger, and with the story coming to a close, it could be the first time fans get to see what Shanks is truly capable of.
More:Similarities Between Luffy And Shanks
