When you think of Pokemon's Fighting-type, physical offense will most certainly come to mind, and you wouldn't exactly be senseless for thinking so. The type boasts a ton of physical moves and Pokemon with high physical stats, such as Attack.
However, the best Fighting-types - especially competitively - are the ones that can break that typecasting, as shown by the Pokemon listed below. Many of the most competitively viable Fighting-types have unique enough wrinkles in their skillsets to make them stand out from the crowd, whether it's a certain method of attack, another offensive type, or simply being a special attacker rather than a physical one.
Updated March 31, 2023 by Kyle Laurel: With Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, a whole new host of Fighting-type Pokemon were introduced. With new type combinations and new strategies available, the meta shifted massively, and even saw some older 'mons suddenly find viability.
15 Heracross
The Guts wallbreaker is alive and well in Gen Nine, with Heracross still doing honest work. Its popular Flame Orb moveset from previous generations remains popular in the current day meta, with the held item giving Heracross an Attack boost that potentially makes it your most dangerous Pokemon.
It's especially so, now that Heracross has access to Trailblaze, a Grass-type coverage move with the fantastic bonus of boosting its Speed by a stage. Alongside that are its best STAB moves (Megahorn and Close Combat), and Guts' best friend in Facade. It can be relatively easy to limit Heracross's offensive output, though, with its mediocre defenses and Speed, and that Flame Orb constantly chipping away health.
14 Primeape
While Annihilape is banned from regular competitive play, its arrival gave its pre-evolution an extra competitive edge; Primeape now gets a defensive boost from the Eviolite held item. That’s huge for a Pokemon who, though boasting an already-decent 455 base stat total, could use that defensive boost.
Despite not reaching its fully-evolved Ghost-type form, Primeape can still learn the signature Rage Fist and easily turn Ghost-type with Terastalization. The power of that and Close Combat, Drain Punch, and a solid array of coverage moves can be boosted further via set-up (Bulk Up) or its Defiant ability. Its one hindrance from elite-tier battling is its somewhat middling Speed (95).
13 Paldean Tauros
The three breeds of Paldean Tauros improve upon the Kantonian variant quite a bit, with a better offensive typing, more physically concentrated stats, and wide learnsets. In particular, the Blaze and Aqua breeds stand out, thanks to getting two new STAB types.
With 110 Attack and a litany of high-power physical moves of all types, Paldean Tauros has a case for being the most versatile physical attacker out there. That said, its new signature Raging Bull is a popular staple, dealing 90 base power's worth of damage while breaking screens on the opponent's side. It also has Bulk Up for set-up and one of the best abilities ever in Intimidate, though its 70 Special Defense is an exploitable Achilles heel.
12 Hariyama
Hariyama's stat build has its Attack and HP dialed up to 11 (120 and 144, respectively), making it a prototypical bulky wallbreaker. It adds to the bulk with its most viable ability, Thick Fat, which reduces the damage it takes via Fire- and Ice-type moves. Many opt to add to the bulk even further with held items, such as an Assault Vest or Leftovers.
It lost some of its previous potential to play defensive, though, losing access to Toxic in Generation Nine. Nonetheless, its offensive potential for a pure Fighting-type remains palpable, with both Bulk Up and Close Combat available in its arsenal, flanked by still-accessible support or coverage moves like Knock Off, Taunt, Heavy Slam, and Stone Edge.
11 Flamigo
Flying/Fighting is a fantastic offensive type combination, with no type resisting both defensively. Gen Nine's Flamigo isn't the only competitively viable Flying/Fighting 'mon, but it might be the most fitting epitome of that typing, with an Attack-focused statistical build, a learnset that fits it hand-in-glove, and an ability that eliminates its biggest potential roadblock: Scrappy, which makes its Fighting-type moves neutral to Ghost-types.
It, unfortunately, lacks the coverage moves more elite offensive Pokemon have, and its Speed is average at best. That said, it's not exactly a one-note offensive Pokemon; it can do some pivoting with U-Turn, and its defensive shortcomings are somewhat offset by its access to Roost.
10 Lucario
The Scarlet and Violet competitive meta has been good to Lucario. With Grass-, Fairy-, and Dark-types abundant in its competitive ballpark, the Fighting/Steel-type has been quite a useful check to many of its adversaries. It's also benefited from Terastalization, as it's become quite popular to give it the Normal Tera-type to make it less vulnerable defensively and give a STAB boost to the ever-reliable Extreme Speed.
Other than that, Lucario's archetype from past generations as an offensively-minded mixed threat remains. Close Combat, either Bullet Punch or Meteor Mash, the aforementioned Extreme Speed, and Swords Dance remain staples in its competitive movesets, and its bad defensive stats (70 each) and underwhelming Speed remain notable flaws.
9 Gallade
Gallade was a recipient of one of Generation Nine's brand-new abilities: Sharpness, which multiplies the power of cutting and slicing moves 1.5 times. Well, the Psychic/Fighting-type just happens to have access to a ton of STAB moves of that exact kind, its competitive viability skyrocketing as a result.
Psycho Cut, Sacred Sword, and Leaf Blade have become a must-have trio in Gallade movesets, all boasting very solid base power anyway but dealing massive damage with the Sharpness boost. In terms of stats, it boasts excellent Attack (125) and Special Defense (115), and although its Speed is a bit disappointing (85), that's nothing a Choice Scarf can't fix given everything else Gallade has going for it.
8 Hawlucha
The Kalos-native more or less picks up where it left off from the previous generation, still making its money as an Unburden sweeper. Tapping into Hawlucha's offensive potential takes a bit of work, but you're most often rewarded with a highly-combustible weapon.
It has that excellent, near-uncheckable offensive typing in Fighting/Flying, and the natural Speed and attacking prowess to work as a late-game sweeper. With a set that includes Swords Dance and good STAB moves, it needs either a Terrain Seed or a White Herb, which activate via entering a battle with the correct terrain up or burning a turn with Close Combat, respectively.
7 Pawmot
One of the first two Fighting/Electric-type Pokemon ever, Pawmot is the most straightforward example of that typing's offensive potential, boasting big Attack (115), nice Speed (105), and not much else statistically. What it lacks in stats, though, it makes up for with a uniquely wide and effective learnset.
It has the signature Double Shock, a move that deals 120 base power's worth of damage at the cost of its Electric-typing, and the rare Revival Blessing, a move that literally revives a fainted teammate, to its name alongside the standard STAB Close Combat and several good coverage moves. Although, if you don't have a held item to help with its statistical shortcomings, it won't be as effective.
6 Slither Wing
Several Paradox Pokemon have taken over competitive battling the same way Ultra Beasts did in previous generations, with Volcarona’s Scarlet-exclusive Paradox being one such ‘mon. It essentially works like a Heracross on steroids, boasting the same typing and similarly structured stats to the tune of 570 total.
Instead of Guts, Slither Wing has Protosynthesis, an ability that will boost its Attack stat in sunny weather. That causes Close Combat, priority First Impression, its decent coverage movepool, and even STAB U-Turn to hit like a truck. It has decent enough Special Defense (105) and HP (85) to play bulky wallbreaker with some help from held items, though it's not specialized enough in it to surpass other Paradox Pokemon.
5 Iron Hands
The second Paradox Pokemon and Fighting/Electric-type listed here, Hariyama’s future counterpart blends both archetypes to create a monster with massive stats and offensive potential. However, unlike most Electric-types, Iron Hands is built like a physical tank instead of a speedster, with gigantic Defense (108) and HP (154), and terribly low Speed (50).
The one stat that should catch your eye, of course, is its huge Attack stat (140), and if that isn't enough for you, it's become common to boost it further with either a Choice Band or Swords Dance. As a result, moves that otherwise pack mediocre base power like Drain Punch or Thunder Punch deal big damage anyway, making Iron Hands dangerous no matter how arbitrary the moveset.
4 Quaquaval
The pantheon of Fighting-type starters adds yet another competitive regular to its halls in Quaquaval, Scarlet and Violet's Water-type starter. It follows a blueprint similar to Blaziken's, in that it's offensively potent with reliable ways to boost both Attack and Speed.
Granted, Quaquaval will likely never reach the level of dominance Blaziken once reached, needing a bit more set-up to threaten to sweep an opposing team. It will have to use its signature Aqua Step at least once in a battle to raise its mediocre 85 Speed. Still, that signature move is fantastic, dealing good damage (80 BP) while boosting Speed for set-up, especially with moves like Swords Dance, Bulk Up, Close Combat, Roost, and Ice Spinner alongside.
3 Breloom
Grass/Fighting-types have been decently abundant in recent competitive metas, with Virizion and Chesnaught having had successful competitive stints, and Hisuian Decidueye and Lilligant of Legends: Arceus fame bound to shake the scene up whenever they’re released.
In the meantime, Breloom is still tops as the most notorious Grass/Fighting-type, though it's less seen in its signature Sub-Seeder role these days, and more in a straightforward offensive role that utilizes its 130 Attack and the Technician ability. Moves like Mach Punch and Bullet Seed hit harder than usual, and it also has awesome status moves like Spore and Swords Dance available, though you'll have to pick your spots when using them due to its low defenses and Speed.
2 Iron Valiant
We finally got a Fairy/Fighting-type in Generation Nine, and it’s lived up to the competitive potential that type combo held for so long. That said, it's hard to not be a competitive standout with a hyper-offensive 590 base stat total, an ability that can boost one of those offensive stats further, and a wide learnset.
Like Lucario, Iron Valiant is a Pokemon with true mixed-offense potential, with 130 Attack and 120 Special Attack to go with its 116 Speed. Any one of those stats can be boosted immediately with Quark Drive, and that further adds to the damage inflicted by moves like Moonblast, Close Combat, Thunderbolt, Psyshock, Shadow Ball, and Energy Ball.
1 Great Tusk
Yet another Paradox Pokemon, Donphan’s ancient relative is basically the new Landorus-Therian in competitive Singles battles. Great Tusk has become the premier physical threat on both offense and defense, boasting Attack and Defense to the tune of an unreal 131 each. Its Speed isn't awful either at 87, with its one statistical blind spot being its 53 Special Defense.
It also boasts yet another one of the strongest offensive type combos possible and is extremely versatile moveset-wise. Massive, sweep-viable attacks like Close Combat and Headlong Rush; support moves like Knock Off, Stealth Rock, and Rapid Spin; coverage moves like Ice Spinner and Play Rough; and a set-up move in Bulk Up are all in Great Tusk's arsenal.