Peak human athlete, master of 127 martial arts, brilliant scientific mind, genius detective, indomitable will, unparalleled intellect, and wealthy billionaire all bundled in a single package, that’s Batman. After losing his parents at a young age, Bruce Wayne devoted his life to become the ultimate crime-fighter. In the dark streets of Gotham, if there’s one creature of the night who is truly terrifying, it’s Batman.
Related: 10 Most Iconic Batsuits
In the comics, Batman has established himself as one of the greatest fighters without any superhuman abilities. The protector of Gotham has regularly punched above his weight and surprisingly won at times. But, how far would the Dark Knight fare against the best martial artists from Marvel? Let’s find out.
10. Beat: Elektra
Elektra is one of the deadliest assassins in the Marvel universe. A long-time love interest of Daredevil, Elektra has been fighting for the good guys for a change. Her proficiency with the sai, katana, and shuriken paired with mastery over several martial arts makes her a formidable opponent. However, Batman is just better in every possible way, including stealth and raw strength.
9. Lose To: Wolverine
Wolverine is usually depicted as a savage mutant who enters a fight head first. On the contrary, Wolverine has mastered several martial arts and taught the likes of Black Widow and Echo. His animalistic senses, regenerative healing, and adamantium claws will take down Batman, no matter where the fight takes place.
8. Beat: Daredevil
The Devil of Hell’s Kitchen is a formidable opponent for multiple reasons. His radar sensing is insanely accurate by which he can sense the slightest change in heartbeat, breathing, or muscle movement. But the question is, how long can he dodge a barrage of attacks, including numerous gadgets from Batman’s utility belt? Also, Batman is one of the few characters who could determine that Daredevil is blind in their first encounter in Batman/Daredevil (1997).
7. Lose To: Iron Fist
The immortal Iron Fist, the protector of K’un-Lun…okay we will stop. Despite the fairly forgettable Netflix show, Iron Fist is one of the greatest fighters in the Marvel universe. After defeating a literal dragon by punching it in the heart, Danny Rand became the Iron Fist. His glowing fist has taken down Black Panther, Hercules, and a Helicarrier. His chi manipulation also helps him to recover quickly and give himself psychic senses. He also has complete control over his nervous system, meaning he can make himself impervious to pain if he wishes.
6. Beat: Black Widow
Though Black Widow is a master martial artist, she is mostly known for her espionage skills. Her rapid threat assessment also helps her to quickly chart a plan in most situations. However, her skills just fall short of Batman’s when it comes to combat. Batman’s genius intellect paired with over a hundred types of martial arts which includes two Kryptonian styles is too much for Natasha to handle.
5. Lose To: Shang-Chi
While Batman has mastered 127 kinds of martial arts, Shang-Chi has dedicated his life to become arguably the best martial artist without any superpower. His prowess is so lethal that even Ares has claimed that Shang-Chi can hold his own against literal gods when it comes to martial arts. His chi manipulation also helps him to sense life force, which effectively throws Batman’s stealth out of the window. Unless Batman decides to bring out his big guns, Shang-Chi would outclass him when it comes to martial arts.
4. Beat: Moon Knight
Defeating a superpowered Moon Knight would have been quite difficult for Batman, but thankfully, the Fist of Khonsu has lost his superpowers in recent editions. However, Moon Knight is still a formidable opponent who has mastered several martial arts. What makes Moon Knight truly dangerous is his unpredictability and unhinged mind. But guess what, Batman literally fights unhinged and deranged villains all the time. Batman’s years of experience give him an upper hand against the more brutal and violent Moon Knight.
3. Lose To: Captain America
Related: 10 Fan Designed Captain America Costumes Better Than the Original
The World War II veteran is one of the best hand-to-hand combatants Marvel has to offer. Though Steve Rogers might not have mastered 127 martial arts, he is physically superior to the Dark Knight, when it comes to speed, strength, durability, and senses. Also, normal incapacitating grenades do not work against him, which further puts Batman at disadvantage. But mostly, Batman has a moral code while Captain America won’t flinch to kill if the fight comes to a stalemate.
2. Beat: Taskmaster
Taskmaster’s ability to mimic his opponent’s skills within minutes and retain them forever makes him an interesting opponent for Batman. Currently, Taskmaster has mastered numerous martial arts, including the style of Captain America, Black Widow, and Black Panther. But, mimicking a style doesn’t make you impervious to the style’s inherent flaws which Batman will undoubtedly exploit. As the master of 127 martial arts, Batman can easily switch between styles to take down Taskmaster, but at the cost of days of bed-time.
1. Lose To: Black Panther
The King of Wakanda, Black Panther is extremely formidable even without his vibranium suit. Both the characters are almost indistinguishable when it comes to strategic mind, agility, and gadgets. However, T’Challa can summon the power and skills of all the previous Black Panthers which makes him insanely overpowered. Also, Batman’s technology is impressive, but Wakandan tech is just superior.
