Heroic feats don't come easy! Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for top 20 superheroes who are best in close combat.
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00:00 Welcome to WatchMojo and today we're counting down our picks for the top 20 superheroes
00:14 who have the best hands.
00:16 Now while anti-heroes will be considered, supervillains have a list of their own.
00:28 Number 20 Moon Knight
00:41 During his stints as a US Marine and mercenary, Mark Spector learned a variety of martial
00:45 arts techniques.
00:47 He also developed the ability to withstand high levels of pain.
00:51 Mark's tolerance for punishment came in handy when he fought Taskmaster, a villain
00:55 who replicates an opponent's move.
00:57 After realizing that Moon Knight would take heavy blows to create his own openings, the
01:01 antagonist chose not to copy his foe's style.
01:04 Outside of Mark's offensive approach, his unorthodox fighting tactics always keep foes
01:09 guessing.
01:10 He's even been able to keep up with Iron Fist on certain occasions.
01:14 Whether you're a friend or a foe, you don't want to mess with Mark.
01:28 Number 19 Gamora
01:39 Before joining the Guardians of the Galaxy, Gamora had a reputation as one of the universe's
01:43 most feared assassins.
01:45 After being adopted by Thanos at a young age, the Mad Titan turned his adopted daughter
01:50 into a relentless killing machine.
01:52 Gamora simultaneously learned how to take down legions of warriors and quietly assassinate
01:57 enemies.
01:58 Not only is she reliable on the battlefield, but she can take down intimidating foes like
02:02 the Thing with just a nerve strike.
02:05 Since Gamora also has physical enhancements, there's serious strength behind her skills.
02:10 You really don't want to find out first hand why she's the deadliest woman in the
02:14 galaxy.
02:19 Number 18 Dick Grayson
02:27 Dick Grayson's natural acrobatic talents definitely came in handy when he first started
02:32 training as Robin.
02:33 He was able to bring his natural athleticism to training that emphasized precise strikes.
02:37 By the time Dick got out in the field, he had become an agile fighter that could easily
02:42 dodge blows and hit back with a devastating technique.
02:45 His ability to blend different styles on the fly also helped him keep up with tremendous
02:50 opponents like Deathstroke and even Batman.
02:52 It's no wonder that Dick was entrusted to take up the mantle of the Dark Knight.
02:56 He definitely has the skills to shut down any threat in Gotham and beyond.
03:09 Number 17 Steve Rogers aka Captain America
03:12 It's well known that Steve Rogers was pushed to the limits of human performance by a super
03:22 soldier injection.
03:23 However, he doesn't coast on the serum alone.
03:26 Cap has honed his boxing abilities and learned to use his enhanced reflexes to keep enemies
03:31 on their toes.
03:32 While he's most known for his shield skills, he's proven he doesn't need his iconic
03:37 weapon to win.
03:38 Cap has gladly taken on villains and his own superpowered friends barehanded.
03:42 In some realities, he's even managed to defeat himself.
03:46 Steve is never afraid to punch above his weight class.
03:49 Since he's constantly improving his mind and body, he's ready for any battle.
03:57 Number 16 Bronze Tiger
04:05 At a young age, Ben Turner realized that he had issues controlling his rage.
04:09 So he did what anyone would do and trained in martial arts until he became a grandmaster.
04:15 Turner initially just used his lethal skill set to assassinate people.
04:19 However, he started becoming more of an anti-hero who didn't kill everyone he defeated after
04:24 being brought in to lead the Suicide Squad.
04:26 Throughout Turner's long career, he's proven that he could hold his own against masters
04:30 like Deathstroke and the Dark Knight.
04:32 The Bronze Tiger has shown he's capable of teaching by taking on students like Jason
04:36 Todd and Cassandra Cain.
04:38 Anyone who faces Turner must watch out for his claws and his fists.
04:49 Number 15 Karnak
05:01 Like the other Inhumans, Karnak is naturally stronger and faster than most human beings.
05:06 But unlike his brethren, he wasn't given any extra superpowers.
05:10 Karnak spent most of his formative years honing his fighting skills to extraordinary levels.
05:15 Along the way, he learned how to sense the flaws in inanimate objects and living opponents.
05:20 Karnak has sliced through robots, cut through diamonds, and brought down an entire building.
05:25 His flaw-sensing ability also allowed him to break out of an illusion set by the Omega-level
05:30 mutant Jean Grey.
05:32 Karnak's incredible feet have fittingly earned him the nickname "The Shatterer."
05:36 In battle, he can break his enemies in a single blow.
05:45 Number 14 Natasha Romanoff
05:51 Natasha was trained from an early age to become a deadly black widow.
05:55 Additionally, she was given implants that helped slow the aging process and allowed
05:59 her to quickly bounce back from injuries.
06:02 When Natasha's training and physical enhancements are combined with her natural athleticism
06:05 and intellect, you get one deadly fighter.
06:09 Black Widow has routinely taken down physically stronger opponents by using strategy or their
06:14 own momentum against them.
06:15 She's also faced aliens and multiple opponents without blinking.
06:19 Long after escaping the Black Widow program, she continued to master multiple fighting
06:23 disciplines.
06:25 And Natasha only gets more dangerous when she wields weapons in battle.
06:29 But even without her trademark gauntlets, Black Widow kicks butt.
06:39 Number 13 Electra Nachios
06:47 Electra Nachios began fighting when her father agreed to train her as a way to cope with
06:51 her mother's death.
06:52 Depending on who you ask, this may not have been the best idea.
06:56 Falling on both sides of the moral spectrum, Electra trained with the Moral Master Stick
07:01 and Dangerous Hand Ninjas.
07:02 Through her training, she became a deadly weapon who could block out pain and slow her
07:07 own bleeding if she so desired.
07:10 Electra is also so light on her feet that it occasionally feels like she has super speed.
07:15 As a testament to her abilities, she was able to step into the mantle of Daredevil without
07:19 missing a beat.
07:20 Electra truly is a fearless fighter.
07:28 Number 12 Peter Parker aka Spider-Man
07:35 While Spider-Man is famously known for his super strength and clever use of webs, his
07:39 hand-to-hand skills shouldn't be underrated either.
07:42 His acrobatic skills allow him to graciously dispatch opponents.
07:46 Spider-Man's incredible reflexes and spider-sense also make it incredibly hard for most opponents
07:50 to land a clean hit on him.
07:53 As further proof of his talent, he learned how not to lean so heavily on his spider-sense.
07:58 After temporarily losing the ability, Peter trained with the Shang-Chi to create a fighting
08:02 form called the Way of the Spider.
08:04 This new martial arts style gave the arachnid-themed hero a lot more bite.
08:09 Not only could Peter compensate for his weakness, but he gained an entirely new strength to
08:13 wield against opponents.
08:24 Number 11 Lady Shiva
08:32 Lady Shiva's fighting ability is so prestige, it's said to be an honor to be trained by
08:36 her.
08:37 In the past, Bronze Tiger, Cassandra Cain, and even Batman have taken her lessons to
08:41 heart.
08:42 She's earned her reputation by mastering combat styles previously lost to time.
08:46 She's also an expert at reading body language perfectly.
08:49 This subtle skill allows her to predict her opponent's move with frightening accuracy.
09:05 When it's time to end the fight, Shiva can do just that with a brutal finishing move
09:09 named the Leopard Blow.
09:11 If you value your life, don't put this master's skills to the test.
09:15 Number 10 Dinah L'Oreal Lance aka Black Canary
09:24 The main reason that Black Canary is such a legendary fighter comes down to the fact
09:27 that she's had an incredible series of teachers.
09:30 She studied with pro boxer Wildcat, learned Amazonian fighting styles from Wonder Woman,
09:35 and trained with Lady Shiva herself.
09:37 Dinah's considerable amount of training gave her the ability to keep up with martial
09:41 arts experts and meta-humans alike.
09:43 Although Dinah has her Canary Cry ability, she honestly doesn't need to rely on it
09:48 to take down opponents.
09:50 She's taken down tough opponents like Huntress and gave the Kryptonian Superboy serious training
10:03 without raising her voice.
10:05 Black Canary routinely proves why she has a long-standing spot on the Justice League
10:09 roster.
10:11 Number 9 Black Panther
10:18 Although he was always in line to inherit the powers of the Black Panther, T'Challa
10:22 never took his birthright for granted.
10:24 He mastered martial arts from all across the world.
10:28 Over time, T'Challa created his own unpredictable fighting style by blending what he learned
10:33 together.
10:34 As the time came to take the mantle of Black Panther, T'Challa gained enhanced speed
10:38 and strength.
10:39 He also gained access to combat memories of all those who came before him.
10:43 T'Challa's combination of experience and intelligence make him hard to outwit or outmatch.
10:57 Even when he's not wearing his trademark Vibranium suit, he's still an incredibly
11:01 formidable opponent.
11:03 Number 8 Cassandra Cain
11:08 Since Cassandra was the daughter of two skilled assassins, she was forced to learn how to
11:13 fight before learning any other skills.
11:15 Her harsh upbringing led her to become one of the deadliest young warriors the world
11:19 had ever seen.
11:21 Like her mother Lady Shiva, Cassandra knows how to expertly read an opponent's body
11:25 language.
11:26 The young fighter had such extraordinary combat skills that professional analysts couldn't
11:30 believe that she wasn't a metahuman.
11:32 Cassandra's ability to take severe hits and keep on going also make her difficult
11:37 to take down.
11:38 Over the years, her skills had made her a key member of the Bat Family.
11:42 She also has the impressive distinction of being one of the few to beat Lady Shiva in
11:47 a straight up fight.
11:56 Number 7 Richard Dragon
12:07 Sometimes a character's list of students tell you all you need to know about them.
12:11 Richard Dragon has taught martial arts to Lady Shiva, Bronze Tiger, Black Canary, and
12:15 most of the Bat Family.
12:17 Why is he such a sought after master?
12:20 First off, it's been said that Dragon is an expert in virtually every martial art on
12:24 Earth.
12:25 So it seems that any fighter will have trouble coming up with a move he hasn't already
12:29 mastered.
12:30 Dragon is also good at figuring out the strengths and weaknesses of a given opponent in a short
12:35 time.
12:36 While he might not be the most well-known DC fighter out there, he's definitely the
12:40 most underrated martial artist in the universe.
12:52 Number 6 Wolverine
13:02 Even if you took away Logan's metal claws and skeleton, you still wouldn't want to
13:06 face this opponent in the ring.
13:07 Thanks to his mutant abilities, he's lived for over a hundred years.
13:11 Logan's long lifespan allowed him to spend a century gaining combat experience while
13:16 learning dozens of fighting techniques.
13:19 Although he has the prowess to target pressure points to overwhelm opponents, he often prefers
13:24 to approach each fight like an absolute brawler.
13:27 But assuming Logan is just a wild animal would be a mistake.
13:31 Wolverine has a keen battle instinct that allows him to improvise brilliant solutions
13:36 on the fly.
13:37 Every time he comes out ahead, we remember he's the best at what he does.
13:46 Number 5 Shang-Chi
13:56 Although Shang-Chi doesn't technically have superpowers, he's such a formidable fighter
14:00 that he is considered superhuman by many of Marvel's heroes.
14:03 Shang-Chi has moved fast enough to dodge bullets and has even caught one with his own teeth.
14:09 Thanks to his mastery of Chi, he can also sense opponents and enhance his own already
14:13 impressive skills.
14:14 Shang-Chi's fantastic resume has led him to be invited to several superhero organizations.
14:19 He's also trained several heroes in the past.
14:23 While Shang-Chi can pick up and use regular mystical weapons, he'll always be known
14:27 best for what he can do with his bare hands.
14:38 Number 4 Karate Kid
14:39 No, we're not talking about New Jersey's own Daniel LaRusso.
14:44 The Karate Kid we're focusing on is named Val Armor.
14:50 Although this DC character has no superpowers to speak of, he makes up for that fact by
14:55 having a total mastery of pretty much all of Earth's fighting techniques.
15:03 Karate Kid also instinctively knows exactly where to hit an opponent for maximum damage.
15:08 On top of his physical prowess, his mental skills are also superb.
15:12 He can shake off brainwashing and any pain he receives and keep fighting.
15:16 Karate Kid also got into the Legion of Superheroes after holding his own in a one-on-one duel
15:21 against Superboy.
15:22 Sorry Daniel LaRusso, but you don't think a crane kick would be enough to defeat DC's
15:28 Karate Kid.
15:30 Number 3 Iron Fist
15:35 Danny Rand is the champion of Kun Lun, one of the seven capital cities of heaven.
15:40 In that prestige palace, he mastered several forms of otherworldly martial arts.
15:45 Danny also learned how to gain full control of his chi.
15:48 After completing his training by taking down a literal dragon, he claimed the power of
15:53 its heart in his fist.
15:55 But the Iron Fist is so much more than the name implies.
15:58 With chi control, Danny can speed up the healing process of himself and others, and even punch
16:03 spirits out of possessed opponents.
16:05 This martial artist has been able to knock out the nearly invincible Luke Cage and crack
16:10 the hilly carrier.
16:12 Danny Rand actually might be more intimidating than a dragon.
16:23 Number 2 Batman
16:34 The Dark Knight may be the most famous superhero who doesn't have powers.
16:38 Despite a lack of enhanced abilities, he's taken down too many metahumans and aliens
16:43 to count.
16:44 Batman's gadgets certainly help, but at the root of it all is his vast fighting experience.
16:49 In many realities, Bruce Wayne graduates from the League of Assassins training with high
16:53 honors and serious skills.
16:55 Thanks to a photographic memory, he's memorized over 100 martial arts and can take in more
17:01 at any time.
17:02 Batman's immense discipline and determination allows him to push past limits and stay in
17:07 fights even after taking hard hits.
17:09 He's also a brilliant strategist who can find a way to turn the tables on an enemy.
17:14 Batman simply doesn't need powers to dole out justice.
17:40 Number 1 Daredevil
17:49 Matt Murdock was born into a boxing family.
17:51 To use an analogy from the sport, he grew up to be one of the best pound for pound fighters
17:57 in comics.
17:58 After losing his sight, he gained enhanced senses and trained with martial arts masters.
18:03 Matt gained an ability to detect his opponents even if they're on the other side of a wall.
18:08 His sharp senses allow him to do everything from identifying an opponent's heart rate
18:12 to predict that a teleporting character will arrive.
18:15 Since Matt is extremely athletic and bends multiple martial arts, his opponents regret
18:20 every time he comes at them.
18:22 He's fearlessly taking down some of the toughest heroes and villains with his fist
18:25 alone.
18:26 Matt's a beast when he lets the devil out.
18:35 Which heroes did we miss?
18:37 Which villains could beat them all in the ring?
18:39 Let us know in the comments down below!
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