10 Best Yuji Itadori Fights in Jujutsu Kaisen

WARNING! This article contains spoilers from the manga and Jujutsu Kaisen Execution.

Yuji Itadori, the vessel for the King of Curses, Sukuna, is the embodiment of what it means to be a modern sorcerer in Jujutsu Kaisen. His journey is marked by a grueling series of brutal battles for his life that force him to grow stronger to protect his friends and the innocent. What makes Yuji’s fights so captivating isn’t just his superpowered physical strength and how quick he is on his feet, but the emotional weight he carries into every clash. He fights with the conviction that no one should ever die alone, constantly grappling with the horrifying acts Sukuna commits when taking control of his body, such as the destruction in Shibuya.

From high-stakes confrontations against special-grade Cursed Spirits to desperate fights against other powerful sorcerers, these ten moments highlight Yuji’s growth, resolve, and refusal to give up in the face of overwhelming odds, earning his place as the series’ leading man.

10) Yuji vs. Sukuna (Inner Domain)

This moment isn’t a true contest of strength (or really much of a fight at all) but an internal struggle for Yuji’s control and identity. After Sukuna uses Yuji’s body to rip out his own heart, Yuji confronts the King of Curses within his own innate domain within their shared mindscape, leaving Yuji entirely at the mercy of the terrifying ancient curse.

Though brief and an immediately decisive victory for Sukuna, this confrontation is a defining moment for Yuji’s character development. It makes him realize just how dangerous Sukuna really is and how he is willing to patiently wait until the right moment to overpower Yuji to accomplish his goals, forcing Yuji to acknowledge the true price of his sacrifice. While Yuji comes back to life (thanks to Sukuna), the experience further solidifies Yuji’s absolute commitment to self-control and his mission to suppress Sukuna at all costs.

9) Yuji and Nobara vs. The Cursed Spirits (Test Mission)

As a test by their sensei, Satoru Gojo, this was one of Yuji’s earliest proper missions as a Jujutsu Sorcerer, partnering with Nobara Kugisaki to exorcise two low-grade Cursed Spirits in a building. The fight was the first instance of the shaky teamwork between the two who would go on to become best friends, with Nobara’s abrasiveness and independence clashing against Yuji’s desire to help. However, they found a rhythm that only grew stronger with time, making them an excellent team.

The true significance of this battle lies in the foundation it sets up with the team dynamic of the main trio forming. Though Megumi does not participate in the fight, he is present with Gojo, watching Nobara and Yuji. The test mission highlights Yuji’s natural protective instinct and willingness to take on entities that are well-above his skill level, while Nobara’s range and technique complement his pure physical strength.

8) Yuji vs. Todo (Kyoto Goodwill Event)

This clash of titans began as a sparring match designed to test Yuji’s skills, but quickly escalated into a high-octane battle as Aoi Todo purposely pushed Yuji to his absolute limits. Todo’s eccentric personality and brutal training methods forced Yuji to fight with a level of intelligence and adaptation he hadn’t yet fully actualized.

It was during this fight that Yuji learned to better apply his own cursed energy, specifically learning to deliver consecutive attacks with his powerful Divergent Fist. This confrontation was less about victory and more about a brutal education, establishing a strange but affectionate mentorship that led to Yuji almost instantaneously leveling up.

7) Yuji and Nobara vs. Eso & Kechizu (Death Painting Arc)

Paired again with Nobara, this was a difficult, emotionally charged battle against the Cursed Womb: Death Paintings Eso and Kechizu. The brothers used a deadly poison technique, Rot Technique: Decay, forcing Yuji and Nobara to rely on precision and a coordinated effort while racing against the clock for their own lives.

This fight comes towards the later part of Season 1 and shows just how far the two have come since their practice mission, especially when Yuji protected Nobara by taking the brunt of a poisoned attack. Their eventual victory required them to use each of their techniques in a final coordinated attack, illustrating the depth of their relationship and strength as a duo, as well as their willingness to put their lives on the line for one another.

6) Yuji vs. Choso (Shibuya Incident – Bathroom)

Immediately following the traumatic events of the Shibuya Incident’s first phase, a mentally and physically drained Yuji was cornered by Choso, another of the powerful Death Paintings. Choso sought revenge for the death of his brothers, making this an incredibly personal and ruthless confrontation fought in the close quarters of a public bathroom.

Yuji was overwhelmed by Choso’s Blood Manipulation techniques, especially the piercing Supernova. Despite his extreme disadvantage, Yuji’s tenacity and fighting spirit kept him in the game. It was a vicious loss, but the fight’s surprise conclusion—a resurfaced memory that made Choso question the truth of his and Yuji’s relationship—is what truly defines its importance.

5) Yuji vs. Yuta (Post-Shibuya)

After the events of the Shibuya Incident and the overwhelming chaos that followed, Yuji was relentlessly pursued by the Special Grade Sorcerer Yuta Okkotsu, who recently returned from Africa. Yuta personally requested to be named Yuji’s executioner, which is the plot of the recently released Jujutsu Kaisen Execution film. The fight was a desperate, one-sided chase and battle where Yuji was forced to flee and defend against one of the strongest people in the Jujutsu world.

The fight shows the gap in power and experience, with Yuji barely able to land a blow against Yuta’s tactical, physical, and cursed energy mastery and the power of his companion, Rika. While Yuji was ultimately defeated, this brutal clash was a necessary checkpoint that reminded Yuji of the power inequity between him and Special Grade curses and sorcerers.

4) Yuji and Nanami vs. Mahito (First Encounter)

This was Yuji’s first major team-up with his mentor Kento Nanami, facing off against the detestable Special Grade Cursed Spirit, Mahito. Mahito’s terrifying technique, Idle Transfiguration, which allows him to reshape souls into monstrous abominations, made the fight more than just a display of power, but an emotional minefield for Yuji to navigate.

The fight was a psychological battle as much as a physical one, forcing Yuji to wrestle with the horror of seeing a human being’s body twisted into a grotesque form in the same way Mahito killed his friend, Junpei. Yuji’s ability to briefly counter Mahito’s soul-based attacks made him the key asset, creating a mutual hatred between the two that would fuel their future confrontations.

3) Yuji and Todo vs. Hanami (Kyoto Goodwill Event)

In the climax of the Kyoto Goodwill Event, where students from Jujutsu High from the Tokyo and Kyoto campuses engaged in a competition regarding exorcising curses, Yuji and Todo’s combined power was put to the ultimate test against the Special Grade Cursed Spirit, Hanami. This fight was an incredible display of coordinated offense, with Todo’s tactical genius and Boogie Woogie technique setting up Yuji’s relentless striking power and newly unlocked Black Flash.

The battle was a masterclass in combination attacks, as Todo’s technique continuously disoriented Hanami, allowing Yuji to land powerful consecutive blows. Their synergy proved to be the only thing capable of matching the Cursed Spirit, resulting in an impressive moment of teamwork and a massive step up in Yuji’s combat experience.

2) Yuji vs. Mahito (Shibuya Incident – Killing Blow)

This final, grueling fight with Mahito during the Shibuya Incident is often cited as Yuji’s most cathartic and emotionally satisfying victory. After witnessing Mahito murder Nanami and grievously injure Nobara in Shibuya, Yuji fought with a raw, relentless fury fueled by grief and pure hatred for the Cursed Spirit.

The battle pushed Yuji past all physical and emotional breaking points. He finally managed to land a series of truly devastating blows, cornering Mahito and refusing to give him a moment’s peace. It was a desperate, bloody fight that culminated in Yuji’s ultimate victory, as he hunted the murderous Cursed Spirit down like easy prey.

1) Yuji vs. Sukuna (Shinjuku Showdown Arc – Final Battle)

The ultimate confrontation between Yuji and the King of Curses, Sukuna, in Shinjuku at the climax of the manga is the defining battle of the entire series and the peak of Yuji’s journey. Having lost Gojo to a tragic death at Sukuna’s hand, absorbed his brother Choso’s lessons, and matured into a complete sorcerer, Yuji steps onto the battlefield to fight for the future of the world and his best friend, Megumi, whom Sukuna took over as a new vessel.

This final fight is the true test of everything Yuji went through and learned over the course of the series: the mastery of his own body after inheriting some of Sukuna’s techniques due to his time as a vessel, his advanced understanding of cursed energy, his newfound ability to open his own Domain, and his unwavering spirit. Fighting alongside his allies, he confronts the strongest being in history to avenge all those Sukuna killed and save Megumi. The climactic battle is a testament to Yuji’s unbreakable resolve and his promise to save those who are weaker than he is from the evil he had once unwillingly harbored.

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