All Fighting-type Pokémon weaknesses, explained

Out of all the mystical and strange Pokémon types in the franchise, Fighting-type arguably feels the most realistic. Fighting-type Pokémon are usually heavy-hitting tanks or agile, acrobatic creatures, trading in magical attacks for the ability to kick, punch, and chop their way to victory.

With exceedingly high average attack stats, Fighting-type Pokémon can be tricky to deal with, whether you’re playing Go or Scarlet and Violet. Despite their tough appearances, these punchy Pocket Monsters are not indestructible.

Here, we’ve examined every Fighting-type Pokémon weakness, along with tips on how to beat this type in battle and which Pokémon you should bring to your next match.

How to beat Fighting-type Pokémon

Understanding type advantages and weaknesses is crucial if you want to win matches in a Pokémon game. Basic matchups like ones that pit Fire-types against Water-types are easy to understand, but other type pairings can seem odd.

Take a look at all the Fighting-type weaknesses and strengths in the table below. Fighting has three defensive weaknesses, five offensive weaknesses, five offensive type advantages, and one type that it cannot hit at all. It also has three resistances.

Visualizing some of these match-ups can be handy. Punching a ghost would be impossible, for example, and Rock Smash is an early game Fighting-type move that literally smashes rocks to bits. Trying to hit a pigeon would also likely be quite difficult.

Additionally, the term “mind over matter” can be helpful for remembering how Psychic-type attacks can easily dispatch Fighting-type critters. There are almost 20 different types in the Pokémon world, so having tips and tricks to help with matchups can make teambuilding much simpler.

To help you pick the strongest Fighting-type Pokémon counters, we’ve gone into its three defensive weaknesses in more depth below, including some examples of strong moves and powerful Pokémon picks.

Fairy

These Fairy Pokémon may look unassuming and cute for the most part, but they’re lethal if you find the right build for them.

There are some solid Fairy Pokémon topping community VGC tier lists, like Galarian Weezing (Poison/Fairy), Whimsicott (Grass/Fairy), Clefable (Fairy), and Primarina (Water/Fairy).

Additionally, the Fairy Tera Type is a decent defensive choice that you can utilize in Scarlet and Violet matches to resist Fighting-type attacks. It also provides an offensive boost for non-Fairy Pokémon that know Fairy-type moves like Play Rough.

Psychic

Psychic-types are known for being powerful and competitively viable, in VGC, Pokémon Go, and even TCG. Popular TCG decks like Gardevoir ex can make quick work of Fighting-type critters.

In Scarlet and Violet, Pokémon like Indeedee (Psychic/Normal), Hatterene (Psychic/Fairy), and Gallade (Psychic/Fighting) are strong picks in the Psychic department.

Out of the three, we suggest looking at Hatterene for a double-shot of super-effective damage against Fighting-type critters. Viable strategies that feature Hatterene include Healing Wish builds, Trick Room teams, and Calm Mind builds. Attacks like Psychic and Psyshock can ruin a Fighting-oriented team, while moves like Trick Room can help swing a battle in your favor.

Psychic-types can often be seen stomping the competition in Pokémon Go, too. Malamar saw plenty of play at LAIC 2025 during Championship Sunday, highlighting how effective the dual typing of Dark and Psychic is.

Pure Psychic-type Pokémon can be incredibly powerful, but more often than not, Pokémon with Psychic as part of a dual typing are the best picks for defeating Fighting-type creatures.

Flying

When you dive into any mainline game like Scarlet and Violet for the first time, one of the first types you’ll come across is Flying. Flying-type Pokémon like Fletchling often pop up on early routes, and they remain useful for the majority of the game.

Flying-types can make quick work of Fighting-types in matches, provided you don’t pick one with Normal as its other type. Normal/Flying Pokémon are common in the franchise, both in Pokémon Go and Scarlet and Violet, and the Normal-typing removes their resistance to Fighting attacks. It’s not impossible to win with this type, but it’s worth treading carefully.

Look for Pokémon like Dragonite (Dragon/Flying) to deal immense damage and Pelipper (Water-Flying) to act as support for specific comps like Rain teams. The former has access to a great move pool, while the latter can pair perfectly with popular picks like Archaludon in VGC matches.

Best Fighting-type counters to add to your team

The perfect Fighting-type Pokémon counter will depend on what Pokémon you’re specifically facing off against, but generally speaking, Pokémon like Dragonite are a great pick. This behemoth may look goofy, but it’s one of the strongest Pokémon in the franchise, with a handy dual typing in Dragon/Flying.

Clefable is another solid solution to a Fighting-type problem. It’s surprisingly tanky for a Fairy-type and has access to useful support moves (like Follow Me) and lethal attacks (like Moonblast) that can quickly get rid of punchy opponents.

Sylveon is also worth considering. It’s relatively easy to get in Scarlet and Violet and Go, and it can fit in various team compositions. It is a strong Fairy-type, and it can also learn plenty of Psychic-type moves.

While Fighting-types might seem intimidating at first glance, they’re not completely impervious to damage. It’s worth considering which other Pokémon types resist Fighting-type damage while you’re team-building, too.

Poison and Bug-types resist Fighting damage—while they might not be the best offensive options for defeating a Fighting-type team, they can help you stall and look for other win conditions if you’re low on Fairy, Flying, and Psychic-types.