Zoro (East Blue) vs Arlong

[Future Warrior]

Zoro without his injuries basically.

 

[SSJ2]

I think Zoro wins after a very difficult battle. Arlington was nervous after seeing what Zoro was capable of with such severe injuries. We saw that when he was in good health in Whiskey Peak he was equal to Luffy. I don’t see much reason to believe otherwise in Arlong Park.

 

[Future Warrior]

I think Zoro wins after a very difficult battle. Arlington was nervous after seeing what Zoro was capable of with such severe injuries. We saw that when he was in good health in Whiskey Peak he was equal to Luffy. I don’t see much reason to believe otherwise in Arlong Park.

I haven't gotten up to that part yet in the story so prior to that it always seemed to me that Zoro was heavily outclassed by Luffy, but I probably wasn't considering how handicapped he constantly was throughout the arc.

 

[SSJ2]

Oh ok. Well it’s possible he was still weaker in Arlong Park so you could be right. But it’s later implied in the story that every beatdown the SHC received worked more or less like a Zenkai, so Zoro was probably stronger in Whiskey Peak than he was vs Arlong.. but the same could be said about Luffy. I’d still bet on Zoro winning with extreme difficulty.

 

[ahill1]

I'd give it Zoro after an extreme tough battle as well. Luffy could hold Arlong's weapon in a way he couldn't even move... this shows me that Luffy when in the peak of his anger is considerably above Arlong. I don't know if he were like that with Zoro though. Probably not.

 

[Captain Cadaver]

Arlong wins. Zoro is shown to be a step behind Luffy throughout East Blue such as getting blitzed by Kuro and Sanji was in awe at the damage Arlong could do to them both even ignoring Zoro's injury. It wasn't until Whiskey Peak Zoro was shown as an equal to Luffy, and he'd likely have become significantly stronger from surviving his injuries against Mihawk considering his statement at Enies Lobby about the Straw Hats having become stronger from overcoming death on each island.

 

[Future Warrior]

Arlong wins. Zoro is shown to be a step behind Luffy throughout East Blue such as getting blitzed by Kuro and Sanji was in awe at the damage Arlong could do to them both even ignoring Zoro's injury.

I don't remember him ever blitzing Zoro.

Why should we ignore Zoro's injury? Even if we do, that only tells us that Arlong has greater physical strength. That's not a decisive enough conclusion in a match.

 

[Captain Cadaver]

I don't remember him ever blitzing Zoro.

Misremembered the scene as it was Sham and Butchie who he blitzed. Considering that Zoro's speed wasn't a league above theirs, however, he ought to scale from the same feat.

Why should we ignore Zoro's injury?

Sanji's reverence at Arlong's power representing the strength of the Grand Line presents him as being a league above what the two are capable of, and Sanji should already have a good idea of Zoro's capabilities from having watched his fight with Mihawk.

 

[Future Warrior]

Sanji's reverence at Arlong's power representing the strength of the Grand Line presents him as being a league above what the two are capable of, and Sanji should already have a good idea of Zoro's capabilities from having watched his fight with Mihawk.

I don't agree with that interpretation (he never even mentioned the Grand Line), but for the sake of the argument I'll roll with it. How does that prove Arlong would win? Butchie while hypnotized was probably stronger than Zoro too but he still lost relatively easily.

 

[Captain Cadaver]

(he never even mentioned the Grand Line)

Pretty sure it was used in one of the translations other than Viz, though it's hard to say whether Viz or the fanslation are more accurate.

]quote]How does that prove Arlong would win? Butchie while hypnotized was probably stronger than Zoro too but he still lost relatively easily.
[/quote]Butchie wasn't so strong naturally though, and it was implied Kuro was overall still superior to him (be it in power or overall fighting capabilities), and it was made apparent Arlong blew the previous opponents out of the water (other than Mihawk, obviously). Arlong not only had the strength and speed to compete with Luffy (who's presented as a step above Zoro's capabilities throughout East Blue with the two only becoming equal as of Loguetown at the earliest) and also has great durability as shown by him not taking tremendous damage until the Gomu Gomu no Ono at the end of the fight and him being able to instantly repair his broken nose, not to mention how easy it is for him to close the range between them with Shark on Darts (or stay at far range with water bullets if the fight takes place near water).