Prior to Goku's achievements on Earth, the super Saiyan transformation was little more than a legend in the world of Dragon Ball. This power was rumored to have aided Bardock in his fight against the upper class on Planet Vegeta, but it wasn't until Bardock's son that the transformation was brought under control.
The moment Goku and Gohan stepped out of the hyperbolic time chamber with the Super Saiyan transformation under their control, the world of Dragon Ball changed. Still, Goku is an adept fighter without this transformation and he has proven so by overcoming obstacles without super Saiyan.
10 Goku Takes Out The Meme That Is Yamcha Before Ever Going Super Saiyan
Yamcha may be more of a meme than he is a respectable character within the Dragon Ball mythos, but that doesn't mean he isn't a powerful human warrior that has given Goku a run for his money in the past.
If the wolf fang fist practitioner has been honing his strength since the days of Dragon Ball he could put up a good fight against a Goku who can't turn super Saiyan. Still, even without blonde hair, Goku has the advantage here.
9 Master Roshi Takes An "L" Due To Goku's Youth
Master Roshi stands the best chance of any other characters on this list of beating Goku in combat thanks to a neat little trick known as the Evil Containment Wave.
Master Roshi's seemingly endless knowledge of situational martial arts techniques may be enough to surprise Goku in a battle of wits, but even without going Super Saiyan, Goku is stronger and faster than Master Roshi.
8 Puar's Ability As a Shapeshifter Might Trick Goku, But It Won't Beat Him
The ability to take on the shape of anyone or anything is a powerful skill, but Puar is much too fragile to stand up to Goku in a battle of strength.
The moment Goku realized that Puar was little more than a shapeshifting raccoon, this battle would be over. Fans can be sure that this would happen before Goku enters Super Saiyan.
7 Bulma Is Smart, But Not Nearly Strong Enough To Push Goku To Go Super Saiyan
The epic Bulma Vs. Goku matchup that everyone has been waiting for is finally here. Bulma enters the ring with a bevy of scientific and technological inventions and Goku enters with a history of supernatural martial arts training.
Dragon Ball has made it adamantly clear that its fantasy elements are more powerful than its sci-fi elements, putting Bulma at a massive disadvantage in this fight. Even if she were able to concoct some sort of incredible Iron Man-type of suit, Goku would take her out before ever needing to transform into a Super Saiyan.
6 Colonel Silver May Rule Over The Red Ribbon Army, But He Will Never Rule Over Goku
Colonel Silver is not a name that many casual Dragon Ball fans will remember. The leader of the Red Ribbon army was done a massive disservice by being used as a filler villain throughout the original Dragon Ball anime.
Despite his high rank and martial arts experience, he stands no chance against kid Goku let alone the Goku fans know and love now.
5 Hercule Is Impressive By Human Standards, but Goku Is Simply Impressive
Hercule may claim to be the greatest martial artist on Earth, but every true Dragon Ball fan knows that he is more of a meme than anything else. Even if Hercule does have more experience with martial arts than Goku, the Saiyan is faster and stronger than Hercule ever has been.
Before Goku ever needed to tap into his legendary Saiyan strength, Hercule would have 3 or 4 excuses already prepped to explain why he was bested by Kakarot.
4 Emperor Pilaf Never Really Stood A Chance Against Goku
The original antagonist to Goku, Bulma, and Oolong is none other than Emperor Pilaf. The cute little Emperor may have access to a long list of dangerous inventions and hidden floor panels, but that doesn't make him a match for Goku.
Even before training under Master Roshi, Goku and friends were able to defeat Emperor Pilaf. Today, Pilaf wouldn't stand a chance.
3 Oolong Falls Victim To Goku For All The Same Reason Puar Fails
Oolong may have been Goku's ride-or-die for the first few episodes of Dragon Ball but as soon as a more powerful best boy was introduced, the shapeshifting pig was quickly replaced.
If Goku can top every other OG member of the Z Fighter's crew without going super Saiyan then it goes without saying that he could defeat Oolong in the same way. Goku wins this one without breaking a sweat.
2 Goku Can't Beat Prince Vegeta Without Super Saiyan, But He Could Take Down King Vegeta
The father of Prince Vegeta and King of the Saiyan people may wear a set of heavy titles, but that doesn't mean that he can out-lift Goku. Although, considering the difference in Earth gravity and Planet Vegeta gravity, it may not be fair to compare these two by their bench-pressing milestones.
Still, Kakarot accomplished what King Vegeta never could when he defeated Frieza and the Ginyu force during their invasion of Earth. In a battle of strength between the King of Saiyan's and Kakarot, Goku would surely win, even without tapping into the legendary power of the Super Saiyan.
1 Yajirobe May Be Ronin, But He Stands No Chance Against Goku
The cowardly ronin trope may be overdone in anime today, but at one point in time, Yajirobe was a beloved anime character. Today, you will be lucky if casual Dragon Ball fans even recognize Yajirobe.
Fans would have an even harder time recognizing him if Goku ever had a real reason to go to war with the wandering samurai. Despite his skill with a katana, Goku far outmatches Yajirobe in terms of speed, strength, and agility.