Dragon Ball has never failed to deliver when it comes to tournaments. These events have existed as early as the original series with the 21st World Martial Arts Tournament and as recent as a few years ago with the Tournament of Power in Dragon Ball Super.
The events have been some of the most notable in the franchise, even spawning large gatherings to watch the fight against Goku vs. Jiren, one of the greatest fights in the series, notable for breaking the internet.
Zeno Expo
The Zeno Expo was an exhibition tournament prior to the Tournament of Power. The anime and manga versions are both very different with the anime having fighters from Universe 7 fight off against Universe 9 and the manga having the gods of destruction all fight in a large-scale battle.
However, both of these end with a fight with Goku vs. Toppo. The manga version is significantly better, showcasing unique abilities from each of the destroyers. It also confirmed the suspicions that Beerus all along was one of the strongest destroyers.
Tournament of Destroyers
The Tournament of Destroyers was the tournament hosted by the gods of destruction, Beerus and Champa, who each chose fighters from their universe. The prize? The Super Dragon Balls. The tournament worked in a unique way that had every fighter fight until they lost. Here the fruits of Goku and Vegeta's training were put to the test against Hit, an assassin with a unique ability called Time-Skip. Goku's explosive battle against Hit was arguably the best at that point in the series and helped solidify this tournament as one of the best.
Other World Tournament
The Other World Tournament is a filler tournament that saw the four different quadrants of the universe battle against each other. Goku fought several fun fights where he eventually faced off against Pikkon, who gave him more than a worthy challenge.
The battle is one of legend and featured a new ability called Super Kaioken that was leader reused in the Tournament of Destroyers when Goku used his Kaioken form on top of his Super Saiyan Blue. Despite this being a filler arc, many fans are unaware of this fact due to how much they loved it.
25th World Martial Arts Tournament
While this tournament lost most of its participants it still featured some of the most exciting fights in Dragon Ball Z. Goten vs. Trunks was an exhilarating battle that felt like a mix of old school Dragon Ball and the new explosive fighting that's been known in Dragon Ball Z. The final fight too, of Android 18 vs. the disguised Goten and Trunks was also a fun fight. But of course, it can't be forgotten the conclusion to the tournament where 18 throws her match against Mr. Satan for the cash prize and more.
Tournament of Power
The Tournament of Power featured arguably too many fights, but it doubtless had some of the most riveting fights in Dragon Ball Super yet. Goku vs. Kefla, Vegeta vs. Toppo, and Goku vs. Jiren were all incredible and exhilarating.
The hype for Goku vs. Jiren is one that has surpassed any expectation for an anime and brought even people who didn't watch anime into the fight. The fight gained as much attention as any real bout might, something truly incredible and notable in anime history.
21st World Martial Arts Tournament
This was the first tournament seen in Dragon Ball and featured some amazing back-to-back fights. What's so amazing about this tournament is that Toriyama didn't make it predictable and let the outcome fit the overall themes of the series. Goku didn't win, but that was important, he had an objective to surpass. He believed Jackie Chun (Master Roshi) was much stronger than himself and that there was always someone out there stronger for him to surpass. A lesson Goku still lives by.
Baba's Tournament
Baba's Tournament was a short tournament that featured Goku, Yamcha, Krillin, Upa, and Puar vs. five warriors largely inspired by horror stories. The setting and characters make these episodes perfect to watch during Halloween and the fights are plenty entertaining. Some fights end rather unexpectedly and in the funniest ways, whereas Goku's battles are more serious with two of them ending in one blow. Goku's final fight shakes fans with excitement and also brings them to tears as Goku learns his real opponent was his deceased grandfather.
22nd World Martial Arts Tournament
This tournament is truly a spectacle to behold and features many fighters' prime fights in the franchise. Yamcha, Tien, and Krillin all showcase some of their best moments in this tournament, really making it a shame that they do very little in the rest of the series. The final bout of Goku vs. Tien was also an incredible fight where Tien began the road to redemption and just barely defeated Goku the right way. The lessons he learns in this tournament are important and help develop him into the fighter necessary to win the tournament next time.
23rd World Martial Arts Tournament
The 23rd World Martial Arts Tournament is the conclusion of the first Dragon Ball series and ends in Goku's victory against the reincarnation of King Piccolo. This fight alone stands as one of the greatest in Dragon Ball and finally brings Goku to the champion's position as he so long desired. In truth, the series could have ended here and it would have been a satisfying conclusion. The other fights in the tournament are also worth noting with Tien's impressive speed and Yamcha's new technique: the Spirit Ball.
Cell Games
The Cell Games, featuring some of the Dragon Ball's most rewatchable scenes and episodes, is certainly not a traditional tournament, but it technically is one. The first battle is one of the greatest and best-animated fights: Goku vs. Cell. It reaches a surprising conclusion where Goku surrenders, letting Gohan be the one to fight and defeat Cell. Gohan's battle against Cell is one of the best moments in Dragon Ball with the tragic deaths of Android 16, Goku, and Future Trunks. Gohan's final attack against Cell was beautiful as it symbolized Goku passing on the torch to his son.