You’ve been there. You’re staring at the screen, your Machamp is out, and suddenly your opponent swaps in a pink blob or a floating bird. Your heart sinks. You press Close Combat anyway. It does nothing.
Understanding what Fighting is weak against isn't just about memorizing a chart you found on a wiki. It’s about understanding the core physics of the Pokémon world. Fighting types represent raw, physical discipline. They are the martial artists, the wrestlers, and the heavy hitters. But even the strongest puncher can't hit a ghost, and they certainly can't outthink a psychic.
If you’re trying to climb the ladder in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet or just trying to beat your friend who uses a Togekiss, you need to know why these weaknesses exist. It’s about balance.
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The Three Hard Walls: Psychic, Flying, and Fairy
Basically, if you’re using a Fighting type, these three types are your worst nightmare.
Psychic types are the classic counter. Think about it. A black belt spent twenty years perfecting a punch, but Alakazam just moves his mind and the punch misses. In the games, this translates to the Fighting type's lower Special Defense usually being exploited by moves like Psychic or Psystrike. It's mind over matter. Literally.
Then you’ve got Flying types. This is a mechanical nightmare for a ground-based fighter. You can't punch what you can't reach. Flying types like Corviknight or Talonflame resist Fighting moves and hit back with super-effective Brave Birds. It’s frustrating.
And don’t even get me started on Fairy types. This was the big shift in Gen 6. Before Fairies, Fighting types (and Dragons) ruled the world. Game Freak decided that magical, whimsical energy should resist the brute force of a punch. Now, your Lucario has to be terrified of a Sylveon using Moonblast.
The Ghost Problem: The Immunity Nobody Talks About Enough
Technically, Ghost isn't a "weakness" in terms of damage taken, but Fighting moves deal exactly zero damage to them. That is a massive liability.
Imagine you’re locked into a High Jump Kick with your Mienshao. Your opponent switches to a Gengar. You miss. You take half your health in crash damage. You’ve basically defeated yourself. Honestly, the Ghost immunity is the most dangerous part of running a Fighting-heavy team because it creates "free turns" for your opponent to set up Dragon Dance or Calm Mind.
Why Does This Happen?
It’s all about the stats. Most Fighting types are built like glass cannons or physical tanks. They have massive Attack and decent HP, but their Special Defense is often trash.
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Take Conkeldurr. Huge muscles. Massive concrete pillars. But if a Gardevoir looks at him funny with a Psychic attack, he’s done. The game designers specifically gave Fighting types these vulnerabilities so they wouldn't become "un-ga bun-ga" win buttons. You have to be smart. You can't just spam Close Combat and expect to win every match.
Complexity in the Dual-Type Meta
Things get weird when you add a second type.
Take Sneasler. It’s Poison/Fighting. Because it’s Poison, it actually handles Fairies a bit better than a pure Fighting type like Machamp. But, it becomes 4x weak to Psychic. One Confusion and Sneasler is vaporized.
Or look at Lucario. Being Steel/Fighting is a godsend. It actually takes neutral damage from Psychic and Flying because Steel is such a defensive powerhouse. But you’re still scared of Fire and Ground.
You have to look at the secondary typing to see if it patches the holes or makes the "leaks" worse. Terastallization in the current Gen 9 meta has changed this even more. You can turn your Great Tusk into a Steel type mid-battle to surprise that Flutter Mane trying to Moonblast you. It’s a game of high-stakes poker.
Real World Examples of Fighting Failures
If you watch the Pokémon World Championships (VGC), you’ll see how players play around these weaknesses.
In the 2023-2024 seasons, Flutter Mane was everywhere. It’s Ghost/Fairy. That is a Fighting type's absolute worst case scenario. It is immune to Fighting moves and hits back with super-effective Fairy STAB (Same Type Attack Bonus).
Because of this, Fighting types had to adapt. Iron Valiant became popular because it could outspeed or use its own Fairy typing to compete. But even then, the threat of a Choice Spec'd Psychic or Moonblast means you are always one bad read away from losing your lead.
How to Protect Your Fighting Types
You shouldn't just stop using Fighting types. They are essential for breaking through the massive Steel and Normal type walls like Blissey or Kingambit. You just need a plan.
- Pair them with a "Dark" buddy. Dark types are immune to Psychic. If your Gallade is facing an Espeon, switch to a Dark type like Tyranitar or Umbreon. They eat the Psychic hit for breakfast.
- Use coverage moves. Don’t just run four Fighting moves. Give your Machamp "Stone Edge" to swat Flying types out of the sky. Give your Hariyama "Knock Off" to deal with those pesky Ghosts.
- Assault Vest is your friend. Since Fighting types have low Special Defense, giving them an Assault Vest boosts that stat by 50%. It turns a "one-shot" into a "two-shot," giving you the chance to retaliate.
The Nuance of Resistance vs. Weakness
It's also worth noting that Fighting types are resisted by Bug and Poison too. While they don't take super-effective damage from Bug or Poison (usually), their attacks do half damage.
Trying to punch a Muk is like trying to punch a bucket of slime. It doesn't work. Trying to hit a Buzzwole or a Pheromosa with a Fighting move is equally underwhelming. It's these subtle layers that make the competitive scene so deep. You aren't just looking for what kills you; you're looking for what stops your momentum.
In Pokémon, momentum is everything. If your attack is "Not Very Effective," you just gave your opponent a free turn to heal, switch, or attack.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Battle
Go check your team right now. If you have a Fighting type, look at your backline. Do you have a switch-in for a Fairy move? If not, you’re asking for a sweep.
- Identify your Fighting type's biggest threat based on its secondary typing.
- Add a "Core" partner. A Steel type is usually the best partner for a Fighting type because it resists all three of Fighting's weaknesses (Psychic, Flying, and Fairy).
- Check your speed tiers. If your Fighting type is slow (like Crabominable), you must have Trick Room support or you'll be dead before you can even land a super-effective hit on a Snorlax.
- Learn the "Tera" bait. In Gen 9, keep a Tera Type like Steel or Fire in your back pocket to flip the script on an opponent who thinks they have a free KO with a Flying move.
Stop treating your Fighting types like invincible tanks. They are specialized tools. Use them to break the Steel and Rock types they were meant to destroy, but keep them far away from the Pixies and the Psychics unless you’ve got a very specific trick up your sleeve.