Summary
It’s hard being king of the monsters in the MonsterVerse. Many contenders wantGodzilla’s spot in the apex predator hierarchy, and the only language that works to get there is by being fluent in biting, clawing, and pawing. Suffice it to say, many other kaiju have foughtGodzilla. Kong is only one of the latest challengers in the MonsterVerse quadrilogy.
Many others have also tried, particularly in the two other movies. Beyond that, a long list of other kaiju have tried and somehow failed before the MonsterVerse cinema crossover even took place. Over the years in Godzilla’snear-seven-decade of existence,these big baddies have come close to dethroning him and who knows, fans might even see some of them in the future.
Updated July 06, 2025 by Sarah Prado:It’s been over half a century since Godzilla’s debut, and he continues his long reign as King of the Monsters. He’s fought some powerful kaiju, has gone up against humans, and has died a few times. Yet, he continues going strong and amazing audiences with how powerful he is.
He and King Kong may be allies now, but that’s not always been the case. Kong is one of the few kaiju who can say they’ve defeated Godzilla, as seen in the 1962 movie. However, there are plenty of other kaiju who’ve managed to defeat Godzilla and have gotten close to killing him.
21Skar King
A Kaiju With A Grudge
Skar King is the brutal leader of the Apes in Hollow Earth. He’s had a longtime grudge against the King of the Monsters after Godzilla sealed him and the other Apes in Hollow Earth. With the power of a crystal, Skar King was able to enslave Shimo, who is one of the most powerful Titans to exist. With her by his side, Skar King built an Ape army in Hollow Earth and waited for the day he would be able to invade Earth and get revenge on Godzilla.
Though his main rival is Kong, Skar King fought Godzilla a few times inGodzilla x Kong: The New Empire. Knowing that Shimo stood a better chance against him, Skar King used the crystal to force her to fight. Even though physically outmatched, Skar King uses her superior speed against Godzilla. He’s also able to withstand some blasts of Godzilla’s Atomic Breath, but not much.
20Scylla
A Destroyer Kaiju Who Isn’t Afraid to Fight Back Even When Outmatched
Scylla is one of the newer kaiju to appear in the MonsterVerse and was only around for a short time. She didn’t have much strength to take Godzilla head-on, but she had a variety of skills at her disposal that made her a deadly foe. With her massive legs, she swims faster than Godzilla and can pierce his skin when fighting him. If that doesn’t make her sound deadly, she’s also able to expel a dense fog-like pollutant that absorbs radiation and can either be used as camouflage or sucked back up to boost her power.
She’s also smart and knows when to retreat, but she still will stand and fight if she needs to. Though her time inGodzilla x Kong: The New Empirewas short, fans can see and learnmore about her in theGodzilla x Kongcomics.
19Tiamat
A Very Territorial And Aggressive Kaiju
Tiamat is a very aggressive kaiju who appeared for a short time. Though able to move on land, Tiamat’s real strength is fighting underwater thanks to her serpentine body. With her razor-sharp scales, Tiamat can cut her enemies when coiled around them. Her frills can expand and smother them, and her jaws are strong enough to seriously injure Godzilla.
Similar to Scylla, Tiamat knows when to run and to fight. After nearly dying from fighting Godzilla in theGodzilla x Kongcomics, Tiamat retreated to her lair, which sat upon the planet’s largest natural source of radiation. When she saw Godzilla invading it, she didn’t hesitate to fight back and came close to killing him several times. Even though she lost, it’s thanks to her DNA that Godzilla evolved and became stronger.
18Mothra
She’s The Queen Of The Monsters For Various Reasons
While Mothra has been an ally for Godzilla in some movies, she’s also appeared as an enemy to him. Being a protector of the world, Mothra won’t hesitate to lay her life on the line to protect humanity from Godzilla’s wrath should the time ever come. She might not be as strong as the King of the Monsters, but Mothra is theQueen of the Monstersand is strong in her own way. Being able to fly is one of the few advantages she has over him, and she’s able to dodge his attacks with ease.
However, no one should mistake her kindness for weakness. If her priestesses are ever in danger or taken away, Mothra won’t hesitate to lay waste to anyone unfortunate enough to be in her way. As seen inMothra (1961),she will turn on humanity until her priestesses are returned safe and sound.
17Rodan
The Fire Demon Is Fast, Furious, And Deadly
Like Mothra, Rodan has appeared as an ally to Godzilla but has also been an enemy in some. Rodan is a giant pteranodon kaiju who can fly at supersonic speed. Though one might think he’s on the frailer side because of his build, Rodan is one of the few kaiju who isn’t affected by Godzilla’s Atomic Breath or King Ghidorah’s Gravity Beams. He’s also pretty strong and has lasted for a good amount of time whenfighting Godzilla, Mothra, or King Ghidorah.
If this didn’t make him sound deadly enough, Rodan has a variety of abilities for both long and short-range combat. His wings alone can create devastating shockwaves that leave cities destroyed and are very durable even after taking hits. His beak and talons are sharp enough to crush boulders and damage even the strongest kaiju. Just being close to Rodan is deadly because his body emits heat as strong as 1200 degrees Celsius (a little over 2000 degrees Fahrenheit) and can cause serious burns to other kaiju like Mothra.
16Shimo
The Ice Titan Makes A Memorable Debut
One of the newest kaiju created for the MonsterVerse. Shimo is a powerful ice Titan who is known for her benevolence. However, she was enslaved by Skar King and forced to do his bidding and punished if she resisted him. Because of this, she had no choice but to listen when Skar King was ready to conquer the surface world.
Though only in one movie, Shimo has proven she’s ready totake on powerful opponents, as shown inGodzilla x Kong: The New Empire.Her frost breath is powerful enough to cause frostbite in Kong’s arm. Her tail whip sent him flying across the city and threw Godzilla in the air after he tackled her. Her durability is high as she was able to take Godzilla’s Evolved Atomic Breath when aimed at her neck and came out unscathed.
15Hedorah
A Grotesque Monstrosity Who Came Close To Killing Godzilla
One would think that most of Godzilla’s enemies would be overshadowed by his intimidating form, but the opposite would be true when Hedorah is factored in. Hedorah is one of the most grotesque among all of Godzilla’s enemies. It’s a sludge monstrosity that hailed from outer space.
Hedorah’s form mostly resembles sentient goo and thus, his powers are fitting of his appearance. He can spit acid blobs of mud or dirt. It might sound lame, but Hedorah actually nearly killed Godzilla at one point. Should he reappear in the MonsterVerse, he’d probably get a troublesome creative upgrade.
14Battra
Mothra’s Evil Sibling Is Almost As Strong As Her
As some fans might have guessed, Battra is the mirror monster for Mothra. Whereas Mothra is seen as benevolent, feminine, and helpful, Battra is destructive and evil. He most certainly resembles a more demonic and uglier form of Mothra with spikes and a thicker carapace.
When it comes to powers, Battra isquite a handful for Earth.Apart from being able to fly faster than most jet planes, he can also encase himself in a shield that protects him from energy attacks. His most devastating capabilities also come in the form of laser beams from multiple sources in his body.
13Anguirus
The First Kaiju Godzilla Ever Fought
Anguirus looks rather tame compared to other kaiju but he still holds a significant spot inGodzilla’s hit list. He’s Godzilla’s earliest enemy, dating back from prehistoric times when the Earth was still young and unpolluted by mammals.
That’s why Anguirus looks like an ankylosaurus but bigger and spikier. He’s also the first kaiju to be introduced to Godzilla and then fight him on the big screen. Anguirus' best weapon is his spiked carapace which he uses like a porcupine against enemies. If he’s ever to re-appear in the MonsterVerse, then it would likely be similar to the Kong encounter where he becomes Godzilla’s ally later on.
12Gigan
A Longtime Rival From Space Who Has Some Sick Weapons
Gigan is what happens when Godzilla’s creators want an alien version of him. Needless to say, Gigan is from outer space much like Ghidora, another of Godzilla’s extraterrestrial enemies. That pretty much explains theodd monster design.
Gigan sports a huge buzz saw blade embedded in his stomach and also has two huge hooked blades for his arms. Those proved a bit much for Godzilla to handle at times and caused a lot of damage and scars for the radioactive Earth lizard.
