The Fighting Dojo (Japanese: 格闘道場 Fighting Dojo) is a former Pokémon Gym located in Saffron City.
In the games
In Generations I, II, III, and VII, the Fighting Dojo remains open and hosts Trainers who specialize in Fighting-type Pokémon. In Generation IV, the Gym Leaders of the Kanto and Johto regions convene here and may be challenged to a rematch.
Generation I
Generation I Fighting Dojo
The Fighting Dojo was first seen in the Generation I games, positioned to the west of the Saffron Gym. In these early games, it was established that the Fighting Dojo and the Saffron Gym once competed against each other to determine which one would be the Indigo League's sixth Pokémon Gym. Due to the type advantage that Saffron Gym's Psychic-type Pokémon had over the Fighting Dojo's Fighting-type Pokémon, Saffron Gym easily won and became the official gym.
Although no Badge can be won in the Dojo, the unofficial Gym remains open and continues to accept challenges. Four Black Belts test the player's abilities before the player can challenge their master, the Karate Master. The reward for defeating him is a choice between Hitmonlee or Hitmonchan; both Pokémon are at level 30.
Unlike other Gyms, the Fighting Dojo has a simple design which has not changed much over the generations. Between its appearances from the Generation I games to Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, the Dojo has maintained a wooden floor with no mazes or puzzles to solve. Pure strength and battle strategy is needed to succeed in here.
The two banners on the wall of the Dojo read "Struggle for vengeance!" and "A complicated fracture."
Generation II
Everyone Welcome!
Fighting Dojo
The most significant change in the Generation II games is that only one of the students is left and the Fighting Dojo is, at that time, much like Safari Zone, temporarily closed down. The Karate Master can be found training in Johto's Mt. Mortar. It is in this generation that his name is revealed to be Kiyo (Japanese: ノブヒコ Nobuhiko).
At the Dojo, there are two scrolls behind the student that say "What goes around comes around!" and "Enemies on every side!"
Generation III
Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen pose the same challenge to players as the original Generation I games. The key difference apart from the obvious aesthetic changes is the level of the gift Pokémon, which are now level 25.
Generation IV
Generation IV Fighting Dojo with all the Gym Leaders
Everyone is Welcome!
Fighting Dojo
For more details on how to rematch the Gym Leaders, see Rematch.
In Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, the Fighting Dojo is similar to Generation II. The same student is the only one left and the Karate Master is once again training at Mt. Mortar in Johto.
Aesthetic differences aside, the Karate Master is now known as the Karate King. The student at the Dojo also informs the player that the Gym Leaders of Kanto and Johto are allowed to use the Dojo to hold rematches with them, much like how the Sinnoh Gym Leaders can be found for a rematch at the Battleground in Pokémon Platinum. However, unlike Platinum, the Leaders will not arrive at the Dojo until they have been called on for a rematch.
Generation VII
Fighting Dojo
The Fighting Dojo challenge in Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee! is similar to FireRed and LeafGreen, down to the final opponent being Koichi (Japanese: タケノリ Takenori). The Hitmonlee or Hitmonchan the player can receive are placed back at level 30 to better fit with the game's level curve, and the burden of choice is lessened, as the player can catch more Hitmonlee and Hitmonchan at Victory Road as rare spawns. In addition, the Dojo has an additional Coach Trainer who will reward them with TM23 (Thunder Punch), as well as two Master Black Belts who, fittingly, specialize in Hitmonlee and Hitmonchan.
Items
Pokémon
Generation I
| Pokémon
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Games
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Location
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Levels
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Rate
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| Gift Pokémon
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|
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R
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B
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Y
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Gift
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30
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One
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|
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R
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B
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Y
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Gift
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30
|
One
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| A colored background means that the Pokémon can be found in this location in the specified game. A white background with a colored letter means that the Pokémon cannot be found here.
|
Generation III
| Pokémon
|
Games
|
Location
|
Levels
|
Rate
|
| Gift Pokémon
|
|
|
FR
|
LG
|
|
Gift
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25
|
One
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|
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FR
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LG
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|
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Gift
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25
|
One
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| A colored background means that the Pokémon can be found in this location in the specified game. A white background with a colored letter means that the Pokémon cannot be found here.
|
Generation VII
| Pokémon
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Games
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Location
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Levels
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Rate
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| Gift Pokémon
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|
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P
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E
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|
Gift
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30
|
One
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|
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P
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E
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|
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Gift
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30
|
One
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| A colored background means that the Pokémon can be found in this location in the specified game. A white background with a colored letter means that the Pokémon cannot be found here.
|
Trainers
Generation I
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Reward:  925
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Generation III
| Trainer
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Pokémon
|
|
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|
|
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|
|
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|
|
|
|
|
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| Trainers with a Vs. Seeker by their names, when alerted for a rematch using the item, may use higher-level Pokémon.
|
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Reward: 888
|
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Generation IV
- Main article: Fighting Dojo/Generation IV
Generation VII
|
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Reward: 952
|
|
|
|
|
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Post-game
Layout
Interior design
Exterior design
Artwork
In the anime
The Fighting Dojo in the
animeMain series
Karate Master Kiyo appeared in A Tyrogue Full of Trouble. However, he doesn't seem to be related to the Fighting Dojo in the anime.
The Dojo debuted in Pasta La Vista!, being incorrectly referred to as the "Pokémon Dojo" in the English dub. The Dojo's leader, Master Hamm, wanted his son Kyle to take over the Dojo, but Kyle wanted to run his noodle restaurant instead. They decided to have a Pokémon battle to settle their differences, but Master Hamm blew his back during the battle, preventing him from finishing the fight. As such, he chose to let Ash fight in his stead, while Kyle chose May to battle in his place. After a bit of sparring to get used to Master Hamm and Kyle's Fighting-type Pokémon, Ash and May restarted the battle. However, the battle was interrupted again, this time by Team Rocket, who tried to steal the Fighting-type Pokémon for themselves, but were stopped by Terri. In the end, Master Hamm let Kyle follow his dream of selling noodles, appointing Terri as his successor instead.
The Dojo reappeared in Solitary and Menacing!, when Ash visited it to battle the Karate Master, implying in the process that Terri stepped down as the master at some point prior to Pokémon Journeys: The Series. While there, Goh struggled to choose between getting a Hitmonlee or a Hitmonchan. When Ash went to battle the Karate Master, he discovered he'd just been beaten by Bea and had a World Coronation Series battle against her, only to be defeated. Afterwards, Goh successfully defeated the Karate Master and received a Hitmonchan as a prize.
Pokémon used in the Dojo
Used by Master Hamm
Used by Kyle
Used by Terri
Used by the Karate Master
|
Hitmonchan ♂
|
| Hitmonchan is one of the Pokémon that the Karate Master used in the battle against Bea.
None of Hitmonchan's moves are known.
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| Debut
|
Solitary and Menacing!
|
Other Pokémon seen in the Dojo
Ruby and Sapphire
Journeys
|
Hitmonchan (multiple) ♂
|
| The Fighting Dojo houses multiple Hitmonchan, which are given to challengers who emerge victorious against the Karate Master. Goh was able to win one for himself.
None of the Hitmonchan's moves are known.
|
| Debut
|
Solitary and Menacing!
|
|
Hitmonlee (multiple) ♂
|
| The Fighting Dojo houses multiple Hitmonlee, which are given to challengers who emerge victorious against the Karate Master.
None of the Hitmonlee's moves are known.
|
| Debut
|
Solitary and Menacing!
|
Pokémon Origins
Red visited the Fighting Dojo in File 3: Giovanni, soon after defeating Sabrina. He defeated the Karate Master off-screen, obtaining his Hitmonlee or Hitmonchan as a prize of his victory.
In the manga
The Fighting Dojo in Pokémon Zensho
Pokémon Zensho
The Fighting Dojo appeared in Saffron City, where Satoshi was invited there by the Dojo Master. After telling Satoshi about the basic history between the Dojo and the Saffron Gym, he told the young Trainer how Shigeru, Satoshi's rival, had recently beaten Sabrina, and she was now trying to sneak into the Silph Co. building in order to save her stolen telepathic Lapras from Team Rocket. The Karate Master begged Satoshi to go help her, and he agreed to do so.
In the TCG
This listing is of cards mentioning or featuring Fighting Dojo in the Pokémon Trading Card Game.
Trivia
- In HeartGold and SoulSilver, despite many Gym Leaders owning Pokémon that are dual-type with another Leader's specialty, only Magnezone and Pidgeot are used by more than one Leader. Lt. Surge and Jasmine both use Magnezone, while Falkner and Blue both use Pidgeot.
- Morty is the only Gym Leader that uses multiple Pokémon of the same species in his rematch, with his two Gengar.
- Clair is the only Gym Leader that does not use any Hoenn or Sinnoh Pokémon in her rematch.
- She is also the only Gym Leader (other than Blue, who does not specialize in a type) to use Pokémon not of her type specialty in her rematch.
- Erika and Sabrina pay out lower amounts of prize money after their rematches than they do after their respective Gym battles.
- In Generation IV, while the player is in the Fighting Dojo, all Gym Leaders will respond to a call by saying that they are getting bad reception and suggest that the player call from a different place.
- The Gym Leaders from Johto all appear on the left side of the Dojo, while the Gym Leaders from Kanto appear on the right side. This is most likely meant to represent the position of the two different regions that the Gym Leaders come from.
Cross-generational references
In other languages
