Darth Maul, one of the deadliest and overconfident Sith in history, muses that he wouldn't be a match for Vader.
Ahsoka: Why are you working so hard to keep us here?
Maul: I cannot defeat Vader alone.
-- Star Wars Rebels Season 2: Twilight Of The Apprentice
I don't think that means Maul wouldn't be a match for Vader. He just believes he can't defeat him in single combat. So he isn't risking the battle by dealing with him alone.
Yoda said, or accepted that he couldn't defeat Sidious in RotS, so he retreated and he never faced him again. That doesn't mean Yoda can't match with Sidious.
The top 4 (Vader-Sidious-Maul-Dooku) are really close in skill. But yeah, Vader is slightly better due to his cybernetic advantage (which increases his strength) and armor, it's hard to defeat him in a lightsaber only combat when he can resist at least 2 or 3 lightsaber strikes, when others can not.
Ahsoka (with the help of a cheap-shot) had a free shot even on his helmet, and he continued to fight all the same.
1- Dooku was Yoda's former Jedi padawan, we know even Mace Windu was massively holding back against Sora Bulq because he was his Jedi friend. It would be idiotic to think that Yoda wasn't holding back against his former apprentice Dookie.
2- In another source, Yoda said he doesn't want to hurt Dookie.
Yoda whipped out his blade while trying to set Whirry gently down on the cobblestones below.
"Wish to hurt you, I do not!"
"That's odd," Dooku remarked. "I intend to enjoy killing you."
@erkan12: My biggest problem with the list is that Vader is above Sidious. Vader was tagged by Eeth Koth, struggled with Ben Kenobi and Ahsoka Tahno, failed to kill Kanan and Ezra, etc. He has never fought more than 1 jedi master at a time in Canon and doesn't do nearly as well vs masters as Sidious.
If Vader> Sidious in sabers than Ahsoka, Ben Kenobi and Eeth Koth> Mace Windu and Yoda in sabers and that makes no sense.
EDIT: also didn't this list come out before Old Maul was revealed? Isn't it more likely this is referring to Clone Wars or even TPM Maul.
The list says ''even when he slowed down by his armor'' , it means that the list accepts that Vader's armor is slowing him down, so no one is denying that.
Eeth Koth has much better feats than Tiin or Kolar in the canon, overpowering Grievous with a wounded arm in a duel already makes Koth a very formidable opponent, and still Vader easily dealt with the guy which is very impressive. I honestly don't see even Fisto is replicating what Koth did against Grievous, with wounded arm overpowering Grievous is a very neat accomplishment.
I concur wholeheartedly, with explanations of my own:
Tyranus is simply no Sidious. Maul came close to defeating the most powerful Dark Lord in his time twice.
Since the Inquisitors' lightsabers are labeled as cheats, Old Maul could've killed all three of them in a matter of seconds if he wanted to, just as Sidious did to Agen Kolar, Saesee Tiin and Kit Fisto. Even Tyranus could've accomplished this.
Vader may have fought a simulation of Maul in his Padawan days, but a simulation is way different from the real thing. And don't forget that in Resurrection, Vader killed the Maul doppelganger through desperation, not skill. Just goes to show who's the superior fighter.
If Tyranus is a master of Makashi, then:
"Fighting skills: Master of Juyo, Jar'Kai and Teräs Käsi"
Star Wars: The Clone Wars Magazine 13
Come a long way since Naboo, hasn't he?
Fair enough. His mastery of Jar'Kai and Teras Kasi is giving him an upperhand.
Some good arguments are made here, but like others have said, that list is questionable due to Vader being above Palpatine.
Only in sabers. I think Vader can take it due to his durability with his armor, his skills are already on par with Sidious or even better. Strength goes to Vader as well.
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