18. Ricardo Diaz – The Dragon
Ricardo Diaz was the main antagonist in Arrow season 6 who returned to haunt Oliver Queen in season 7. At first, he seemed like the generic crime boss who wasn’t really anything outstanding, but he quickly rose to prominence. He was initially a member of Cayden James’s team of villains, but after he was revealed to be the true villain, he became a lot more interesting.
Diaz was a feared martial artist who used his fists quite sparingly. Similarly to others mentioned on this list, he used his mind first before brashly resorting to brute force. However, when he did use his fists, it was clear that Diaz was not to be trifled with. There was a lot more than met the eye with him and he often used this to his advantage. Many would underestimate him before they battled him and realize how dangerous he was after it was too late.
He proved just how dangerous he was when he almost beat Speedy to death during Team Arrow’s attempts to rescue Roy Harper. If Oliver hadn’t intervened, it’s safe to say that his sister would have been killed. He’s also one of the few people who’s been able to take on Oliver hand-to-hand, even managing to knock him back several times during their fights.