Pokémon GO Ultra League: Best Pokémon

The Ultra League is the apex of competitive Pokémon GO for many players of the game and returns to GO Battle League’s rotation from June 24 to July 1, 2025. What’s more, all Stardust rewards for wins are quadrupled in this timeframe, upping the stakes of the competition.

The upper limit for competition points (CP) in this format is 2,500 CP, but you won’t have to worry about any type-related restrictions: Being an open competition, you can field whichever Pokémon you like in Ultra League.

We have collected all the best Pokémon for Ultra League in Pokémon GO based on statistics and simulations provided by PvPoke.com, so you don’t have to worry about figuring out the meta.

Pokémon GO Ultra League: Best Leads

You’ll want one of these Pokémon to open up the battle on your side. Their aggressiveness puts pressure on your opponent right from the beginning, while they are tough enough to survive a bit of punishment. This gives you time to think over your next steps and might give you an advantage in a battle of attrition. Ideally, of course, you achieve a quick first knockout.

1. Primeape [S] (Karate Chop, Rage Fist, Close Combat)
2. Bellibolt (Sucker Punch, Parabolic Charge, Zap Cannon)
3. Dusknoir [S] (Astonish, Dynamic Punch, Shadow Punch)
4. Toxtricity (Acid, Wild Charge, Power-Up Punch)
5. Shadow Malamar (Psywave, Foul Play, Superpower)
6. Regidrago (Dragon Breath, Dragon Energy, Breaking Swipe)
7. Skeledirge (Incinerate, Torch Song, Shadow Ball)
8. Lapras (Psywave, Sparkling Aria, Ice Beam)
9. Galarian Moltres (Sucker Punch, Fly, Brave Bird)
10. Togedemaru (Thunder Shock, Fell Stinger, Wild Charge)

Pokémon marked with [S] perform comparably well in both their regular and Shadow forms.

Pokémon GO Ultra League: Best Safe Switches

Should the initial pairing be to your disadvantage, you need to consider switching out your lead monster for another Pokémon. This is where Safe Switches come into play. They are either strong leads themselves or are specialized in countering some of the more popular members of that category. In any case, a switch will preserve your original lead to fight later on in the battle and perhaps force your opponent to also adapt their strategy on the fly, equalizing the battle once again.

1. Primeape [S] (Karate Chop, Rage Fist, Close Combat)
2. Shadow Feraligatr (Shadow Claw, Hydro Cannon, Ice Beam)
3. Bellibolt (Sucker Punch, Parabolic Charge, Zap Cannon)
4. Shadow Grumpig (Psywave, Dynamic Punch, Shadow Ball)
5. Lapras [S] (Psywave, Sparkling Aria, Ice Beam)
6. Shadow Dusknoir (Astonish, Dynamic Punch, Shadow Punch)
7. Shadow Samurott (Fury Cutter, Hydro Cannon, Megahorn)
8. Shadow Galarian Weezing (Fairy Wind, Brutal Swing, Sludge)
9. Golisopod (Fury Cutter, X-Scissor, Aqua Jet)
10. Dusknoir (Astonish, Dynamic Punch, Shadow Punch)

Pokémon GO Ultra League: Best Closers

Once no shields are left in play on either side, you’ll want to use one of these Pokémon. They are incredibly tough thanks to their high defense and plenty of useful resistances or can knock out an opponent in one blow with their powerful Charged Attack.

1. Galarian Moltres (Sucker Punch, Fly, Brave Bird)
2. Shadow Raikou (Thunder Shock, Wild Charge, Shadow Ball)
3. Registeel [S] (Lock On, Focus Blast, Zap Cannon)
4. Tentacruel [S] (Acid, Scald, Blizzard)
5. Shadow Electivire (Thunder Shock, Wild Charge, Ice Punch)
6. Corviknight (Sand Attack, Sky Attack, Iron Head)
7. Lapras [S] (Psywave, Sparkling Aria, Ice Beam)
8. Regidrago (Dragon Breath, Dragon Energy, Breaking Swipe)
9. Jellicent (Hex, Surf, Shadow Ball)
10. Tinkaton (Fairy Wind, Play Rough, Bulldoze)

Pokémon GO Ultra League: Best Attackers

If you’re left without shields while facing an opponent who still has that option available, these Pokémon are your best friends. They combine important resistances and powerful Fast Attacks to compensate for this disadvantage. For this reason, you rarely see Shadow forms in this role — they take more damage than their regular counterparts, making them a risky card to pull out at this stage of a match.

1. Steelix (Thunder Fang, Psychic Fangs, Breaking Swipe)
2. Tinkaton (Fairy Wind, Play Rough, Bulldoze)
3. Forretress (Bug Bite, Rock Tomb, Earthquake)
4. Bellibolt (Sucker Punch, Parabolic Charge, Zap Cannon)
5. Corviknight (Sand Attack, Sky Attack, Iron Head)
6. Giratina (Altered Forme) (Shadow Claw, Dragon Claw, Shadow Sneak)
7. Galarian Weezing (Fairy Wind, Brutal Swing, Sludge)
8. Clefable (Fairy Wind, Swift, Moonblast)
9. Gastrodon (Mud Slap, Body Slam, Earth Power)
10. Zygarde (Complete Forme) (Dragon Tail, Crunch, Earthquake)

Ultra League continues to reinvent itself with some major meta movements fueled by newer Pokémon additions such as Bellibolt, Tinktaton, Corviknight, and Regidrago. They join some established names such as Steelix, Jellicent, Primeape, and Dusknoir, which enjoy continued dominance or have clawed their way back up the ranks.

If PvP isn’t your thing and you’d rather beat up Team GO Rocket instead, check out our complete guides with the best counters to Giovanni, Arlo, Cliff, and Sierra.