8 ‘Yellowstone’ Fight Scenes That Had Us on the Edge of Our Seats

Yellowstone isn’t just popular because everyone loves Kevin Costner (although he’s certainly a draw). The Paramount Network TV show is full of drama, romance and plenty of action as we watch the Dutton family season after season try to defend their Montana ranch and their family’s legacy. It’s a modern day Western after all, so of course there are plenty of epic fights.

Here are eight of the most epic fight scenes from the first four seasons of Yellowstone.

1. The ranch hands vs the bikers

Odds are, if you’re thinking of a memorable fight scene from one of Yellowstone‘s four seasons, this specific brawl comes to mind. This season 3 episode was named “Going Back to Cali” after this memorable scene where Ryan, Colby and Teeter find a biker gang from California hanging out on the Dutton’s property. When they confront them about being on private property, Ryan whips out his livestock agent badge but a major fight ensues. Luckily Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser) and Lloyd were driving by and were able to stop the massive fight from getting worse.

2. Lloyd vs Walker

Part of the reason Yellowstone season 4 was so intense, was this ongoing feud between Lloyd (Forrie J. Smith) and Walker (Ryan Bingham). Lloyd’s former flame, barrel racer Laramie, had moved over to Walker, the guitar strumming criminal who was stuck working at the Dutton’s ranch. This didn’t sit well with Lloyd. Plus the fact that Walker was supposed to be dead…remember when Kayce “took him to the train station” but let him live? The fight escalates multiple times throughout the season before John Dutton finally tells them to fight each other until they can’t any more. Not that it mattered (because then Rip broke his hand), but Lloyd did win.

3. Yellowstone Ranch vs the Militia

This made for one heck of a season 2 finale. The Beck Brothers had been new opponents of the Dutton family this season and they were in league with the Montana Free Militia. The Becks hired the militia to abduct Kayce’s son Tate as a way to get back at the Duttons. This obviously meant that John, Kayce,and Rip were willing to do whatever they needed to in order to get him back. They lead a group out to the militia’s base where they kill nearly everyone trying to rescue Tate. It’s intense to say the least.

4. Broken Rock Reservation vs Yellowstone Ranch

In the two hour series premiere, conflict immediately ignites between John Dutton’s ranch and the neighboring Broken Rock Reservation. Locals on the reservation cut the barbed wire fence separating their land and, as a result, the Yellowstone’s cattle graze onto the other side. But now the reservation is claiming the cattle and won’t let the Dutton’s reclaim their branded property. When John sends his livestock agents out to settle the situation, a major shoot out ensues. Monica’s brother ends up shooting the eldest Dutton son, Lee, which leads Kayce to shooting him. It’s a confusing twist that brings Kayce back into his father’s graces and one heck of a way to kick off the series.

5. Rip vs Kayce

Rip Wheeler has been loyal to John Dutton since he took him in as a teenager, so this storyline was particularly tough to watch. This was season 2 when John was recovering from his burst ulcer at home while trying to prepare for the future of his ranch. When Kayce Dutton (Luke Grimes) agrees to come back and work for his dad, John knows that he needs to make a drastic move in order for Kayce to gain the respect of everyone working for him. After years of loyal service he essentially kicks Rip out of his house and tells him to move into the bunkhouse so that Kayce can become an authority figure. When Rip and Walker get into a fight building a fence, a fist fight ensues between Rip and Kayce and Rip ends up having to yield to please John. Thank goodness we’ve moved past this narrative…it was rough.

6. The bunkhouse vs the bar

Remember back in season 2 when Walker wasn’t the only new face at the Dutton ranch? We also had Avery and Cowboy. Cowboy convinces the rest of the bunkhouse to play “cowboy poker,” in which you try to be the last one to run out of bullpen — but not before coming face to face with a charging bull. Sounds fun? The chaotic scene pissed off Rip so he told them to go blow off steam at the bar instead. Well that didn’t end well either…

While Jimmy and Avery are bonding at the bar, a man tries to get Avery to dance with him but she rejects him. When Jimmy tries to defend her, a major fight ensues and all the ranch hands get fairly beaten up by a few specific bar patrons. When Kayce and Rip hear about it, they come back to the bar to beat the culprits to a pulp and set loose a bull to wreak havoc in the bar. Moral of the story…don’t mess with the Yellowstone.

7. Rip saving Beth Dutton

One of the many episodes that made women all over the world fall for Rip Wheeler was also the episode that seemed to convince Beth (Kelly Reilly) that she was ready to move forward with her romance with Rip. Season 2’s “Resurrection Day” was a tough one to watch when two masked assailants broke into Beth’s office, shot her assistant Jason (still miss Jason) and brutally attack Beth. Luckily, Beth was able to send a quick text to Rip as they came in and he raced to the scene. He busted into the office throwing a chair through the glass wall and heroically saved the woman he loved.

8. Emily vs Mia

Season 4 was obviously full of juicy drama but one of the most interesting directions the show took was Jimmy’s relationship ending with his barrel racer girlfriend Mia when John Dutton sends him down to Texas. He really did have some growing up to do and the experience helped turn Jimmy into a man just like John knew it would. While down there, he fell for the lovely Emily who, unlike Mia, was happy with Jimmy exactly the way he was.

Both women felt so strongly about the scrappy ranch hand that when he and Emily showed up at the Yellowstone, Mia promptly hopped out of her chair to attack the Texas woman, who actually held her own and could probably be declared the winner of the fight. She was also the winner of Jimmy’s heart since he returned back with her to the Lone Star state. Sorry Mia! Yellowstone fans stay tuned to see Jefferson White star as Jimmy in the Texas-based spinoff coming in 2023!