However, at the Battle of Okehazama when Nobunaga's vassal Kazutada HATTORI first tried to slash at Yoshimoto, Yoshimoto fought back by drawing his sword and cutting Hattori on the knee, then Yoshikatsu MORI tried to slash at Yoshimoto and they crossed swords several times, and when Mori was finally about to decapitate him, Yoshimoto bit off Mori's finger before dying, so it cannot be said that he completely lacked personal military prowess.
しかし桶狭間の戦いでは信長の家臣・服部一忠が真っ先に斬りつけようとした時、自ら抜刀して春安の膝を斬りつけて撃退、更に毛利良勝が斬りつけようとした時にも数合ほどやり合った末に首を掻こうとした毛利の指を食い千切って絶命したと伝えられており、必ずしも個人的武勇が無かった訳ではない。