25 Greatest Cobra Kai Fights of All Time
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VOICE OVER: Phoebe de Jeu
Get ready for an epic countdown of the most intense, emotional, and jaw-dropping fights from the "Cobra Kai" series! From school brawls to tournament showdowns, we're breaking down the most memorable martial arts moments that had us on the edge of our seats. Our countdown includes legendary battles like the School Showdown, Miguel vs. Axel, the Brawl to End All Brawls, and Daniel's epic confrontation with Terry Silver! Which Cobra Kai fight was your favorite? Share in the comments!
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25 Greatest Cobra Kai Fights of All Time
Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the most well choreographed and emotionally satisfying fights on “Cobra Kai.” Since we’re discussing major plot points of all six seasons, a spoiler warning is now in effect.
25
Miguel vs. Axel at The Sekai Taikai
“Strike Last”
With the Sekai Taikai tournament back on, Robby seemed poised to win it all. But disaster struck when Axel Kovacevic broke his leg mid-fight. With that, all eyes then turned to Miguel, who faced Axel in a dramatic battle marked with intense strikes. And just when it looked like Miguel was on the brink of defeat, Johnny reminded him to leave it all on the mat and “go all in.” Sparking a flood of memories, this proved to be just what he needed to push through and take the win. It was a feel-good victory, following Tori’s equally passionate triumph over Zara.
“Cobra Kai” (2018-25)
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Just as “Cobra Kai” redeems Johnny, it also finds the humanity in his old friends, Bobby, Jimmy, and Tommy. Tommy is best remembered as the kid who told Johnny to put Daniel in a body bag. In a tragic twist of fate, it’s Tommy who winds up in a body bag at the end of this episode. Before he succumbs to a terminal illness, Johnny’s friends treat him to one last night out. After a bar patron is rude to a waitress and Tommy, however, a brawl ensues. The set-piece makes impeccable use of its environment, incorporating pool cues and beer mugs into the choreography. The guys have little trouble taking down the barflies. It’s a fitting reunion, as well as a triumphant sendoff for the actor who played Tommy before his passing.
34 years after losing to Daniel, Johnny Lawrence is out of work and gets his dinner at a mini-mart. While eating his crummy slice of pizza in the parking lot, Johnny sees a group of privileged people harassing Miguel. It reflects the scene from the first “Karate Kid” where Johnny and his friends beat up Daniel, only for Mr. Miyagi to intervene. In this case, it’s Johnny who assumes the Miyagi role. Of course, this is less about defending Miguel and more about defending his car. It’s four against one and Johnny is now in his 50s, but he’s still got enough kicks to go around. While the cops break it up, the scene establishes that Johnny hasn’t lost his fighting spirit.
During a series of season 2 flashbacks, you initially believe that the obnoxious jock in the letter jacket is “Karate Kid’s” most notorious villain, John Kreese. But Kreese is actually the waiter getting harassed by the guys. While taking out the trash, he sees these terrible men hassling Betsy behind the diner. Kreese doesn’t hesitate to defend her. Since this scrap happens before he learned karate, the fight’s a little rough around the edges. But it’s immensely satisfying to watch horrible guys get their just desserts. Seeing Kreese as a hero taking down evil is an excellent subversion and a great way to develop his character.
After putting Miguel in the hospital, Robby finally comes to face the consequences of his actions and gets sent to juvenile hall. Just like high school, juvie is ruled by an aggressive clique. It doesn’t take long for Robby to get on their bad side. While he tries to avoid fighting, he can’t stand by and let the group get away with tormenting others. It’s impressive to watch Robby hold his own against three fierce opponents by using a defensive style. Although he loses this bout, he chooses to strike first a couple of episodes later. Not only is the rematch fun and cathartic to watch, but Robby earns the respect of the clique’s leader Shawn.
Samantha is stunned when her jerky ex Kyler starts spreading lies about her. Unwilling to take this disrespect sitting down, Sam confronts Kyler at lunch. Miguel, who has his own beef with Kyler, isn’t afraid to stand up for Sam. Having learned a few new moves since he last dealt with Kyler, Miguel puts his karate training to effective use. In a one-on-four fight, Miguel serves up a fistful of knuckle sandwiches, turning the cafeteria into his personal playground. He harnesses nearby tools and uses a lunch tray to annihilate his enemy Kyler in a funny and badass moment. Standing atop a table in victory, Miguel earns the admiration of Sam and their classmates, although the school faculty isn’t all that impressed.
It seemed like the Valley wasn’t big enough to hold two former Cobra Kai villains at once. After they had several public disagreements, Johnny tried to clear the air between them privately. However, they ended up trading insults and blows instead. We loved seeing these franchise antagonists finally get into a one-on-one next to a table saw. But this battle wasn’t just about fanservice. Underneath the surface, they dueled to see who had grown the most as a fighter. Johnny was only able to beat his opponent after he combined Miyagi-Do lessons with his personal style. His definitive win over Mike established that the sensei had evolved past his bad Cobra Kai teachings.
At the beginning of season 5, Chozen attempts to infiltrate Cobra Kai by applying to be one of its new senseis. But after Silver sees through this deception, he sends six fighters after the hero. It was almost tragic to see how unfair the fight was…for the group of senseis. Chozen absolutely decimates every single man who dares to challenge him. He becomes a living whirlwind of one shot takedowns, crushing blows and skillful karate moves. This uneven matchup established that Chozen has only become sharper with age. Hearing him finish the fight with one of the greatest threats in franchise history was the icing on top of this tremendous scene.
17
Miyagi-Do Defeats Cobra Kai
“Blood In Blood Out”
What makes Cobra Kai a force to be reckoned with is how easily they get under people’s skin. It’s that tactic that keeps Miyagi-Do off its collective game in the early stages of the Sekai Taikai. Heading into the semi-finals, Cobra Kai looks poised to enter the Tournament of Champions, but Robby has had enough. With their captain regaining his groove, Miyagi-Do rallies with excellent teamwork in order to deplete the Cobras of their energy. Culminating in a showdown between Robby and Kwon, the former combines the best elements of both dojos he’s trained under, and the result is one of the final season’s most satisfying moments. Robby’s discipline not only nets Myagi-Do a much deserved victory, but ensures that Cobra Kai’s defeat absolutely stings.
Five and half seasons after this duo clashed over the All Valley Title, they battled to see who would take the first Miyagi-Do captain spot. Although they both had immense talent and great training, Miguel pulled out ahead at first. But Robby was able to get back into the battle after he centered himself once more. As soon as he tied the score, we moved to the edge of our seats. The duel’s stakes or choreography would’ve been enough to put it at the top. But what made it among the best of the batch was Robby’s win. After watching him come up second so many times, it was immensely satisfying to see him celebrated as Miyagi-Do’s champion.
Three senseis, two dojos and a bunch of students needed Sam to win a pivotal fight against Devon in order to strike a heavy blow against Cobra Kai. Although the young Larusso impressively held her own against her foe, a corrupt referee kept ruling against her. The high stakes and unfair circumstances only pushed Sam to kick things into a new gear. Watching her go from failing to dominating her enemy was breathtaking. Since Sam’s technique was so clean and strong, the ref had no choice but to award her the three points she needed. Her overwhelming victory and the weight it carried made this fight into one of the season’s brightest bouts.
After tensions build up between kids from Cobra Kai and Miyagi-Do, they meet up in a derelict laser tag building. This leads to a clash in the coolest action scene location the show’s ever given us. Initially, it looks like Miyagi-Do students will triumph over their foes. But then they start losing to their rivals one by one. Sam’s trauma from a previous bawl causes her to run and hide from Tory. This means Larusso can’t help when Hawk purposely breaks Demetri’s arm in one of the show’s most violent moments. While seeing Miyagi-Do on the backfoot is shocking, there is hope at the end of this battle. For the first time in a while, we see that Hawk has serious doubts about Cobra Kai.
13
Johnny vs. Sensei Wolf
“Ex-Degenerate”
With Cobra Kai and Iron Dragons tied at the Sekai Taikai, the ultimate winner is to be decided through a fight between the senseis - Johnny and Sensei Wolf. Johnny enlists Daniel as his sensei for the fight, leading to an iconic moment in which LaRusso wears a black gi. At first, Johnny struggles to get the upper hand with his previous losses still at the forefront of his mind – not to mention Wolf’s mind games. With Johnny faltering, Daniel’s tough love kicks in, urging him to attack instead of relying on Miyagi-Do defense. By going full Cobra Kai, Johnny overcomes Wolf, securing victory—and redemption—for his dojo!
In season 4, the All-Valley is separated into three divisions. The girls’ competition is the last and most important fight. So naturally, it could only be another showdown between Sam LaRusso and Tory Nichols, the show’s most potent rivals. The two both come prepared with both offensive and defensive techniques. While Sam tries not to let her hatred for her rival control her, Tory tries to honor Amanda Larusso’s kind wishes and avoid pressure from Silver to break the rules. The tense clash features plenty of great techniques and a nail biting finish. It was fantastic to root for Tory as more than a one-dimensional villain. However, the fight’s greatness is a bit overshadowed by the fact that Silver bribed the ref so she’d win.
Shortly after Kreese lets Daniel know he’s back, he succeeds in forcing Johnny out of Cobra Kai. It soon becomes clear that the Valley isn’t big enough for three senseis. Once Johnny discovers Cobra Kai students instigated a huge brawl, he comes to face Kreese himself. The heated duel is beautifully intercut with Kreese’s own fight to the death back in Vietnam. Just when Lawrence is about to win, Robby attacks him to save Kreese. After everything goes sideways, Daniel saves his rival’s life and faces Kreese himself. The extended battle’s brutal conclusion is halted when Sam and Miguel arrive. All three senseis decide whichever dojo wins the next All-Valley gets to survive. Their bargain is a crowd-pleasing conclusion to an epic fight.
Like the original film, the first season of “Cobra Kai” climaxes with a karate tournament. In an ironic twist, though, Daniel has trained Johnny’s son Robby to challenge Cobra Kai. Like Daniel before him, Robby is injured when Hawk uses an illegal move on him.(xref) Although Daniel can’t suppress the pain with Mr. Miyagi’s Reiki technique, he does get Robby back in shape for the final round against Miguel. Unlike the first film’s fight between Daniel and Johnny, there isn’t a clear hero or villain here. Both Miguel and Robby have demonstrated their honorable sides in the past. In this case, however, Miguel wins by showing no mercy. It’s familiar yet fresh, which is also the best way to describe the series as a whole.
While a mall cop is out to lunch (literally), Hawk and his fellow Cobra Kai students pursue Demetri over a negative Yelp review. They corner him in the food court, but Sam swings in before Hawk can beat a positive review out of Demetri. Robby rushes to Demetri’s aid as well, getting us pumped up for a face-off between Cobra Kai and Miyagi-Do. Although they’re outnumbered and Demetri can barely throw a punch, Sam and Robby make for an unstoppable duo. In a slick bit of editing, we cut between the mall fight and their training. Sam and Robby act like a unit here, perfectly balancing each other out. The mall setting also gives the fight a genuine ‘80s vibe, which is always welcome.
“Cobra Kai” finally gave audiences a tournament-like bout between an off-balance Daniel and angry Johnny at the midpoint of season 4. Only the winning sensei will get to teach their personal karate style and philosophies to all of their promising students. The fight is a homage to their iconic duel that is full of great twists on their history. Seeing Johnny overcome Daniel’s greatest Miyagi-Do technique instead of losing instantly was just one of many great moments. Unlike their original movie matchup, there’s no winner. Their tie suggests that no matter how many rematches they go through, the rivals will both lose if they aren't balanced when they fight.
When Daniel returns to Okinawa, he reunites with his fierce karate rival Chozen. This brutal fighter previously lost to Larusso in a duel that nearly had fatal consequences. After Chozen offers to teach Daniel more Miyagi-Do secrets, the two have a series of fights. It’s great to see them go from using their bare hands to wielding wooden staffs. Unfortunately for Daniel, Chozen is an even tougher opponent than he was as a young man. In the end, it looks like Larusso's luck has finally run out. But Chozen instead returns the favor Daniel gave him thirty years ago and honks his nose. Who knew one of the show’s greatest fighting montages would end in such a hilarious way?
As the “Cobra Kai’s” second All-Valley tournament went on, everyone was expecting a rematch between reigning champion Miguel and previous finalist Robby. But when the former champ forfeits, reformed Cobra Kai student and new Miyagi-Do disciple Hawk/Eli must step up. Since Eli and Robby know each other’s karate inside and out, their face-off is evenly matched. In the end, it all came down to balance. Robby gets distracted at key moments because he’s struggling with Cobra Kai’s brutal teachings. However, Hawk is able to embrace two schools of teaching and score a victory for the good guys. This fantastic clash closed Eli’s long redemption arc while cementing him as one of the Valley’s best fighters.
There are three major elements that made this rematch so satisfying. First, Daniel learns from his mistakes and waits for Terry to strike first. Secondly, the hero combines his defensive Miyagi-Do training with the lessons on offense he’s picked up from Johnny and Silver himself. The third major moment that makes the fight so epic is how much it literally mirrors “Karate Kid III”. In that film, Mr. Miyagi faces a disrespectful Silver to protect kids from Cobra Kai. Decades after the veteran mentor sent the villain flying into a mirror, Daniel did the same with a single crane kick. All these epic elements came together in one final fight that felt like it incorporated everything we love about this franchise.
The Miyagi-Dos and Eagle Fangs thought they would be safe at the LaRusso house. Unfortunately, Cobra Kai shows up to attack all of their rivals. Things don’t look too good for the Eagle-Fangs and Miyagi-Dos for most of the well shot clash. Miguel gets thrown around after he’s just started to heal, Sam is still afraid of Tory and Demetri’s arm nearly gets broken. But everything starts to turn around when Hawk betrays Cobra Kai in a triumphant turn. After this awe-inspiring moment, Miguel overcomes his injuries and beats his old rival. To cap it all off, Sam faces her fears and puts Tory on notice. Seeing students from different dojos rise up against a common enemy helped end season 3 on an exhilarating note.
Nearly two seasons after Robby seriously injured Miguel in the shocking school fight, the duo finally squared up for a rematch. There’s no points, no rules and no stopping until they’ve burned through all the bad blood between them. The fight features excellent choreography and emotional performances. Having Miguel repeat the same series of moves that lead to his devastating fall against Robby was a particularly outstanding creative choice. In the end, the former All-Valley champ decides to call the fight before it goes too far. His decision to show mercy brought their feud and this great grudge match to a beautiful conclusion.
2
The Brawl to End All Brawls
“Eunjangdo”
The vicious nature of the Sekai Taikai often made it look like a fight with no rules. That idea is taken literally after Kwon takes a cheap shot at Robby during the Tournament of Champions. All hell breaks loose as the finest dojos in the world take aim at each other, and more than prove what makes them the best of the best. Every major character is given a chance to shine, and the ingenious editing of the sequence ensures that each bit of chaos still has something to reward us with. The results are some of the most consequential outcomes of the entire series, capped off by a shocking final blow that not even the show’s biggest fans could have seen coming.
“Cobra Kai” saved its most ambitious set-piece yet for the Season 2 finale, in which every rivalry reaches its boiling point. Tory kicks things off with Samantha, prompting another one-on-one match between Miguel and Robby. From there, an all-out battle breaks out between the two dojos, delivering the show’s best choreography to date. While it’s satisfying seeing Demetri best Hawk, the main action takes place on the second floor where Sam disarms Tory and Miguel pins down Robby. In a reversal of last season’s tournament fight, Miguel shows Robby mercy. Robby’s instincts kick in, however, causing him to accidentally send Miguel over the rail. It was a brutal, heart-pounding, and devastating way to cap off a season with no winners, only losers.
What’s your favorite fight from “Cobra Kai”? Is there an awesome fight we forgot about? Let us know down in the comments!
25 Greatest Cobra Kai Fights of All Time
Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the most well choreographed and emotionally satisfying fights on “Cobra Kai.” Since we’re discussing major plot points of all six seasons, a spoiler warning is now in effect.
With the Sekai Taikai tournament back on, Robby seemed poised to win it all. But disaster struck when Axel Kovacevic broke his leg mid-fight. With that, all eyes then turned to Miguel, who faced Axel in a dramatic battle marked with intense strikes. And just when it looked like Miguel was on the brink of defeat, Johnny reminded him to leave it all on the mat and “go all in.” Sparking a flood of memories, this proved to be just what he needed to push through and take the win. It was a feel-good victory, following Tori’s equally passionate triumph over Zara.
#24: Bar Fight
“Take a Right”Just as “Cobra Kai” redeems Johnny, it also finds the humanity in his old friends, Bobby, Jimmy, and Tommy. Tommy is best remembered as the kid who told Johnny to put Daniel in a body bag. In a tragic twist of fate, it’s Tommy who winds up in a body bag at the end of this episode. Before he succumbs to a terminal illness, Johnny’s friends treat him to one last night out. After a bar patron is rude to a waitress and Tommy, however, a brawl ensues. The set-piece makes impeccable use of its environment, incorporating pool cues and beer mugs into the choreography. The guys have little trouble taking down the barflies. It’s a fitting reunion, as well as a triumphant sendoff for the actor who played Tommy before his passing.
#23: Parking Lot Fight
“Ace Degenerate”34 years after losing to Daniel, Johnny Lawrence is out of work and gets his dinner at a mini-mart. While eating his crummy slice of pizza in the parking lot, Johnny sees a group of privileged people harassing Miguel. It reflects the scene from the first “Karate Kid” where Johnny and his friends beat up Daniel, only for Mr. Miyagi to intervene. In this case, it’s Johnny who assumes the Miyagi role. Of course, this is less about defending Miguel and more about defending his car. It’s four against one and Johnny is now in his 50s, but he’s still got enough kicks to go around. While the cops break it up, the scene establishes that Johnny hasn’t lost his fighting spirit.
#22: Kreese Takes Out the Trash
“Nature vs. Nature”During a series of season 2 flashbacks, you initially believe that the obnoxious jock in the letter jacket is “Karate Kid’s” most notorious villain, John Kreese. But Kreese is actually the waiter getting harassed by the guys. While taking out the trash, he sees these terrible men hassling Betsy behind the diner. Kreese doesn’t hesitate to defend her. Since this scrap happens before he learned karate, the fight’s a little rough around the edges. But it’s immensely satisfying to watch horrible guys get their just desserts. Seeing Kreese as a hero taking down evil is an excellent subversion and a great way to develop his character.
#21: Robby Adjusts to Juvie
“Now You’re Gonna Pay”After putting Miguel in the hospital, Robby finally comes to face the consequences of his actions and gets sent to juvenile hall. Just like high school, juvie is ruled by an aggressive clique. It doesn’t take long for Robby to get on their bad side. While he tries to avoid fighting, he can’t stand by and let the group get away with tormenting others. It’s impressive to watch Robby hold his own against three fierce opponents by using a defensive style. Although he loses this bout, he chooses to strike first a couple of episodes later. Not only is the rematch fun and cathartic to watch, but Robby earns the respect of the clique’s leader Shawn.
#20: Lunchroom Fight
“Counterbalance”Samantha is stunned when her jerky ex Kyler starts spreading lies about her. Unwilling to take this disrespect sitting down, Sam confronts Kyler at lunch. Miguel, who has his own beef with Kyler, isn’t afraid to stand up for Sam. Having learned a few new moves since he last dealt with Kyler, Miguel puts his karate training to effective use. In a one-on-four fight, Miguel serves up a fistful of knuckle sandwiches, turning the cafeteria into his personal playground. He harnesses nearby tools and uses a lunch tray to annihilate his enemy Kyler in a funny and badass moment. Standing atop a table in victory, Miguel earns the admiration of Sam and their classmates, although the school faculty isn’t all that impressed.
#19: Johnny vs. Mike Barnes
“Underdogs”It seemed like the Valley wasn’t big enough to hold two former Cobra Kai villains at once. After they had several public disagreements, Johnny tried to clear the air between them privately. However, they ended up trading insults and blows instead. We loved seeing these franchise antagonists finally get into a one-on-one next to a table saw. But this battle wasn’t just about fanservice. Underneath the surface, they dueled to see who had grown the most as a fighter. Johnny was only able to beat his opponent after he combined Miyagi-Do lessons with his personal style. His definitive win over Mike established that the sensei had evolved past his bad Cobra Kai teachings.
#18: Chozen Clashes Against Six Senseis
MoléAt the beginning of season 5, Chozen attempts to infiltrate Cobra Kai by applying to be one of its new senseis. But after Silver sees through this deception, he sends six fighters after the hero. It was almost tragic to see how unfair the fight was…for the group of senseis. Chozen absolutely decimates every single man who dares to challenge him. He becomes a living whirlwind of one shot takedowns, crushing blows and skillful karate moves. This uneven matchup established that Chozen has only become sharper with age. Hearing him finish the fight with one of the greatest threats in franchise history was the icing on top of this tremendous scene.
What makes Cobra Kai a force to be reckoned with is how easily they get under people’s skin. It’s that tactic that keeps Miyagi-Do off its collective game in the early stages of the Sekai Taikai. Heading into the semi-finals, Cobra Kai looks poised to enter the Tournament of Champions, but Robby has had enough. With their captain regaining his groove, Miyagi-Do rallies with excellent teamwork in order to deplete the Cobras of their energy. Culminating in a showdown between Robby and Kwon, the former combines the best elements of both dojos he’s trained under, and the result is one of the final season’s most satisfying moments. Robby’s discipline not only nets Myagi-Do a much deserved victory, but ensures that Cobra Kai’s defeat absolutely stings.
#16: Robby vs. Miguel
“Best of the Best”Five and half seasons after this duo clashed over the All Valley Title, they battled to see who would take the first Miyagi-Do captain spot. Although they both had immense talent and great training, Miguel pulled out ahead at first. But Robby was able to get back into the battle after he centered himself once more. As soon as he tied the score, we moved to the edge of our seats. The duel’s stakes or choreography would’ve been enough to put it at the top. But what made it among the best of the batch was Robby’s win. After watching him come up second so many times, it was immensely satisfying to see him celebrated as Miyagi-Do’s champion.
#15: Sam vs. Devon
“Taikai”Three senseis, two dojos and a bunch of students needed Sam to win a pivotal fight against Devon in order to strike a heavy blow against Cobra Kai. Although the young Larusso impressively held her own against her foe, a corrupt referee kept ruling against her. The high stakes and unfair circumstances only pushed Sam to kick things into a new gear. Watching her go from failing to dominating her enemy was breathtaking. Since Sam’s technique was so clean and strong, the ref had no choice but to award her the three points she needed. Her overwhelming victory and the weight it carried made this fight into one of the season’s brightest bouts.
#14: Laser Tag Fight
“Miyagi-Do”After tensions build up between kids from Cobra Kai and Miyagi-Do, they meet up in a derelict laser tag building. This leads to a clash in the coolest action scene location the show’s ever given us. Initially, it looks like Miyagi-Do students will triumph over their foes. But then they start losing to their rivals one by one. Sam’s trauma from a previous bawl causes her to run and hide from Tory. This means Larusso can’t help when Hawk purposely breaks Demetri’s arm in one of the show’s most violent moments. While seeing Miyagi-Do on the backfoot is shocking, there is hope at the end of this battle. For the first time in a while, we see that Hawk has serious doubts about Cobra Kai.
With Cobra Kai and Iron Dragons tied at the Sekai Taikai, the ultimate winner is to be decided through a fight between the senseis - Johnny and Sensei Wolf. Johnny enlists Daniel as his sensei for the fight, leading to an iconic moment in which LaRusso wears a black gi. At first, Johnny struggles to get the upper hand with his previous losses still at the forefront of his mind – not to mention Wolf’s mind games. With Johnny faltering, Daniel’s tough love kicks in, urging him to attack instead of relying on Miyagi-Do defense. By going full Cobra Kai, Johnny overcomes Wolf, securing victory—and redemption—for his dojo!
#12: Sam vs. Tory
“The Rise”In season 4, the All-Valley is separated into three divisions. The girls’ competition is the last and most important fight. So naturally, it could only be another showdown between Sam LaRusso and Tory Nichols, the show’s most potent rivals. The two both come prepared with both offensive and defensive techniques. While Sam tries not to let her hatred for her rival control her, Tory tries to honor Amanda Larusso’s kind wishes and avoid pressure from Silver to break the rules. The tense clash features plenty of great techniques and a nail biting finish. It was fantastic to root for Tory as more than a one-dimensional villain. However, the fight’s greatness is a bit overshadowed by the fact that Silver bribed the ref so she’d win.
#11: Johnny vs. Kreese vs. Daniel
“December 19”Shortly after Kreese lets Daniel know he’s back, he succeeds in forcing Johnny out of Cobra Kai. It soon becomes clear that the Valley isn’t big enough for three senseis. Once Johnny discovers Cobra Kai students instigated a huge brawl, he comes to face Kreese himself. The heated duel is beautifully intercut with Kreese’s own fight to the death back in Vietnam. Just when Lawrence is about to win, Robby attacks him to save Kreese. After everything goes sideways, Daniel saves his rival’s life and faces Kreese himself. The extended battle’s brutal conclusion is halted when Sam and Miguel arrive. All three senseis decide whichever dojo wins the next All-Valley gets to survive. Their bargain is a crowd-pleasing conclusion to an epic fight.
#10: Robby vs. Miguel
“Mercy”Like the original film, the first season of “Cobra Kai” climaxes with a karate tournament. In an ironic twist, though, Daniel has trained Johnny’s son Robby to challenge Cobra Kai. Like Daniel before him, Robby is injured when Hawk uses an illegal move on him.(xref) Although Daniel can’t suppress the pain with Mr. Miyagi’s Reiki technique, he does get Robby back in shape for the final round against Miguel. Unlike the first film’s fight between Daniel and Johnny, there isn’t a clear hero or villain here. Both Miguel and Robby have demonstrated their honorable sides in the past. In this case, however, Miguel wins by showing no mercy. It’s familiar yet fresh, which is also the best way to describe the series as a whole.
#9: Mall Fight
“All In”While a mall cop is out to lunch (literally), Hawk and his fellow Cobra Kai students pursue Demetri over a negative Yelp review. They corner him in the food court, but Sam swings in before Hawk can beat a positive review out of Demetri. Robby rushes to Demetri’s aid as well, getting us pumped up for a face-off between Cobra Kai and Miyagi-Do. Although they’re outnumbered and Demetri can barely throw a punch, Sam and Robby make for an unstoppable duo. In a slick bit of editing, we cut between the mall fight and their training. Sam and Robby act like a unit here, perfectly balancing each other out. The mall setting also gives the fight a genuine ‘80s vibe, which is always welcome.
#8: Daniel vs. Johnny
“Match Point”“Cobra Kai” finally gave audiences a tournament-like bout between an off-balance Daniel and angry Johnny at the midpoint of season 4. Only the winning sensei will get to teach their personal karate style and philosophies to all of their promising students. The fight is a homage to their iconic duel that is full of great twists on their history. Seeing Johnny overcome Daniel’s greatest Miyagi-Do technique instead of losing instantly was just one of many great moments. Unlike their original movie matchup, there’s no winner. Their tie suggests that no matter how many rematches they go through, the rivals will both lose if they aren't balanced when they fight.
#7: Rematch to the Death
“Miyagi-Do”When Daniel returns to Okinawa, he reunites with his fierce karate rival Chozen. This brutal fighter previously lost to Larusso in a duel that nearly had fatal consequences. After Chozen offers to teach Daniel more Miyagi-Do secrets, the two have a series of fights. It’s great to see them go from using their bare hands to wielding wooden staffs. Unfortunately for Daniel, Chozen is an even tougher opponent than he was as a young man. In the end, it looks like Larusso's luck has finally run out. But Chozen instead returns the favor Daniel gave him thirty years ago and honks his nose. Who knew one of the show’s greatest fighting montages would end in such a hilarious way?
#6: Robby vs. Hawk
“The Rise”As the “Cobra Kai’s” second All-Valley tournament went on, everyone was expecting a rematch between reigning champion Miguel and previous finalist Robby. But when the former champ forfeits, reformed Cobra Kai student and new Miyagi-Do disciple Hawk/Eli must step up. Since Eli and Robby know each other’s karate inside and out, their face-off is evenly matched. In the end, it all came down to balance. Robby gets distracted at key moments because he’s struggling with Cobra Kai’s brutal teachings. However, Hawk is able to embrace two schools of teaching and score a victory for the good guys. This fantastic clash closed Eli’s long redemption arc while cementing him as one of the Valley’s best fighters.
#5: Daniel Defeats Silver
“Head of the Snake”There are three major elements that made this rematch so satisfying. First, Daniel learns from his mistakes and waits for Terry to strike first. Secondly, the hero combines his defensive Miyagi-Do training with the lessons on offense he’s picked up from Johnny and Silver himself. The third major moment that makes the fight so epic is how much it literally mirrors “Karate Kid III”. In that film, Mr. Miyagi faces a disrespectful Silver to protect kids from Cobra Kai. Decades after the veteran mentor sent the villain flying into a mirror, Daniel did the same with a single crane kick. All these epic elements came together in one final fight that felt like it incorporated everything we love about this franchise.
#4: Home Invasion
“December 19”The Miyagi-Dos and Eagle Fangs thought they would be safe at the LaRusso house. Unfortunately, Cobra Kai shows up to attack all of their rivals. Things don’t look too good for the Eagle-Fangs and Miyagi-Dos for most of the well shot clash. Miguel gets thrown around after he’s just started to heal, Sam is still afraid of Tory and Demetri’s arm nearly gets broken. But everything starts to turn around when Hawk betrays Cobra Kai in a triumphant turn. After this awe-inspiring moment, Miguel overcomes his injuries and beats his old rival. To cap it all off, Sam faces her fears and puts Tory on notice. Seeing students from different dojos rise up against a common enemy helped end season 3 on an exhilarating note.
#3: Miguel & Robby’s Grudge Match
“Extreme Measures”Nearly two seasons after Robby seriously injured Miguel in the shocking school fight, the duo finally squared up for a rematch. There’s no points, no rules and no stopping until they’ve burned through all the bad blood between them. The fight features excellent choreography and emotional performances. Having Miguel repeat the same series of moves that lead to his devastating fall against Robby was a particularly outstanding creative choice. In the end, the former All-Valley champ decides to call the fight before it goes too far. His decision to show mercy brought their feud and this great grudge match to a beautiful conclusion.
The vicious nature of the Sekai Taikai often made it look like a fight with no rules. That idea is taken literally after Kwon takes a cheap shot at Robby during the Tournament of Champions. All hell breaks loose as the finest dojos in the world take aim at each other, and more than prove what makes them the best of the best. Every major character is given a chance to shine, and the ingenious editing of the sequence ensures that each bit of chaos still has something to reward us with. The results are some of the most consequential outcomes of the entire series, capped off by a shocking final blow that not even the show’s biggest fans could have seen coming.
#1: School Showdown
“No Mercy”“Cobra Kai” saved its most ambitious set-piece yet for the Season 2 finale, in which every rivalry reaches its boiling point. Tory kicks things off with Samantha, prompting another one-on-one match between Miguel and Robby. From there, an all-out battle breaks out between the two dojos, delivering the show’s best choreography to date. While it’s satisfying seeing Demetri best Hawk, the main action takes place on the second floor where Sam disarms Tory and Miguel pins down Robby. In a reversal of last season’s tournament fight, Miguel shows Robby mercy. Robby’s instincts kick in, however, causing him to accidentally send Miguel over the rail. It was a brutal, heart-pounding, and devastating way to cap off a season with no winners, only losers.
What’s your favorite fight from “Cobra Kai”? Is there an awesome fight we forgot about? Let us know down in the comments!
