Top 10 Strongest Cobra Kai Fighters

At the start of the series, Aisha was a reserved student who struggled with being bullied. But she proved to be a formidable fighter once she decided to join Cobra Kai. After beating Miguel in a sparring match, she quickly rose up the ranks within the dojo. She was even good enough to compete in the quarterfinals at her very first All Valley Karate Tournament. Unfortunately, we don't get to see a whole lot of Aisha fighting outside of the dojo after that huge competition. But judging by the brief yet brutal beatdown she deals out in the Season 2 finale, she still has a killer instinct.

Although Xander Stone’s extremely sensitive and empathetic nature made him seem like a pushover, he's a seriously good fighter. After beating numerous opponents to win the All Valley Karate Tournament, he returned to defend his title. Xander was able to defeat Aisha in the quarterfinals by paying attention and making a decisive move. His acrobatic fighting style also makes it hard for his opponents to predict what he’ll do next. Although he ultimately wasn't able to reclaim his title, there's no reason to think that he can't make a comeback. Xander just needs to spend more time in the dojo and less time working on overly sentimental speeches.

On her very first day at Cobra Kai, Tory challenged the top student to a one-on-one fight. As soon as she managed to take him down to the mat, we knew another fierce fighter had entered the dojo. Tory’s toughness and ruthlessness made her stand out immediately. And since Tory believes in the “no mercy” philosophy she will absolutely do whatever it takes to win… even if it's without honor. She’d be ranked higher if she had more wins under her belt during the first season she appeared in. Tory didn’t make it to the end of Cobra Kai’s Coyote Creek exercise and didn’t beat her rival Sam. But given how ruthless Tori is, you still shouldn’t turn your back on her.

Hawk is yet another top Cobra Kai student whose fighting style is as wild as his haircut. He loves dominating his opponents almost as much as he loves showing off his back tattoo. Hawk is also skilled enough to make fighters like Miguel and Robby sweat. And since he only cares about winning, he's not afraid to resort to low blows or illegal moves to take down his opponents. The seemingly bottomless pit of rage within him is his biggest strength and weakness. While Hawk’s anger can be useful in battle, it can also cause him to get too reckless and lose fights. If he ever learned how to tame the beast inside of him, he could truly rule over Cobra Kai.

Shortly after Robby started learning the Miyagi-Do style, he entered the All Valley Karate Tournament. He was such a fast learner and natural talent that he was able to make it to the finals and nearly win. But Robby's true power is his determination. He will absolutely not give up on a fight no matter what the odds. Robby has fought while outnumbered, taken on older opponents, and even went into a tournament match with an injured arm. There's practically nothing he can't achieve... if he's balanced. When Robby lets his darkness and recklessness takeover, it usually leads to disaster. But once he’s balanced again, he becomes an opponent you don't want to mess with.

Being the daughter of a former karate champion certainly has its advantages. Not only can Sam fight well, but she knows how to analyze her opponent’s combat styles for weaknesses. Her brains and brawn made fighting multiple Cobra Kais, including the fearsome Hawk, easy for her. Her years of training also give her a slight edge over her fellow Miyagi-Do prodigy Robby. Sam was also cool-headed and skilled enough to beat a weapon-wielding Tory in combat. Although she can be a little immature in daily life, she brings nothing but experience and poise to her fights. Tangling with Sam will usually lead to your defeat.

If you were to go back in time and tell Miguel what he would accomplish as a Cobra Kai student, he probably wouldn't believe you. He went from a nerdy fighting enthusiast to a warrior who could easily fend off multiple large opponents at once. Miguel was also able to defeat great fighters like former champion Xander and Miyagi-Do prodigy Robby to win the All Valley Karate title. And although he has a good heart, he won't hesitate to use his fists against friends and foes in battle. It's hard to tell what Miguel's fighting future will look like. But no matter what happens next, no one can take away the fact that he became a champion.

After serving the U.S.A. in the Vietnam War, a battle-hardened John Kreese co-founded Cobra Kai. He promotes a brutal fighting philosophy that tells students to strike hard, strike fast, and to have no mercy for opponents. Kreese also has such a wicked temper that he nearly strangled teenage Johnny Lawrence for losing. But his ideology and attitude aren’t the only dangerous things about him. Despite being in his 70s, Kreese was still able to keep up with his former Johnny Lawrence in a fight. The ruthless old man also doesn’t hold back on teenagers, even if they’re his own students. We wouldn't recommend underestimating Kreese in a fight. This old man will never show you mercy.

This fighter needs little introduction. Daniel Larusso became a local legend after defeating Cobra Kai’s top student at the All Valley Karate Tournament in the 1980s. After taking the title for a second time, he let martial arts take a backseat in his life. But Daniel got back into the fighting Spirit when Cobra Kai returned. He's taken on multiple opponents at a time, trained a new class of students, and was able to keep up with his rival Johnny Lawrence in a fight. Daniel's willingness to keep improving himself makes him a constantly evolving fighter and sensei. Although we knew him as The Karate Kid, he's clearly become a master martial artist as an adult.

Before our top fighter walks into the ring, here are a few honorable mentions.

Raymond (aka Stingray)
This Sneaky Fighter Isn’t Afraid to Use Questionable Methods

Johnny’s Old Cobra Kai Crew
These Middle-Aged Men Still Have the Fighting Spirit

Demetri
What He Lacks in Confidence, He Makes Up for in Natural Talent

Mitch
A New Cobra Kai Student Who Believes in No Mercy

Chris
This New Miyagi-Do Disciple Is a Quick Learner

We know our top pick is controversial. But hear us out. There's no denying that Johnny Lawrence lost to Daniel Larusso in the 80s. But this Cobra Kai student has proven that he’s still a threat in the present. Johnny has beaten multiple opponents at the same time on no less than three separate occasions throughout the series. He's also able to go toe-to-toe with extremely tough fighters like Kreese and Daniel in modern times. And although he tries to be honorable in battle, he absolutely will use dirty tactics to win when backed into a corner. Between his killer instinct, years of experience, and pure grit, we’re willing to bet that Johnny is “Cobra Kai’s” true #1 fighter.