Top 20 Strongest Cobra Kai Fighters

#20: Kenny Payne

Also in:

Oh My God, They Killed Kenny! Top 30 Best Kenny Deaths in South Park

When Kenny first attempted to join Cobra Kai, he was too scared to stand his ground. But after learning how to harness his speed, he started fighting back. Kenny quickly was able to turn the lessons he learned against his tormentors. He also became skilled enough to make it to the quarterfinals during his very first All Valley Tournament. Since Kenny is young and relatively new to Cobra Kai, he still has some room to grow before he can compete with the older fighters. And he also has to work on keeping his rage in check. But if Kenny keeps maturing and growing as fast as he did in season 4, he could become one of the best fighters around.

#19: Chris

Also in:

Top 10 Times Chris Farley Broke People on SNL

Although Chris doesn't always get a lot of time to shine, he has quietly become a serious contender. After leaving Cobra Kai, he was able to completely switch his style and learn Miyagi-Do. Chris also has a talent for using literally any item as a melee weapon to get the upper hand. While he doesn’t have a lot of major victories under his belt, he is able to keep up with a lot of serious threats. He once came extremely close to beating top Cobra Kai student Kyler during a competition. It’s only a matter of time before Chris blows everyone away with his skill and strength alone.

#18: Shawn Payne

Also in:

Top 10 Cory & Shawn Moments on Boy Meets World

One of the toughest guys in Robbie’s juvenile detention center was unquestionably Shawn. Once the tension between the two reached a boiling point, they threw down in a very vicious brawl. Shawn impressively held his own during the entire bout with a trained Miyagi-do fighter who has taken on martial arts champions. This fact could become very important in the future. Shawn’s little brother Kenny Payne currently has a strained relationship with Robby. If their relationship really sours, the eldest sibling may step in to protect his brother. With a little Cobra Kai training, Shawn could go from a raw brawler who gave Robby trouble to a seriously talented threat.

#17: Raymond [AKA Stingray]

Also in:

Top 10 Hilarious Everybody Loves Raymond Running Gags

Raymond AKA Stingray initially seemed like a comic relief character who was obsessed with joining Cobra Kai. Although he’s still the butt of many of the show’s jokes, he’s also a pretty decent fighter. Stingray was clever enough to outwit every other Cobra Kai during the famous Coyote Creek competition. He also had enough ability to take out multiple Miyagi-Do students during a big brawl. Admittedly, Stingray’s most impressive feats are against much younger opponents. Since he hasn’t beaten any trained martial artists that were near his own age on screen yet, it’s hard to tell how strong of a fighter he actually is. All we know for certain is that Stingray is more than just a joke.

Few fighters have advanced as quickly as Devon has. As soon as this debater joined Eagle Fang, she proved that she was a fast learner who was ready and willing to compete. Devon’s ambition took her all the way to a quarterfinals match where she was pitted against the fearsome Tori. Although the newest Eagle Fang wasn’t able to score any clean points, she didn’t make it easy for the queen of Cobra Kai to win the match. The fact that Devon was able to compete against the eventual women’s finalist after just over a month of work is astonishing. We’re definitely looking forward to seeing what she accomplishes after she gets more training.

Kyler’s fighting journey throughout “Cobra Kai” has been an absolute rollercoaster. Although he used to be one of the biggest school tormentors, he severely pulled back after Miguel beat him. After Kyler enlisted in Cobra Kai, he became enough of a threat to seriously injure his old rival. While he had a long losing streak for a while, he bounced back enough to defeat students like Chris…before immediately losing to Eli. The only consistent thing about Kyler is his overconfidence. He almost always underestimates more powerful opponents and ends up on his back. If Kyler ever started to take his foes seriously, he’d be a constant danger to everyone around him.

At the beginning of “Cobra Kai”, Aisha was a reserved student who was constantly harassed by her peers. But she proved to be a formidable fighter when joined 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 much of Aisha fighting outside of the dojo after she lost to a former champ. And we’re unsure if she’s kept up with her training enough to take down Miyagi-Do/Eagle Fang students. But judging by the brutal beatdown she dealt out in the season 2 finale, she’s still got some fight left.

Since Dimitri wasn't welcome in Cobra Kai, he asked Daniel Larusso to teach him Miyagi-do karate. Although he wasn't the best student in the dojo, he didn't give up on his training. Demetri’s hard work really paid off for the first time when he managed to defeat his much stronger friend in a one-on-one fight. After the two resolved their issues, they were able to evenly fight alongside each other as a badass duo. Demetri reached new heights after he made it to the All Valley quarterfinals. Although he couldn’t triumph over his much tougher opponent in the semifinals, he still earned the respect of his sensei and his peers by the end of the fight.

A talented gymnast became one of Cobra Kai’s most promising new recruits. After Piper joined the dojo, she showed off her physical skills and ability to get into people’s heads. She also proved she could effortlessly combine gymnastic moves with martial arts. Although we knew she could make Tori sweat, we never expected her to achieve so much in the climactic competition. Piper was able to land a blow on a vastly more experienced opponent who had almost never lost a serious fight before that point. Over the span of just a few episodes, she’s already proved to be an innovative combatant who can go against a few of the show’s fiercest fighters. There’s no telling how high she’ll climb in future seasons.

While 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 one day. 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 took him down to the mat, we knew another fierce fighter had entered the dojo. Tory’s toughness and ruthlessness made her stand out immediately. Although she tried to leave the “no mercy” philosophy behind, she’s still absolutely vicious to her opponents. Tory’s considerable skills took her all the way to the finals of the All Valley. Since the referee of the match was bribed, her victory over her fearsome rival Sam has a huge asterisk over it. But given Tory’s track record, we wouldn’t be surprised if she beats her old foe fair and square one day.

#9: Samantha LaRusso

Also in:

Top 10 Times Samantha Deserved Better on Sex And The City

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. Sam was also cool-headed and skilled enough to beat a weapon-wielding Tory in combat. If all that wasn’t enough, Sam is on the way to mastering both Miyagi-Do and Eagle Fang Karate. 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.

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 anger take over, it usually leads to disaster. But once he’s balanced again, he becomes an opponent you don't want to mess with.

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 also defeated great fighters like former champion Xander and Miyagi-Do prodigy Robby to win the All Valley Karate title. Although Miguel got a serious upgrade when he started learning Miyagi-Do, his struggles to balance both sensei’s teachings and back injury have temporarily limited him. But there’s a strong chance this one time champ will overcome his issues and get back on top once more.

#6: Eli Moskowitz [AKA Hawk]

Also in:

Top 10 Strongest Cobra Kai Fighters

Eli was once a Cobra Kai student whose fighting style was as wild as his haircut. He loved dominating his opponents as much as he loved showing off his back tattoo. But after Eli realized he had let his rage and darkness take over, he decided to get a fresh start with his real friends. Like Miguel, his journey back to the light side involved learning Miyagi-Do karate. Eli was so excellent that he reached the All Valley finals and faced Robby. After combining his new skills with his Cobra Kai training, he soared as the new champion. Eli’s incredible journey ensured that he stood tall as one of the strongest young fighters by the end of season 4.

#5: John Kreese

Also in:

Top 10 Times John Krasinski Couldn't Keep a Straight Face on The Office

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 their opponents before they can retaliate. Kreese also has such a wicked temper that he nearly ended the lives of multiple people outside of the war. 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 senseis like Johnny Lawrence and Daniel Larusso. And younger fighters wouldn’t stand much of a chance against him. If you’re reckless enough to underestimate Kreese in a fight, this old man won’t be likely to show you mercy.

#4: John “Johnny” Lawrence

Also in:

Top 10 Times John Oliver Said What We Were All Thinking

Decades after Johnny Lawrence lost his shot at a third consecutive All-Valley title, the Eagle Fang Sensei has proven that he’s still a threat in the present. Johnny has absolutely no problem beating multiple opponents at the same time. He was also able to surpass his former master and fight evenly with Daniel in modern times. Although Johnny has also picked up defensive moves from his rival, he still needs more practice before he’s considered an expert in multiple styles. But if he does become more comfortable with Miyagi-Do’s advanced techniques, he could become near impossible to beat. An eagle that can strike first and block any attack that comes its way would be a formidable beast.

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, defeated John Kreese and fought Johnny Lawrence to a stalemate. Daniel's willingness to learn new techniques allowed him to instantly incorporate Eagle Fang’s offensive style after a single day’s training. And secret Miyagi-Do moves he’s learned allow him to overwhelm most opponents. Although we knew him as The Karate Kid, he's clearly become a master martial artist as an adult.

At a young age, Chozen became an intimidating fighter that no one in Tomi village would cross. He turned his life around after losing a climactic duel against Daniel LaRusso. But while Chozen may have lost to Mr. Miyagi’s prized student in the past, things are very different now. He narrowly outclassed and overpowered Daniel during multiple sparring matches. And as soon as he started losing, he took complete control of a fight with a few hits. Since Chozen is familiar with dangerous techniques and is willing to use them, we have no idea what he’s truly capable of. But any fighter who can consistently take Daniel LaRusso down in training is probably someone who could destroy an average opponent in the real world.

Underneath Terry Silver’s seemingly charming smile lies one of the threatening fighters you’ll ever meet. This cold and calculating villain is a Cobra Kai master who does not believe in showing mercy to opponents. Silver has absolutely no problem fighting dirty, targeting weaknesses and manipulating others if it means achieving victory. His vicious personality and martial arts style enables him to obliterate opponents at a moment’s notice. While we expected him to decimate Stingray, we didn’t expect the sensei’s most terrifying feat. Silver easily beat Johnny Lawrence to a pulp in season four. If the Cobra Kai sensei can leave one of the show’s top martial artists down while barely breaking a sweat, anyone who faces him is in for the fight of their life.