Cobra Kaihas come to a close, which means it’s finally time to pick the best fights of the overarching series. Of course, this is no easy task. TheKarate Kidspinoff series took the epic matches of the original films and turned them up several notches.Cobra Kaicomprises 65 episodes, each typically featuring at least one fight (on or off the mat). Still, when considering impact, a large handful continue to stand out.
ThroughCobra Kai’s six seasons, rivalries have been started and settled. There were friendly competitions on the mat, or deadly brawls off. Some characters claimed glory, while others lost their lives. It didn’t take long beforeCobra Kaidemonstrated that almost anything was possible. Still, specific qualities within aCobra Kaifight help it stand out as the series' best. The history of the participating characters, thedramatic choreography and camera work, and the sheer number of participants are all critical factors. Ultimately, the greatestfights ofCobra Kaigot that way because of how they made us feel to watch.
15Johnny vs. Daniel Rematch
Season 4
Johnny Lawrence and Daniel LaRusso make up the rivalry that started it all in theKarate Kidfranchise, so their fights have always earned a lot of attention inCobra Kai. Perhaps their most intriguing fight was their tournament style rematch in season 4, during which they faced off at Miyagi-Do to determine once and for all who was the better fighter.
This Johnny vs. Daniel fight was essentially a repeat of their All-Valley match inThe Karate Kid, since it was a basic first-to-three fight.It was especially thrilling because Johnny and Daniel were so evenly matched. For their last point, the rivals simultaneously KOed each other.
14Johnny vs. The Bullies
Season 1
There were certainly more exciting fights inCobra Kai, but Johnny’s match against the bullies in season 1 holds a special place within the overarchingKarate Kidfranchise. This was our first chance to see the golden-boy of Cobra Kai fight in the years after 1984’sThe Karate Kid, but this fact was made all the more delicious sinceJohnny was essentially filling in for Mr. Miyagi.
Miguel was the bullied underdog (like Daniel) while Johnny was the older and wiser sensei who saved the day (Mr. Miyagi).
Cobra Kaiseason 1 took theformula forThe Karate Kidand turned it on its head. Miguel was the bullied underdog (like Daniel) while Johnny was the older and wiser sensei who saved the day (Mr. Miyagi). Of course, Johnny wasn’t quite as sagely as Daniel’s old sensei. Still, his being so rough around the edges only made the entire situation that much better.
13The Original Cobra Kais' Bar Fight
Season 2
Back inCobra Kaiseason 2, Johnny reunited with some of his old Cobra Kai buddies. Jimmy, Tommy, and Bobby may have been bullies inThe Karate Kid, but a lot had changed over the years. TheirCobra Kaireunion was bittersweet since they knew Tommy’s days were numbered. Still, the group managed to give their friend one last big fight.
The OG Cobra Kais got into a big bar brawl with a group of guys who were hogging the pool tables. MostCobra Kaibrawls revolved around teenagers, so seeingthese classic characters going all out in a bar was a good change of pace. It was quick, and Johnny, Jimmy, Tommy, and Bobby’s opponents stood no chance against the Cobra Kais, but it was still a deeply memorable and nostalgic fight.
12The Tag-Team Fight At The Sekai Taikai
Season 6
Cobra Kaihad a significant challenge with season 6, since the series' final fights needed to stand out against the dozens that came before. The Sekai Taikai was the perfect solution, since this global karate tournament didn’t follow the same rules as the Sekai Taikai.Each match had a unique twist, and the tag-team event was among the more intriguing.
Thetag-team Sekai Taikai event inCobra Kaiseason 6saw each team gather around a circular barrier. Fighters would face each other one by one, gaining points for each hit, and could tag in one of their teammates when they were tired or thought they would be a better fit. The Miyagi-Dos struggled with this initially, but once Robby tagged in Kenny Payne, things got interesting.
11Miyagi-Do vs. Cobra Kai At The LaRussos’ Home
Season 3
The rivalry between Miyagi-Do and Cobra Kai peaked inCobra Kaiseason 3, ultimately culminating in the big brawl at Daniel LaRusso’s house. This is when Miguel left Cobra Kai and started hanging around with the Miyagi-Do’s at the LaRusso residence, and Cobra Kai—which had Hawk and Tory in the top slots—performed an ambush. In a matter of moments, all hell had broken loose.
A big part of what made this fight so memorable is how it was choreographed and filmed.
A big part of what made this fight so memorable is how it was choreographed and filmed. The camera moved fluidly through the house while several fights played out at once. Characters moved from room to room, and the unique layout of the large LaRusso house meant that fights were always visible in the background. It was pure excitement from start to finish.
10Robby vs. Kwon At The Sekai Taikai
Though technically part of the tag-team matches of the Sekai Taikai, Robby and Kwon’s final big fight is worth its own entry. Tension had been high between these two characters from the tournament’s beginning. When they got onto the mat, it quickly became apparent that they wouldn’t tag anyone else in. They were going to end things.
Robby hadn’t been at his best through most of the Sekai Taikai, buthe reclaimed his focus for his fight against Kwon. Kreese’s new star student was no match for Robby at his best, but the Miyagi-Do captain wasn’t about to end things quickly. He took his time with Kwon, allowing the boy’s rage to build and make Robby’s victory all the sweeter.
Kwon’s loss initially meant that Cobra Kai was out of the Sekai Taikai, but they were brought back when another team was disqualified for cheating.
9Tory vs Zara At The Sekai Taikai
Tory is one of the few fighters inCobra Kaiwho was powerful and skilled from the very beginning, but theIron Dragon’s Zaraturned out to be almost too much for her. They began quite the rivalry inCobra Kaiseason 6, and though it was short lived, their competitive dynamic allowed their final big fight to be among the series' most exciting (and satisfying).
Zara didn’t know what had hit her, and before long, her teeth were scattered across the mat.
Tory really applied the Cobra Kai tenet of “Strike Hard,” for this fight. Zara didn’t know what had hit her, and before long, her teeth were scattered across the mat. Since Zara was a pretty nasty character,seeing Tory apply some of her best moves was everything we could hope for for her finalCobra Kaifight.
8Daniel vs. Silver
Season 5
Daniel and Silver’s big fight inCobra Kaiseason 5 was the perfect way to pay off their conflicted dynamic fromThe Karate Kid Part 3. The older man had always been a bully, tormenting Daniel as a teenager.Cobra Kaiseason 5 gave him a chance to finally settle the score.
Part of what was so thrilling about this match was howit paralleled Mr. Miyagi’sKarate Kidfight with Silver. The locations were similar, and the way Daniel used Silver’s size against him was spot on to his old sensei. Finally, Daniel’s final use of his iconic crane kick solidified his big fight with Silver as one ofCobra Kai’s greatest.
7Kreese vs. Silver On The Yacht
Kreese and Silver were old war buddies, but their relationship became rather complicated inCobra Kai. While Silver wanted nothing more than glory for his dojo, Kreese possessed a genuine—if not sometimes misguided—affection toward his star students. It’s because of his love for Johnny that Kreese ultimately faced off with Silver inCobra Kaiseason 6 inwhat is easily the series' most badass fight.
Cobra Kai Season 6, Part 3’s Shocking Kreese & Silver Twist Explained
It was clear that John Kreese and Terry Silver would need an explosive ending in Cobra Kai, but season 6, part 3, delivered beyond expectations.
Kreese wasn’t a match for Terry Silver. They had already demonstrated this inCobra Kaiseason 6, part 2, when they fought during the Sekai Taikai brawl. However, Kreese didn’t board Silver’s yacht in season 6, part 3, intending to walk off it again. Johnny’s old sensei tossed his cigar toward some spilled gasoline near a batch of oxygen tanks,sending the yacht, himself, and Terry Silver sky high. It was the most perfectly over-the-top ending for theseCobra Kaicharacters.
6Miguel’s Cafeteria Fight
Miguel had a lot of great fights inCobra Kai, and almost all of them—including his big match with Axel at the Sekai Taikai—demonstrated more advanced technical skill than his lunchroom fight in season 1. However, it’s hard for any to rank higher. This was the first time Miguel got to apply his training with Johnny to a real fight, andseeing him publicly lay waste to all his bullies was deeply satisfying.
This fight is everything that Cobra Kai and the overall Karate Kid franchise represents.
AsCobra Kai’s original underdog, Miguel was naturally underestimated. However,he became an immediate school hero when he beat the crap out of Kyler and his gooniesusing his fists and lunch trays alike. This fight is everything thatCobra Kaiand the overallKarate Kidfranchise represents.
