In spite of how many epic fights Cobra Kai has delivered over the years, there’s still a few major matchups that haven’t happened yet.
In spite of how many epic matchups Cobra Kai has offered over the years, there’s still a few that haven’t happened yet. At this point, each of Cobra Kai’s principal characters has faced multiple challengers in the series. Daniel, for instance, has already fought Johnny, Kreese, Terry Silver, and Chozen.
With that in mind, it makes sense that Cobra Kai’s final season will put some degree of emphasis on rematches, invoking old rivalries and perhaps what’s left of its unfinished conflicts. However, Cobra Kai doesn’t have to rely solely on this concept to drive its action. After all, there are some characters in the series who – for one reason or another – haven’t come to blows yet. The show can lean into these sorts of matchups when it wraps up its six-season story. Here’s six fights that still need to happen in Cobra Kai.
6. Miguel Diaz vs. Kenny Payne
There was a time when there was a clear distance between Miguel and Kenny, but the more the story progresses, the more apparent it is that Terry Silver’s favorite student has actually become an extremely formidable fighter. His execution of the Silver Bullet move that defeated Eli, the champion of the All Valley Tournament’s boys division, was proof of that. Given the ambition Terry Silver instilled him with, it wouldn’t be surprising if Kenny eventually decides to engage Miguel in a one-on-one fight. The dojo war may be over, but more competitions of this sort makes sense, especially with the Sekai Taikai around the corner.
5. Chozen Toguchi vs. John Kreese
Interestingly, two of Cobra Kai’s best adult fighters have yet to even meet, but could very well be on a collision course in season 6. Having been behind bars for the majority of season 5, Kreese may be unaware of Chozen’s presence in the Valley and his role in the fight with Silver, though that’ll change soon if and when he tries to get his revenge on Daniel. Since Chozen has emerged as the self-appointed protector of the LaRusso family, he should be the one who comes between Kreese and Daniel when the villain puts whatever he’s planning into action.
Any interaction between Chozen and Kreese will be interesting to see, considering how they’re both strong fighters with a great deal of talent. Not only that, but Chozen’s warrior spirit is likely to surprise Kreese, same as it did with Silver. Thus far, Kreese has had very little respect for Miyagi-do Karate and the ideas practiced by Daniel, which is why Chozen could be an entirely unexpected adversary for him in Cobra Kai season 6.
4. Johnny Lawrence vs. Mike Barnes
Since joining the series, Mike Barnes has tested his mettle against fellow Karate Kid villain Chozen and several of Terry Silver’s minions, but there’s still so much the show can still do with the character when it comes to fighting. Arguably the best potential matchup on the table for Mike Barnes is against Johnny. As a character once known as the “the bad boy of karate,” Mike has strong parallels to Johnny in the franchise, as well as a similar fighting style. How he handled himself against Chozen goes to show that his skills haven’t waned, making him a character deserving of more fights in season 6.
It’s not altogether clear who would win if these two were to fight. Barnes briefly attacked him in season 5, but things never went far enough for a full fight to start. The notion that there’s no obvious winner in a hypothetical Mike Barnes vs. Johnny Lawrence match makes the prospect of it happening all the more exciting.
3. John Kreese vs. Terry Silver
The days of Kreese and Silver being on the same side ended in the Cobra Kai season 4 finale when Silver framed Kreese for beating up Stingray. They’ve been bitter enemies ever since, but with Kreese in prison, the show has had no opportunity to continue their conflict. Since Silver is the one whose betrayal landed him in that situation, he should be Kreese’s top target when Cobra Kai returns. Provided that Terry Silver isn’t sent to prison right away, the character should still be on hand, making a fight between them a real possibility for the show’s final chapters.
As for who would win, Silver’s past wins against Johnny and Daniel make him the favorite. However, Kreese’s resolve and appetite for revenge put him in a position to be even more ruthless than ever. Plus, Silver may have lost his edge after losing Cobra Kai and falling short in a rematch against Daniel. His mentality could be a disadvantage in a battle with Kreese, whereas Martin Kove’s character should be well-motivated and fully prepared for the fight of his life.
2. Johnny Lawrence vs. Chozen Toguchi
Upon bringing in Chozen, Cobra Kai was quick to demonstrate how he stacks up against Daniel more than 30 years after their original fight in The Karate Kid Part II. It also pitted him against Silver in season 5. But despite his proximity to Johnny, there’s yet to be a fight between the two Karate Kid villains. It can be presumed, based on his easy victory over Daniel in season 3, that Chozen is the superior fighter, but recent events have created more questions about the power structure in the series. They seemed to fight in pace with each other when they teamed up against one of Kim Da-Eun’s senseis. Furthermore, Johnny proved himself capable of taking on several of the Cobra Kai senseis at once in the season 5 finale.
It’s possible that the events of the series have toughened Johnny considerably, so much so that he’d be a worthy opponent to Chozen in season 6. They’re not at odds presently, but their competitive spirits could always result in one or the other setting out to find out one and for all which is the better fighter. Theoretically, the two could have a sparring match as a demonstration for the students in preparation for the Sekai Taikai.
1. Daniel LaRusso vs. Mike Barnes
So far, Daniel has battled every major returning villain from The Karate Kid trilogy, save for one – Sean Kanan’s Mike Barnes. Daniel beat Mike in The Karate Kid Part III, but it shouldn’t be forgotten that his win was a result of Mike’s flawed strategy. Silver told Mike to keep the score tied until the end, hence why Mike purposely held back for most of the fight. In other words, Mike lost despite being better than Daniel. Because of that outcome, it’s worth wondering if Daniel can finally beat Mike on his own merits. Based on how well Mike Barnes performed in his fight against Chozen, there’s no guarantee that would happen. Unless Cobra Kai finds a way to make them fight in season 6, this is a question that may remain unanswered.
