Characters like Miguel and Robby are expected to do well in Cobra Kai season 6’s Sekai Taikai, but a few lesser characters could also surprise us.
The talk surrounding Cobra Kai season 6 is which of the most powerful characters could win the Sekai Taikai—but a few of the more minor ones could surprise us. So far in the Netflix series, a few key characters have stood out. Though the fighter on top changes from season to season, there have been minimal surprises regarding strength. However, if Cobra Kai hopes to throw audiences for a loop, some of the lesser fighters will be genuine contenders in the Sekai Taikai.
Overall, the focus of the Karate Kid franchise has been the underdogs. Daniel LaRusso was brand new to karate when he defeated Johnny Lawrence at the All-Valley Tournament—something that was then true for Miguel Diaz in the first season of Cobra Kai. Though the character filling the role has changed, the show’s center is the character that wouldn’t traditionally be expected to win. Though none of the following Cobra Kai season 6 characters are weak, they haven’t been at the forefront of predictions for a Sekai Taikai champion—but that doesn’t mean they couldn’t pull off something spectacular.
7. Kenny Payne
Kenny started off as the underdog in Cobra Kai, but the influence of the Cobra Kai dojo led him into the bully position instead. Since then, he has indeed become a force to be reckoned with. Still, since he isn’t one of the central crew, he is often counted out when considering the Sekai Taikai. However, it’s important to remember that he was the pick to represent Cobra Kai in the Sekai Taikai qualifier match. Therefore, he likely would have been Terry Silver’s pick for the tournament itself.
Of course, Kenny is in a tough place as of the end of Cobra Kai season 6. After learning that Terry Silver had bribed the referees of his recent matches, Kenny was among the students to quit. This leaves him without a dojo, which could make competing in the Sekai Taikai difficult. With John Kreese out of prison, perhaps Kenny will combine his rage with that of the old Cobra Kai teacher—which would make Kenny a member of the villain duo for Cobra Kai season 6.
6. Devon Lee
Devon Lee is another talented fighter. Just as Kenny was Cobra Kia’s male pick for the Sekai Taikai qualifiers, Devon was the pick for the girls (since Tory was MIA). She fought well and was on her way to becoming Sensei Kim’s new favorite student. However, Devon switched sides in the Cobra Kai season 6 finale and joined Tory and Sam in their fight to take down Silver’s dojo. This more involved character arc proves that Devon is beginning to be a more prevalent character in the series, but she’s still among the overlooked.
Since Tory and Sam’s rivalry has been the center of the drama for the last couple of seasons, Devon’s development has been in the shadows. What’s more, aside from Tory, Devon has had minimal interaction with the other characters of Cobra Kai. This could all change in season 6. Assuming that Devon continues with karate after the Terry Silver reveal, she could begin to develop closer friendships with the main gang, further develop her skills, and potentially shock audiences with a Sekai Taikai win.
5. Demetri Alexopoulos
Demetri has had the most dramatic character arc of Cobra Kai. He and Hawk (AKA Eli) had both been heavily bullied before Miguel introduced them to Cobra Kai, but while the latter grew in confidence and aggression, the former still preferred the academics to combat. Still, after Eli got out of hand, Demetri stepped up to the plate and put in the work to become a fighter. He started out barely able to make a first, but as of the end of Cobra Kai season 5, he has a couple of good victories under his belt.
Now that Eli is back under control, seeing this duo develop even more under Daniel LuRusso’s teachings would be fun. Demetri is exactly the kind of fighter that Miyagi-Do tends to favor. In fact, he shares a lot of similarities with Daniel himself. With Miguel, Robby, and Eli all having claimed significant wins, Demetri could stand out as Cobra Kai’s next best fighter. It’s precisely the kind of underdog story Karate Kid audiences would love.
4. Mitch
Mitch hasn’t had much attention throughout Cobra Kai—he hasn’t even been given an official last name. In fact, most of the characters called him “Penis Breath” until the finale of Cobra Kai season 5, when Mitch revealed that he had switched from Eagle Fang to Cobra Kai. The fact that this character had gone so unnoticed was exactly why his betrayal worked so well as a minor plot twist. However, it also makes it unlikely that Mitch will have much more of a part to play. Still, now that he is on the radar and is also without a dojo after Silver’s arrest, he may just become a more significant fighter in Cobra Kai’s final season.
3. Bert
Currently part of Eagle Fang karate, Bert is another character who has been around for nearly all the big moments of Cobra Kai but hasn’t been the center of attention. He was the smallest and youngest recruit of Johnny’s Cobra Kai and has remained relatively loyal to his sensei ever since. He took part in the fight against the Miyagi-Dos at the school, the brawl at the LaRusso house, and the confrontation with Silver at the Cobra Kai dojo. Still, there hasn’t been much focus on his fighting ability. Perhaps he wouldn’t be the winner of the Sekai Taikai, but it would be nice to see this underrated and overlooked character get a moment of real glory in Cobra Kai season 6.
2. Kyler Park
Kyler has always had the potential to be a great fighter—unfortunately, this isn’t a good thing. At the beginning of Cobra Kai, Kyler served to fill Johnny’s old Karate Kid role. He was the bully dating the pretty girl, who wound up getting his butt kicked by an old retired karate champion. Then, he got pummeled by Miguel in the school cafeteria. This put Kyler firmly in his place for a while, but he has since joined Cobra Kai, practiced under John Kreese and Terry Silver, and become a far more powerful opponent. Kyler hasn’t been seen to be at the level of Miguel of Robby, but he could still do surprisingly well in Cobra Kai season 6’s Sekai Taikai.
1. Anthony LaRusso
At the start of Cobra Kai, Anthony LaRusso was a pretty big jerk. In season 1, he had no interest in karate and only seemed to enjoy spending his parents’ money. Then, Anthony became an unbearably infuriating bully, with Kenny serving as his favorite target. As is seen frequently in Cobra Kai, karate helped Kenny overcome his bully—but the boy took his revenge several steps too far. The experience deeply humbled Anthony, and he has become a considerably more likable and sympathetic character. As of the end of Cobra Kai season 5, his fighting skills have also begun to develop. Though he’s nothing marvelous yet, Cobra Kai season 6 will need to resolve his rivalry with Kenny, so the series’ final season may have some surprises in store.
