With season fourofCobra Kainow out, all of the characters in it are continuing to improve their karate skills. Some have learned both Miyagi-Do and Eagle Fang styles, extending their skills and becoming more balanced fighters. Others have continued to stick withCobra Kaiwhile learning to exploit the weaknesses of their enemies.
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Now that Terry Silver is back, the Cobra Kai students are growing even stronger. There are plenty of strong fighters in the new generation, but the older generations have proven that they are still a force to be reckoned with. If anyone picks a fight with these characters, a tough confrontation is waiting.
Update on June 02, 2025, by Sarah Prado:With the fifth season of Cobra Kai out, fans are now eagerly waiting for the next season. There are plenty of fighters in the series, but there are some that just outshine most of them. Some familiar faces have come back and showed that they’re still just as good as they were in their younger years. The next generation has expanded and has new faces joining in, creating new rivalries and partnerships. These fighters are the best in the series thanks to their strength and skill, making them formidable opponents for anyone fighting them.
16Kyler Park
Love him or hate him, it can’t be denied that Kyler is one of thebest fighters in the show.Thanks to his wrestling background and natural talent, Kyler was able to pick up karate pretty easily. Before learning karate, he was able to put up a decent fight against Miguel back in the earlier seasons. Now that he’s learned some karate, he’s a pretty tough opponent, even against experienced fighters like Robby, Miguel, and Hawk.
However, these experienced fighters are still better than him in overall skill. Kyler was easily defeated by Hawk in the last All Valley Tournament and has lost against Robby and Miguel. He’s also lost against Kenny, who is still new to karate.
15Mike Barnes
Even though he doesn’t fight anymore and is living a normal life, Mike Barnes proved that he still has some fight left in him. In his younger days, Mike was one of the best fighters in karate but did have a reputation for using underhanded tactics in matches. He was a very aggressive fighter and used his speed to do combinations that were hard to block. Mike defeated Daniel in one fight in the bonsai tree shop and nearly beat him a second time, but Mr. Miyagi stepped in and defeated him.
InCobra Kai, it’s clear that Mike is a little rusty, but he’s not completely defenseless. He was able to hold his own against Chozen, who’s been keeping up with his karate training for decades. When he, Johnny, and Chozen went to Terry Silver’s house, Mike was able to fight and only got knocked out because one of the henchmen snuck up on him.
14Chozen Toguchi
If fans thought Chozen was strong before, he proved just how strong he really is inCobra Kai. He was Sato’s strongest student in his younger years and was a more aggressive fighter than Daniel. Being a student of Miyagi-Do, Chozen learned how to counterattack and has great defensive techniques. However, unlike Daniel, Chozen also learned the offensive side of Miyagi-Do, showing that he is probably the best fighter in the whole series.
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Along with his karate techniques, Chozen is alsovery skilled at using his sai weapons.He was able to defeat Terry Silver, who was using a katana, but only lost because his back was turned. With his wide range of skills, it’s easy to see why Daniel asked Chozen for his help in taking down Cobra Kai.
13Kim Da-Eun
Kim Da-Eun has only appeared in one season, but fans are hoping to see more of her in the future. Having been trained by her grandfather, Kim Sun-Yung, she has the same fighting style as Terry Silver and John Kreese. She is a very aggressive fighter, but she’s also smart and keeps her cool when fighting. Like Silver and Kreese,she’s merciless and not above fighting dirtyand will use any means necessary to win.
She also isn’t afraid to use underhanded tactics and will try to get into her opponent’s head before the match if she can. Kim Da-Eun fought both Tory and Sam at the same time, then later fought Devon and Tory shortly after, showing her expertise and skill in karate.
12Devon Lee
She’s only been learning karate for a short time, but Devon has quickly risen to be one of the best fighters in the new generation. Devon had no experience prior to joining Eagle Fang, but she was able to make it to the quarterfinals in the last All Valley Tournament after a few weeks of training. However, she still has trouble fighting against more experienced fighters like Sam and Tory.
Thanks to her training at Cobra Kai, Devon’s skills have greatly improved, and showher potential to be a great fighter.Her technique still needs a lot of work, but she has the determination to succeed and mentors willing to help her.
11Kenny Payne
A fighter who started off as weak and meek but is now one of the best. Kenny doesn’t have much physical strength, but he has enough to get him by. His best asset is his speed and smaller height to his advantage when going up against bigger and stronger opponents. Thanks to Robby’s training, Kenny is able to do quick attacks that are pretty strong. He was able to make it to the quarterfinals in the last All Valley Tournament and only lost because Robby is more experienced.
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With Terry Silver and Kim Da-Eun’s training, Kenny has become more aggressive and merciless against his enemies. Silver taught him the “Silver Bullet,” a technique in which the user strikes the opponent’s sternum and cuts off the air to their lungs. He was able to defeat Hawk using this technique and then later used it on Robby.
10Demetri Alexopoulos
Demetri has come a long way since season one. He isn’t the most aggressive fighter, but he’s become one of Miyagi-Do’s best fighters, thanks to his technique. His defense is solid, and he’s able to counterattack when given a chance. He held his own against Hawk during the school fight and fought well against Robby in the 51st All Valley Karate Tournament.
What he lacks in natural talent for karate, he makes up for withhis sharp mindand speed. He’s been able to work together with his fellow Miyagi-Do comrades and even his best friend Hawk with ease.
9Samantha “Sam” LaRusso
As the daughter of Daniel LaRusso, it’s no surprise that Sam is one of thebest fighters in Cobra Kai. With Miyagi-Do training, Sam is a solid fighter who has excellent defense and can be aggressive as well. She expands her skill set after learning from Johnny Lawrence and becomes a better striker. However, because she excels in both Miyagi-Do and Eagle Fang karate, Sam can get confused about which style to use during fights.
After taking advice from her dad to just be her, Sam combined both styles to create her own. She was able to defeat Devon Lee during the fight for a spot in Sekai Taikai tournament even though Terry Silver paid the referee to let Cobra Kai cheat. Sam used precise strikes to make it undeniable that she earned points and helped Miyagi-Do and Eagle Fang earn a spot.
8Miguel Diaz
Miguel’s style is solid in both defense and offense. He can patiently wait to counterattack an aggressive opponent, and can also be agreat offensive fighter. Compared to his peers, Miguel is the most well-balanced fighter. He doesn’t use flashy moves like Hawk or Robby and tends to use simple techniques and combos. Thanks to learning Miyagi-Do from Daniel, Miguel’s defense has gotten better and expanded his knowledge.
After season two, Miguel’s strength diminished due to his spinal injury. Most of his strength has returned since; however, his injury comes back to haunt him from time to time. He has to be careful not to get hit in the back and must use caution when performing moves where his body will twist a lot.
7Robert “Robby” Keene
Like Miguel, Robby’s fighting style is on the basic side, but this makes him solid in both defense and offense. Thanks to his natural talent, he is able to put up a good fight against other fighters. Experienced in both Miyagi-Do and Cobra Kai styles, Robby has a lot of skills at his disposal. While not as flashy as Hawk, he does the occasional high-risk move and is a little smoother while doing so.
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However,his emotions can getthe better of him. Even as skilled as he is, Robby also has trouble against opponents who are equal to him in skill. In season four, he and Hawk were equal throughout their match. However, Hawk proved to be the better fighter and was able to counterattack Robby’s high-risk moves.
