Summary

• Skill level doesn't always determine who will win a match in The Karate Kid franchise, as the underdog often comes out on top.
• Cobra Kai introduced a new generation of fierce teenage fighters, each with their own strengths and weaknesses.
• The original Karate Kid movies showcased impressive fighters with different training styles, while Cobra Kai expands on their skills and rivalries.

The Karate Kid franchise, including Cobra Kai, is all about the power of teen fighters, with some being far more skilled than others. Of course, whether these characters are better at karate or kung fu doesn't necessarily dictate whether they will win a match. As seen with Daniel LaRusso, The Karate Kid often gives the edge to the underdog. Still, the more skillful the opponent, the more thrilling the match will be to watch.

Though the Karate Kid movies brought in several great teenage fighters, Cobra Kai really upped the number of fierce, young competitors. The Netflix series saw Johnny Lawrence reopen Cobra Kai, and after a few public fights, teens were clambering to learn karate as well. Across the series' five seasons (with Cobra Kai season 6 released in 2024), several great fighters have been introduced. Now, as the franchise continues beyond Cobra Kai and the original The Karate Kid movies, we can see how these teens stack up to one another regarding skill.

16 Anthony LaRusso Has A Long Way To Go

Cobra Kai Seasons 1 - 5

Anthony started karate a little later than the other teenage characters of Cobra Kai, so he isn't entirely up to their level. At the start of the series, Daniel LaRusso's son was entirely disinterested in Miyagi-Do, preferring to spend his parent's money on video games and spend his time bullying kids at school. However, Anthony took a turn for the better in later seasons, gaining some remorse for his actions against Kenny Payne and learning karate to reconnect with his father. Still, the Corba Kai character has a long way to go.

15 Demetri Alexopoulos Has Really Begun To Grow

Cobra Kai Seasons 1 - 5

Demetri is another Cobra Kai character who wasn't entirely interested in karate until later seasons of the Netflix series. He had very little tolerance for the pain of heavy exertion and was far too logical to get sucked into the karate-dojo rivalries. However, when Demetri's best friend Eli got morphed by the Cobra Kai mania, he decided to give karate another chance. Since then, he has actually managed to become rather skillful, thanks to the teachings of Miyagi-Do. Still, Demetri isn't quite to the level of those who have been at it longer.

14 Devon Lee's Dojo Troubles Have Been A Disadvantage

Cobra Kai Seasons 4 & 5

Devon was first recruited by Johnny for Eagle Fang since he needed a female fighter. Since then, however, she has jumped dojos several times. As far as the queen cobras of Cobra Kai, she was considered second best, raised to be Terry Silver's female contestant after Tory Nichols ran out on the Sekai Taikai qualifying matches in Cobra Kai season 5. She put up quite a fight but ultimately lost to Miyagi-Do's Sam LaRusso. In all, the Netflix series hasn't given Devon as much attention as she deserves, so we haven't seen as much skill as she likely possesses.

13 Kenny Payne's Skill Developed Quickly

Cobra Kai Seasons 4 & 5

What Kenny lacks in experience, he makes up for in pure determination. He started as a sweet character in Cobra Kai, whom Robby took under his wing, but after being bullied relentlessly, Kenny decided to go all in with Cobra Kai's ideas of "no mercy." Under Terry Silver and Sensei Kim's instruction, he has learned several powerful skills that make him a formidable fighter (and allowed him to beat Hawk at the Sekai Taikai qualifier). However, Kenny still hasn't won a match without significant cheating or fighting dirty.

12 Julie Pierce Didn't Get Great Choreography

The Next Karate Kid (1994)

The Next Karate Kid's titular fighter, and her film is typically regarded as the least popular movie in the franchise. This installment lacked the fun fight choreography of the other movies or Cobra Kai, so ranking Julie among the others is challenging. Still, she demonstrated impressive raw strength and ability throughout her story. Perhaps her most remarkable feat was fighting Ned Randall while blinded, trusting her instincts to lead the way. This, paired with her carefully controlled rage (and the guidance of Mr. Miyagi), makes Julie a pretty frightening opponent.

11 Samantha LaRusso Has Been Doing Karate Since Childhood

Cobra Kai Seasons 1 - 5

Samantha has been practicing karate the longest out of any of the teenage Cobra Kai characters, and she is the only one to have trained under Mr. Miyagi like her father. Ultimately, this gives Samantha a significant edge. She has excellent mental and physical balance, and her competitiveness and determination mean she will always give her all in a fight. However, she is slightly more jaded against karate than her fellow teenage Cobra Kai characters. Where others want nothing more than to learn new skills, Samantha seems to do so out of necessity, making her less successful in the long run.

10 Tory Nichols' Determination Gives Her An Edge

Cobra Kai Seasons 2 - 5

Tory is pretty evenly matched with Samantha but has a slight edge thanks to her determination. Tory wants nothing more than to win, which has gotten her into a lot of trouble throughout Cobra Kai. However, she has learned to balance out her anger, ultimately making her an even better fighter. Tory's greatest asset is her fearlessness—she isn't afraid of hurting herself, so she doesn't hold back. This has made learning complicated techniques possible since she isn't as concerned about the personal consequences.

9 Eli Moskowitz Is An All-Valley Champion

Cobra Kai Seasons 1 - 5

Eli quickly became a great fighter in Cobra Kai, and his mercilessness early in the series made him a formidable foe. However, this was also a weakness, in a sense, since he depended more on cheating and playing dirty instead of actually winning based on technique. This all changed when Eli—AKA Hawk—switched to Miyagi-Do. Once he figured out how to combine Johnny, Kreese, and Daniel's karate styles, he became an even better fighter. This allowed him and Robby to have one of the best fights of Cobra Kai season 4, which was full of exciting moves and excellent content.

8 Robby Keene's Miyagi-Do Training Has Been An Asset

Cobra Kai Seasons 1 - 5

Robby is another Cobra Kai character who has had the benefit of studying under multiple sensei. He started working with Daniel at Miyagi-Do and eventually switched to Cobra Kai before switching back again. He's a naturally powerful and intuitive fighter with a great sense of that classic Miyagi-Do balance. His fights are often full of excellent blocks, followed by quick and powerful attacks that take his opponent off guard. Though he lost his battle against Eli in Cobra Kai season 4, this was only because he was distracted by the realization that he was setting a horrible example for Kenny Payne.

7 Miguel Diaz Is Cobra Kai's Karate Kid

Cobra Kai Seasons 1 - 5

The events of Cobra Kai season 5 proved that Miguel and Robby are pretty evenly matched when it comes to skill level, but as the Netflix series' version of the underdog hero, Miguel has the edge. He has only ever worked under Johnny Lawrence (aside from when his sensei ed forces with Daniel and Chozen), and though this limits his technique, it also means he has a more streamlined approach to karate. He is a lot like Johnny in how he approaches a match, depending on instinct to get the job done. This ultimately means that Miguel's fights look downright effortless.