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When actors take on physically demanding roles in movies and TV shows, it often requires intense training. This might involve hand-to-hand combat, gun use, a specific sport, and martial arts. When it comes toCobra Kai, almost everyone in the cast has had to show off martial arts skills as they engage in fight scenes both in the dojo and outside of it. But fans are curious: did any of the actors who play the main characters have prior training, or did they all have to fast-track learning the basics of karate to make it believable?
Of course, Ralph Macchio and William Zabka receivedsometraining more than 30 years ago forThe Karate Kid, but did they study a martial art prior to snagging those roles? The answer might be surprising across the board. While some cast members have legitimate martial arts training, they might not be the actors who seem most likely to have possessed skills beforehand.
Thirty four years after events of the 1984 All Valley Karate Tournament, a down-and-out Johnny Lawrence seeks redemption by reopening the infamous Cobra Kai dojo, reigniting his rivalry with a now successful Daniel LaRusso.
The Cast of ‘Cobra Kai’ Is Well Trained
As noted, the two main adult actors, Macchio and Zabka, had training beforeCobra Kaiwhen they were inThe Karate Kid. Macchio got additional training when he reprised his role as Daniel LaRusso forThe Karate Kid: Part II.
Interestingly, while Zabka didn’t have previous training before snagging the roleas villain Johnny Lawrence, after that movie in 1984, he continued studying. In fact,Zabka made it all the way to earning a second-degree green belt,according to The Wrap. He claims to continue to do some mild training and sparring to this day, beyond what he features on the show.
Will Cobra Kai Set up the Upcoming Karate Kid Film?
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Martin Kove
Martin Kove, who plays John Kreese, is one of several ofthe older cast memberswho has prior training.According to Looper,Kove has a black belt in Okinawa-te karate.He told Kung-Fu Kingdomthat he also studied Shihan Tak Kubota in the ‘80s while making a movie, and studied with Pat Johnson, the stunt coordinator onThe Karate Kidfor three hours a day, alongside Macchio, Zabka, and Pat Morita, who played Mr. Miyagi.
Sean Kanan
Sean Kanan, who reprised his role of Mike Barnes fromThe Karate Kid IIIin Seasons 5 and 6 ofCobra Kai, was originally cast in that movie because he already had karate experience.He has studied in both Shito-Ryu and Shotokan karate,according to Black Belt Magazine.
Which Cast Members Have the Most Extensive Training?
Which adult actor fromthe original movieshas the most martial arts experience overall? There are three actors fromCobra Kaiwho studied more extensively than anyone else, both before and after their roles in one or more ofThe Karate Kidmoviesas well asCobra Kai.
Yuji Okumoto
Yuji Okumoto (Chozen Toguchi), who reprised his role fromThe Karate Kid II,studied the Chito-Ryu and Shotokan styles of karate when he was a child, starting at about the age of 13,according to the Ikigai Waymartial arts blog. “I was not very big as a kid,” he said, “so I decided that in order to defend myself, I had to study some sort of self-defense.”
After taking some time off during his senior year of high school, he picked back up with martial arts, studying Shotokan and Judo in college. He studied with the famous sensei Hayward Nishioka, a two-time Black Belt Hall of Fame member and 10th-degree black belt in judo, as his instructor. He continued to study Kajukembo followed by Yau Kung Moon, a southern style of Kung fu. Bottom line: he is one of the few actors who actually knows how to fight and has studied various martial arts forms.
11 Most Important Karate Kid Characters That Cobra Kai Brought Back
Cobra Kai has included most of the original cast from The Karate Kid trilogy. But, which character’s legacy has the biggest impact on the series?
Thomas Ian Griffith
Thomas Ian Griffith, who playedCobra Kai’sseason five villain Terry Silver, is the main cast member with the most martial artists experience, which you might find unexpected.He started studying karate in high school and has continued to practice the art and sport every day since,according to The Wrap. This equates to more than 40 years of training. Through this time, he has acquiredblack belts in Tae Kwon Do and Kenpo karate.
Ron Thomas
One minor character is worth mentioning here as well: Ron Thomas. He only appeared in a few episodes ofCobra Kai, reprising his role as Bobby Brown fromThe Karate KidandThe Karate Kid Part II. Fans will recall that, inThe Karate Kid,he delivered the illegal kick to LaRusso’s knee, at Kreese’s urging, which almost put the young fighter out of commission.Thomas is a real-life sensei,according to Heavy, who has studied martial arts for much of his adult life.He reportedly studied a form of jujitsu called Kodenkan and has a sixth-degree black belt. He also previously trained the U.S. Sport Ju-Jitsu Team, teaching students who have gone on to become national and world champions.
Known for roles such as Shatterstar in the Deadpool movies and Cole Young in Mortal Kombat, Lewis Tan was introduced as Sensei Wolf in season six of Cobra Kai. Tan’s background in martial arts goes back far, with himgaining a passion for it at a young age through his father, Phillip Tan, a national martial artist champion and highly regarded stunt coordinator. As a youth, Lewis Tan competed in kickboxing tournaments and practiced Muay Thai. Tan, who also brings authenticity to his work by performing all his own stunts, has also practiced Karate, Jiu-Jitsu, Judo, Kempo, wing chun, and boxing to represent various martial arts on the screen.
Rayna Vallandingham
While Rayna Vallandingham is one of the younger cast members to join Cobra Kai in season six as captain of the Iron Dragons (Zara Malik), she is a true martial arts prodigy. The 22-year-old has amassed an impressive career in the ring,earning her first black belt at six, and currently holds a fourth-degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do. She became a world champion at nine and continued to dominate in the world of Tae Kwon Do, picking up 13 more world championships. She has become a young force in the industry, working as a fight choreographer; it is fair to say that Rayna is the future of action movies.
The Younger Cast Members Have Less Experience
When it comes down to the younger, new cast members, most of them had no prior training. But a few dabbled in martial arts before and after. Arguably the young actors with the most martial arts experience are Jacob Bertrand (Eli “Hawk” Moskowitz) and Tanner Buchanan (Robby Keene).
Jacob Bertrand
Bertrand started training in karate when he was just eight years old andadvanced all the way to a purple belt. However, he didn’t continue his training beyond that, according to The Wrap. Nonetheless, that experience gave him a baseline on which to work. That’s combined with other sports and training he continued to participate in, including grappling and skateboarding.
Tanner Buchanan
Buchanan, meanwhile,studied Tae Kwon Do as a child, notes The Wrap, and claims to have been a few belts away from black before he stopped to focus on other interests. However, he notes that prior to snagging the role of Robby onCobra Kai,he had been training in Muay Thai for eight monthswhile filming the seriesDesignated Survivor.
Gianne DeCenzo
Gianni DeCenzo, who plays the nerdy Demetri Alexopoulos, didn’t have much training prior to joining the cast. But like the others, he began to train more once he got the role. He toldShowbiz Cheatsheetthathe and his father began to take classes in Krav Maga, the Israeli fighting technique. While it’s different from traditional karate, Krav Maga includes kicks and punches as well, providing a good basis.
Cobra Kai Wasted the Potential of a Great Character
Of all the kids in Cobra Kai who became fierce fighters, only a handful of them had previous training, and one saw his potential seriously wasted.
Peyton List
Peyton List didn’t have any training prior toher role as Tory, which made it challenging since she joined the cast later. The others had already been training for some time.She continued to train outside the show to help improve her performance, including with a private trainer and taking kickboxing classes. List toldPopSugarthat she thinks it’s “so important to learn self-defense” and that she “feels so much more confident since seeking out martial arts. If I ever have a kid,” she adds, “I’ll put them into martial arts.”
Mary Mouser
Mary Mouser (Samantha LaRusso) didn’t have any prior training either, butshe started to study Muay Thai even before officialCobra Kaitraining startedprior to the first season,according to Shape.
Xolo Maridueña
Xolo Maridueña (Miguel Diaz) sayshe studied karate for about a year as a child,according to Sportskeeda. But he claims to have forgotten pretty much everything he learned by the time he secured this role. Ironically, Maridueña has the least amount of training despite his character becoming one of the dojo’s best fighters.
Patrick Luwis
Patrick Luwis was introduced to fans in season six, part two, where he played Axel Kovacevic. Described as “Dolph Lundgren-esque,”Patrick Luwis would help bring his intimidating character to life by taking up kickboxing classes and learning Karate online. Much of his training came on the set ofCobra Kai, according to an interview he did withPop Culture Unplugged.
Cobra Kai’s Epic Fight Scenes
Whether it be a classroom brawl, a one-on-one duel, or a tournament,Cobra Kaihas consistently delivered across all six seasons with explosive action backed by a cast experienced in martial arts and a commitment of younger up-and-comers in the industry. At the same time, the series manages to put a lot of weight behind each battle and has used the best fights to tell more profound stories of those enrolled and running Cobra Kai, Miyagi-Do, and the Eagle Fang Dojos.
It is difficult to pick a single favorite fight when considering both the choreography and the emotional impact many hold. Still, it is hard not to champion scenes like the school brawl in the season two finale, Johnny and Daniel fighting Kreese in season three, or Robby going up against Hawk in season four’s All-Valley Tournament as the best the show has offered.Cobra Kaiwill end on August 15, 2025, with five episodes released as Part 3 of Season 6. Let’s hope it goes out in a big way!StreamCobra Kaion Netflix through the link below:
