Cobra Kai has set up a major showdown at season 4’s All-Valley Tournament, leaving one question hanging in the air – who will bring home the trophy? Most of the recent narrative focus has been on defeating Kreese and his dojo, but regardless of what happens between the adult characters, one student will inevitably rise to the top. With so much talent spread among the cast by the end of season 3, there are a lot of characters who could have a shot at the title.
The All-Valley tournament that ended season 1 was an exciting climax, but it also didn’t have much in the way of competition. The Cobra Kai dojo was still new, with Miguel, Hawk and Aisha as its three best prospects. The latter two of those three got knocked out before the finals, and the actual showdown between Robby and Miguel had enough questionable moves and preexisting injuries to make the whole thing feel, at the very least, unfinished.
Going into season 4, the show’s landscape has changed quite a bit. A lot more students have entered the fray, and the best of the bunch have all gotten much better. The story itself has also introduced higher stakes and greater tension, giving each character even more motivation to assert themselves as number one. Here are all the characters with a clear chance of winning season 4's All-Valley tournament, and what it would mean for the story if they did.
Miguel Needs To Defend His Title
As the reigning champ and the primary teen protagonist of the show, Miguel is a clear favorite to bring home the gold in season 4. He’s one of the series’ best fighters, and he’ll now get the chance to train in Miyagi-Do as well as Johnny’s Cobra Kai. That combination could make Miguel even stronger, balancing his offensive capabilities with the best defense there is. All in all, Miguel is a clear favorite.
That is, he would be if it weren’t for his hospitalization and near-paralysis. Even after major progress and an impressive show of strength during the finale’s house brawl, Miguel is still a far cry from his former self at the end of season 3. Can he get back to a hundred percent with the help of Johnny and Daniel? Absolutely. And if he does, it will be fantastic redemption arc. Miguel has more to prove than just his skill this time – he has to show that he can win the right way.
Robby Wants Revenge
Mirroring and foiling Miguel, Robby Keene is another strong bet to win the All-Valley Tournament. Robby’s certainly had a roller-coaster of an arc so far, going from small-time criminal to Miyagi-Do prodigy, back down to almost-murderer, and now becoming one of Kreese’s two star pupils. He certainly has the skills to win at the highest level, but that’s not the only asset in his corner.
Robby is fiercely motivated by the end of season 3 to enact vengeance on several people in his life: Miguel, for defeating him in the last tournament and getting back with Sam; Daniel, for turning him into the police and, in Robby’s mind, betraying him; and Johnny, for letting him down time and time again, and prioritizing Miguel’s needs over his. That’s a lot of anger for Kreese to channel into his brutal Cobra Kai style. If Robby stays on the dark side through the tournament, it could be enough to send him over the top. If he finds redemption before the All-valley, he’s still good enough to go toe-to-toe with the best of the competition.
Samantha LaRusso Has The Most Experience
Though she’s one of the series’ primary characters and the daughter of the Karate Kid, Sam hasn’t actually fought all that much in the show so far. She’s battled Tory twice and engaged in a couple brawls with Cobra Kai, but that’s mostly it. Her season 3 arc is largely about fear – something she finally overcomes to face her Tory. Now that she’s reconnected with her fighting spirit, it’s time to see just how far she can go.
The main thing Sam has on her side when compared to the other students is experience. Unlike the rest, who all started learning karate in high school, Sam started training when she was just a child. She has a firm foundation in Miyagi-Do that will only be accented by Johnny’s more aggressive style. At her best, she’s capable of taking down any other fighter her age, and she could easily bring the All-Valley title back to the LaRusso family.
Tory Has Something To Prove
Like Miguel, Sam has a foil, and her name is Tory Nichols. Sam and Tory’s rivalry has been one of the main stories of the last two seasons, and their season 3 finale duel was interrupted before a clear winner could be decided. The two obviously still have unfinished business, and there’s a good chance it could be settled at season 4’s All-Valley Tournament.
Tory has proven she’s a fierce fighter. She’s quickly risen up as one of Kreese’s best students, only potentially matched by Robby. Tory fights with a fire unlike any other character on the show, and that fire comes from a life of struggle and incredibly difficult circumstances. It seems unlikely that Tory will be crowned winner of anything while adhering so strictly to Kreese’s toxic dogma, but she could easily have a redemption arc of her own in season 4. With or without Cobra Kai, Tory’s sheer talent and need to prove her strength are certainly enough to put her in contention for the title.
Hawk Needs To Redeem Himself
Hawk's had one of the more interesting arcs over Cobra Kai’s first three seasons. He went from one of the most bullied, laughed-at kids in school to one of the cool kids in a matter of months, rose up to become Cobra Kai’s second best fighter, and eventually succumbed to the appeal of power and became a bully himself. Then, in the season 3 finale, something snaps. Seeing his former best friend Demetri being beaten by the bullies who used to torment them both, Hawk rejects what Cobra Kai has made him and rejoins the good guys.
Hawk turning on Kreese is one of the season’s most powerful moments, but he’ll need to do a lot more to properly redeem himself. That means mending relationships with the people he turned on, and it also means proving he now fights with honor. Given his dirty moves on Robby in the last All-Valley, the upcoming tournament could be a perfect venue for Hawk to show how much he’s grown. He’s an excellent fighter with great instincts, and he’s the only student to now have properly trained with all three major sensei. IF Hawk can find balance between their different philosophies, he could truly be a force to be reckoned with.
Every Cobra Kai Student Who Won't Win The All-Valley Tournament
There are a lot of other competent karate practitioners in Cobra Kai, but most of them don’t have a real chance against the five on this list. Less central characters like Chris, Nathaniel, Mitch, Bert, and Kyler have all proven they can hold their own, but none of them have been able to keep up with the likes of Tory, Robby or Miguel in a one-on-one. Aisha, who was missing in Cobra Kai season 3, would be good to see again after her long absence, but unless she did some serious training while at private school she likely still wouldn’t quite be a match for the best.
That leaves Demetri, who’s grown a lot over time but still isn’t on the same level as some of his peers. His victory over Hawk in season 2 was mostly due to the surprise factor, and his main interest in karate is still primarily for self-defense, not competition. He could certainly make a strong showing at the All-Valley, but he likely won’t be standing in the finals when Cobra kai season 4 finally arrives.