Fans debated who should win the Sekai Taikai for years. Hundreds of comments were left in Reddit threads. Robby was desired by some. Tory was desired by some. A fair number of people correctly noted that in an actual international martial arts competition, a child who had been training since birth in South Korea or Japan would likely defeat every Valley resident in thirty seconds. However, that level of realism was never intended for Cobra Kai. Additionally, the tournament’s final result in Season 6 Part 3 was both messier and more satisfying than most people had anticipated.
The Sekai Taikai was always going to be a significant narrative lift; at one point in the show, it was compared to the Olympics, the World Cup, and the gladiatorial contests. It was an ambitious backdrop for a show that started with Johnny Lawrence reopening a dojo above a San Fernando Valley strip mall, with sixteen dojos competing on a global stage with fighters from Europe, Asia, and the Americas. However, in the end, it was successful. It worked, albeit imperfectly.
It’s difficult to dispute Tory Nichols’ victory in the girls’ division. She needed a moment of validation after her six-season journey from antagonist to someone sincerely attempting to start over. She struggled early, became agitated, and almost lost the mental battle before the physical one when she faced Zara Malik in the finals. During a timeout, Robby calmed her down with a quiet word. Zara reportedly lost a few teeth when she returned and decisively ended the fight with a knockout. The fact that Tory, of all people, is standing at the end and has finally achieved a clear victory after years of losing or being duped seems right.
Although it wasn’t a clean victory, Miguel Diaz defeated Axl Kovaňvić in the boys’ division. Compared to other fighters in the Valley, the Iron Dragons’ fighter is larger, more mechanical, and trained with a cruelty that Sensei Wolf seemed to deliberately foster. In the second round, Miguel lost, and the point differential appeared to be insurmountable. Almost every fighting technique he had learned throughout the series was used in his final-round comeback. For his division, he tied the score. Together with Tory, they were named world champions. However, the dojo title was still up for debate.
Things became peculiar and fascinating at that point. Cobra Kai and the Iron Dragons tied with 180 points apiece for the first time in Sekai Taikai history. The two senseis faced off in the tiebreaker, which was presumably determined by tournament regulations.
Sensei Wolf versus Johnny Lawrence. It’s the kind of resolution that only makes sense in a program like this one; it’s logistically peculiar and compelling from a dramatic standpoint. Wolf is younger, more agile, and portrayed by a real martial artist. On paper, Johnny, who was almost sixty, had no right to win that fight.
In any case, he prevailed. By outthinking Wolf, not by outfighting him. Something clicked back into place when Daniel gave him a motivational speech that was modeled after how Kreese used to inspire Johnny decades ago. Johnny took his punishment, waited, and opted for patience over violence. He seized the opportunity when it presented itself. Just one point. The game is over. The first American dojo to win the Sekai Taikai was Cobra Kai.
The authors may have always wanted Johnny to have this opportunity. There’s a feeling that the entire show was essentially about him—his growth, his redemption, his relationship with a son he abandoned, and the pupils he attempted to instruct. It was a decision that put emotional closure ahead of sportsmanship to give him the last fight and point. The majority of fans will accept that trade. Even though it had to break a few rules to get there, there’s a sense that the show deserved this conclusion after watching it develop and knowing the result.
Robby was not victorious. He was eliminated before he had a chance to compete in the finals after breaking his leg against Axl in the semifinals. Prior to her altercation with Tory, Sam made the voluntary decision to leave because she no longer knew what she was fighting for. There was some weight on both exits. Not every character receives the tournament’s conclusion. A few of them receive something more subdued.
The Sekai Taikai was won by Cobra Kai. Daniel stood next to Johnny as he raised the trophy; neither of them had participated in the actual competition. When you think about it, it’s a strange image. But it was also, in some way, the only picture that made sense.
