The Cobra Kai gang get their asses kicked in new trailer

Cobra Kai is about to face its Biggest Challenge Yet: the global karate competition Sekai Taikai. Forget martial arts in the school hallways and striving to be the best fighter the Valley has ever seen. This is the big leagues, and by the looks of the trailer for part two of the sixth season, it’s actually… not going very well for our intrepid teen heroes. The beloved Karate Kid spin-off Netflix series returns on November 15, and it pretty much looks like Miyagi-Do is getting their asses kicked. 

In the first part of the final season, the united dojo chose their top talent to send to the Sekai Taikai only to be blindsided by the return of John Kreese (Martin Kove) and Tory’s (Peyton List) defection to the dark side. In part two, “Miyagi-Do faces new challenges and old enemies as they fight to become world champions—can they stay united as internal rivalries bubble back to the surface?”

The trailer gives a whiff of that old O.C. magic: “Welcome to Barcelona, bitch,” one competitor snarks after giving Tory a beatdown. And the beatdowns sure are plenty. All of your faves are getting the slow-mo, blood splatter, knock-out treatment, to the point that they become positive that “there’s no way that we can win.” Meanwhile, their senseis have their own problems. Kreese is menacing Daniel (Ralph Macchio) with threats like, “Some of us have nothing to lose. But not you. You’ve got a lot to lose.” And a new rival sensei played by Lewis Tan condescends to Johnny (William Zabka), “I know Americans. You have no idea what it takes to win… here, in Barthelona.” Knowing the plucky underdogs of Miyagi-Do, though, they’re just one inspirational speech and training montage away from showing the world they deserve their shot at the championship title. 

Cobra Kai has enjoyed massive success on Netflix (after migrating platforms from YouTube Red), so naturally the streamer is dragging out the final season to a point that frankly beggars belief. The “parts” strategy is bothersome to begin with, but the last Cobra Kai outing has been chopped up into three. Part Two, dropping in November, will consist of five episodes, while the part three “Finale Event” is premiering sometime in 2025. Hopefully we’ll at least know the winner of Sekai Taikai before then!