Cobra Kai season 6 pays tribute to a major martial arts cult classic from the early ‘90s. As Cobra Kai enters its final season, Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) and Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) are preparing the students of Miyagi-Do karate to compete in the huge international martial arts tournament, the Sekai Taikai, and naturally, they have entirely different methods on how best to prepares their young fighters for the competition ahead. In Johnny’s case, his Eagle Fang-style methods are much more aggressive, but also involve some cinematic influences, too, seen when Johnny has his students sit down and watch the 1993 martial arts film Best of the Best 2. As most martial arts fans will certainly agree, Johnny has great taste.
The Best Of The Best Franchise
The Best of the Best franchise first began with the eponymous 1989 film, in which the American karate team heads into a full-contact match with the South Korean team. Best of the Best has often been likened to The Karate Kid and has a devoted fandom of its own as an ‘80s cult classic.
While Eric Roberts is officially the leading man of Best of the Best in the role of Alex Grady, the real star is Phillip Rhee, who also co-produced and co-developed the story of Best of the Best. Rhee’s protagonist Tommy Lee has the movie’s real central arc of entering the tournament to compete against is brother’s killer Dae Han (played by Rhee’s real-life brother Simon), with the two reconciling by the end.
Best of the Best 2 really turns the stakes and the heat of the franchise up to 11, with Rhee and Roberts returning as Tommy and Alex, this time to avenge the murder of their friend Travis Brickley (Chris Penn) in an underground arena of death known as The Colosseum. Best of the Best 2 also pits Tommy against the gigantic, vicious owner of the Colosseum, Brakus (Ralf Moeller), who develops his own vendetta after Tommy leaves Brakus with his first ever scar on his face.
Like its predecessor, Best of the Best 2 holds cult classic status among martial arts fans for its phenomenal fight scenes, training homages, enthralling electric guitar theme, and the incredible skills Rhee brings to the action with his combination of Tae Kwon Do and Hapkido. Indeed, Best of the Best 2 is also noteworthy for its incorporation of a wide array of martial arts into its fight choreography in the epic arena of the Colosseum. With the modern popularity of MMA making such multi-disciplined fighting a staple of the martial arts world, Best of the Best 2 was one of the first American martial arts films to dive on that concept in its infancy and age even better for it.
What Happened To Phillip Rhee?
Phillip Rhee, unfortunately, ended up having a far more unsung career as an action hero than one would expect after the first two Best of the Best films. After writing, directing, and starring in Best of the Best 3: No Turning Back and Best of the Best: Without Warning, Rhee stepped back from the spotlight, only returning to it briefly for the 2015 movie Underdog Kids.
Nonetheless, Rhee is still revered as a martial arts movie legend, with his portrayal of Tommy Lee giving the Best of the Best franchise a heart that it never would have had without him.
Cobra Kai’s Nod To Best Of The Best 2
While Cobra Kai’s nod to Best of the Best 2 might seem like a throwaway moment, the fact that the season’s fifth episode is titled “Best of the Best” could hint to there being more to it than that. With the international scope of the Sekai Taikai and the stakes of Tory Nichols (Peyton List) defecting from Miyagi-Do back to Cobra Kai, the show’s sixth season could well be headed into life-or-death stakes and a revenge-driven story similar to those of Best of the Best 2 (and which might even make the death of John Kreese a narrative necessity.)
At any rate, whether included as a momentary tribute or a tease of what lies ahead, Cobra Kai season 6 and Johnny Lawrence both clearly recognize the Best of the Best franchise and Best of the Best 2 specifically as every bit the martial arts classics as The Karate Kid itself.
What are your thoughts on Cobra Kai Season 6’s nod to Best of the Best?
Cobra Kai |
|---|
Decades after their 1984 All Valley Karate Tournament bout, a middle-aged Daniel LaRusso and Johnny Lawrence find themselves martial-arts rivals again. |
 |
|---|
| Creator: Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz, Hayden Schlossberg |
| Cast: Ralph Macchio, William Zabka, Courtney Henggeler, Xolo Maridueña, Tanner Buchanan, Mary Mouser, Jacob Bertrand, Martin Kove, Gianni DeCenzo, Vanessa Rubio, Peyton List, Griffin Santopietro |
| Genre: Action, Comedy, Drama |
| Number of Seasons: 6 |
| Streaming Service: Netflix |
