The continuation to the classic 80s film The Karate Kid has shown us that Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) has had a rough life ever since his epic fight with Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio). After Daniel’s victory due to a technically illegal move, Johnny’s life has been going through some violent ups and downs – well, let’s be honest: mostly downs. Beyond martial arts, one of the core precepts of the Miyagi combat style was to live an honourable life – a lesson that Daniel seems to have missed along the way. Though both combatants have made a truce and finally amended their relationship in the later seasons of Cobra Kai, there’s a question that’s always begging for an answer: who fights better, Daniel Larusso or Johnny Lawrence?
The Karate Kid
Just like asking if Rocky Balboa or Apollo is better, finding out who the better fighter is between Johnny Lawrence and Daniel Larusso would have to consider the moral fibre of both combatants. As we mentioned before, Daniel’s victory in the original Karate Kid was achieved through a technicality. At the beginning of Johnny’s match with Daniel, the referee specifically lists strikes to the face as forbidden, something that LaRusso’s iconic crane kick completely ignores.
Sure, we’re cheering for Daniel’s victory, but in all fairness, Johnny should have been the victor. It’s not like that would have been an unfair ending: we know that the Cobra Kai dojo has a dubious moral compass, but there’s no denying that Johnny adhered to the rules of the match and should have been crowned the victor in that particular event.
Going back to the “Rocky vs. Apollo” situation, the first Rocky film showed us that the hero doesn’t have to win the final fight to be successful. Even if Daniel lost his bout with Johnny, the teachings of Mr. Miyagi should have been enough to guide him through the rest of his career as a martial artist.
So, if we are going by the first Karate Kid movie alone, then sure, Johnny Lawrence is the better fighter, even if he lost the final match. However, the story of the Karate Kid doesn’t stop in the first movie, and neither does Daniel’s fighting prowess.
Daniel Larusso & Johnny Lawrence In Cobra Kai
Let’s not forget that Daniel starred in two other Karate Kids after the first one. In each instalment of the franchise, the fighter demonstrated an unmatched skill for hand-to-hand combat and took his righteous place as Miyagi’s greatest apprentice.
Though he might have won his first tournament using a slightly underhanded tactic, the rest of his victories were achieved through raw effort and dedication to karate. He might have become a car salesman in his later years, but Daniel’s youth was filled to the brim with successful fight after successful fight, giving him some additional creed as a strong and competent fighter.
Daniel has also shown a huge amount of character development in the Cobra Kai show, proving that Miyagi’s teachings left an indelible mark on his way of life. Taking these things into consideration, we would be inclined to crown Daniel the victor between the two fighters, as he, at the very least, knew how to let go of his past better than Johnny.
Street Fighter
Technically, when you sit back and think about it, Johnny Lawrence and all his Cobra Kai teammates should be much better fighters than Daniel LaRusso. The reason is quite simple. As a Vietnam combat veteran, John Kreese’s style of fighting (Tang Soo Do) fits more with street fighting or MMA than Miyagi’s Goju-Ryu (hard-soft) defence style. Their “no mercy” attitude, matched with their overall strength and skill, make them superior fighters.
Plus, they technically have a lot more experience, too.
When we first meet Johnny all the years later in Cobra Kai, he manages to take out a group of teenagers – even though he looks like a bum. We imagine that Johnny has been in dozens of street fights over the years – even while he was part of the karate school.
Daniel, on the other hand, seems to be a more clean-cut character. He doesn’t get into bar fights or even fights outside of tournaments, really. If we’re really honest, the only reason Daniel won the first fight is because of plot armour. Had he not been the main star of the film, and this was real life, Johnny would have wiped the floor with him.
Perhaps we’ll finally see a full-on showdown between the two in season 6 of Netflix’s Cobra Kai. Ultimately, the entire show is based on their rivalry and should end with them battling it out once and for all.
What do you think? Who would win in a fight, Daniel Larusso or Johnny Lawrence? Who is the real All Valley karate champion?
Watch the fight between Johnny and Daniel in season 4 of Cobra Kai below.
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