The world's most elite karate tournament is almost here.
It's the Sekai Taikai.
The best under-18 martial artists from across the globe
competing for the title of world champion.
Samantha LaRusso of Miyagi-Do versus Cobra Kai's Tory Nichols.
Winner advances to the girls' final,
where she'll face Iron Dragons' superstar Zara Malik.
On the boys' side,
it's Miyagi-Do's Robby Keene versus Iron Dragons' Axel Kovačević.
And it all starts today.
Hi, everyone, and welcome to our live prefight coverage
of the Sekai Taikai World Championship.
I'm Kevin Burkhardt, joined by Ryan Clark.
Ryan, I gotta tell you, between the two of us,
we've covered just about every major sporting event there is,
but karate, now that's new territory.
Karate on the world stage? What could be better?
And we have the best of the best
when we talk about the three dojos competing in today's finals...
Robby, you're famous.
You feel good?
Yeah. I mean, I'm a little nervous. Last time I fought Axel didn't go well.
Gonna be a lot more people watching this one.
Hey, forget about who's watching and screw the cameras.
Oh, shit, my interview. Turn it up.
What a story this is.
Two high school rivals from 35 years ago now teaching together.
- Watch. - Johnny, you lost a heartbreaker
in this very arena 35 years ago.
Gotta ask, what's it like to be back?
Yeah, well, you know, listen, uh, nobody likes to lose.
That was a long time ago.
Let's just say
time heals old karate wounds.
- Wait, that's it? - Johnny's not...
I talked to that dude for an hour. I rented a whole damn suit.
Maybe they'll come back to you.
The tournament underdog is Miyagi-Do,
a dojo with a rich family history going back 400 years
and brought to the United States by its previous sensei, Nariyoshi Miyagi.
And it's proven to be an effective tournament style,
even though that's surprising because, at its core tenet,
Miyagi-Do is about defense only.
We did it, Chozen.
We brought Miyagi-Do to the world.
- It doesn't feel like I thought it would. - Hmm.
Miyagi and I were good friends.
The most honorable man I ever knew.
We shared a student, actually.
He's just doing what he always does. Trying to get under your skin.
I know.
And what would you say
to those concerned about your alleged history of tournament cheating?
One of the ugly truths about our society
is that people find joy in coming after those on top.
And that's exactly what my Iron Dragons are.
Undefeated and on top.
The Iron Dragons are clearly the team to beat.
Based in Hong Kong, led by former three-time Sekai Taikai champion
Feng Xiao, better known simply as Sensei Wolf.
And they're phenomenal.
And I love that their girls' captain and social media darling, Zara Malik,
is such a great role model for her young followers.
She's a real advocate for female empowerment.
Look, we all saw my livestream get hijacked.
Zara's secret is she's a two-faced *****.
Honestly, it just breaks my heart when women attack other women.
We can compete hard on the mat,
but off of it, we need to lift each other up
and remember that, no matter who walks away champion,
we're all winners.
That brings us to Cobra Kai.
Great name for a dojo, by the way.
- Great name. - Yeah.
But this is the dojo with the most question marks coming in.
See, after the tragic death of their star fighter, Kwon Jae-Sung,
is it still possible for Cobra Kai to win?
And their sensei, Vietnam veteran John Kreese,
he's ignored all of our interview requests.
And it got me wondering, is he gonna show?
Is Cobra Kai gonna show? Will we see them at all today?
We all eagerly await the answer to that.
So stay tuned, folks, 'cause it's almost karate time.
What the hell do you want?
Uh, I won't take up much of your time.
I just wanted to apologize.
I failed you as a sensei back in Barcelona.
I treated you like you were some... soldier in my own private war.
I regret letting you down.
I regret letting Kwon down.
Is, uh... Is Yoon gonna fight?
No one is.
You're the last of the Cobra Kai.
But you signed off on the tournament.
So you could fight.
So you could be the champion.
I know you don't want me in your corner.
But I have always loved your guts and passion.
Just know that I will always be rooting for you.
Goodbye, kid.
Does it have to be?
Goodbye?
I'm afraid so.
I have one last thing to do,
and then it's time for me to
step aside.
The Sekai Taikai boasts a rich and proud history.
And if you are here,
it's because you embody all the Sekai Taikai stands for.
Welcome, competitors, senseis, sponsors, and esteemed guests
to the San Fernando Valley
for the conclusion of the world's greatest karate tournament,
the Sekai Taikai.
Phew.
Brings back some memories, huh?
Yeah, good ones for you. You won here.
Hey, guys, go sign in. I'll grab the bags.
- Okay. - Okay.
Here we go.
Need a hand?
No...
No more of that. I... I...
I just came by to thank you...
for what you did for me in Barcelona.
Silver just got what he had coming to him.
But when push comes to shove, Johnny Lawrence
always does the right thing.
Well, now it's my turn.
I don't want anything from you.
I'm sorry that I ruined Cobra Kai.
I was so proud of you for bringing it back.
Sure, it was different.
But that's what it needed.
For the last few months, I've been thinking a lot about my failures.
And my biggest failure happened right here in this parking lot.
I said I did my best.
You're nothing. You lost. You're a loser.
- You're the loser. - Yeah?
Now who's the loser, huh?
When you lost to LaRusso back in '84...
you handled it like a man.
- Daniel! - You're all right, LaRusso.
And what I did next was inexcusable.
Come on, who's the loser now?
- You fuck! - Come on.
- Who's the loser? I don't hear ya! - Come on!
If it wasn't for me, you would've kept going.
You could have ended up in the Sekai Taikai.
Instead, I... left all that garbage from my life on your doorstep
and made you carry it for 35 years.
I'm sorry for that, Johnny.
I gotta go watch my son fight.
It's my honor to introduce
our guest referee,
local hero
and former All Valley champion,
Darryl Vidal!
- Thank you, Mr. Braun. - You're welcome.
Are you ready for the world's best karate?
Whoo!
- Hey. - Hey.
Oh, wow. You really went all out, huh?
Oh, well, it's the Sekai Taikai.
It's like the Super Bowl, the World Cup, and March Madness all under one roof.
Yeah, Robby! Kick some ass! Yeah.
The time has come. We have two more semifinals to complete. Then...
Terrance, we thought it was gone, but it's back.
How long?
Six months.
Those sons of bitches ruined my reputation.
They took the one thing left in the world I cared about.
If I'm going to hell, I'm taking them down with me.
Of the world's 16 best dojos,
it's all come down to our final three.
The Iron Dragons...
Miyagi-Do Karate...
Yeah! Yeah!
and Cobra Kai.
No Cobra Kai senseis.
The rules are simple.
Each dojo will retain the points
they've earned in their Barcelona competitions.
Our unfinished boys' semifinal will reset to zero-zero,
and the remaining girls' semifinal will be taking place tomorrow.
Eyes on your opponent.
Each match will consist of three two-minute rounds
with unlimited scoring.
One point for a hit,
ten for a knockdown,
and 20 for a knockout.
The finals will determine our individual champions,
and the dojo with the most cumulative points
will be crowned grand champion.
Yeah.
You got the extra cheese and jalapeños?
- Now. - I'm gonna pretend you didn't ask me that.
Will everyone please stand
and join me in a moment of silence
for our fallen competitor, Kwon Jae-Sung.
Penis Breath!
Thank you.
For our first match,
or should I say rematch,
Axel Kovačević versus Robby Keene.
Robby.
You can do this.
Lock in. Trust your skills.
It doesn't matter what happened last time, how many people are watching.
It's just you and him on the mat. You trained for this. You're ready.
They may have picked the venue and the ref,
but we have the most skilled fighters.
We should win easily.
If it gets any closer than that,
you know what to do.
You have nothing to worry about.
Look at them.
They're scared of you 'cause of what you done in Barcelona.
Make him fear for his life.
Yes, Sensei.
- Come on, Robby! - Robby!
Robby, you can do it!
Fighters, face me. Bow.
Each other. Bow.
Fighting stance.
Ais!
Fight.
Point!
- Yes! - Yes!
- That's it. That's it.
Okay, yeah, maybe he can do this.
Robby! Robby! Robby! Robby!
Robby! Robby! Robby!
Robby! Robby!
What... what stance is that?
Point. Point.
Two points.
Dude, he's using moves we've never seen before.
Point.
We did not program that.
No point. Block.
Point.
Why are you smiling?
I...
You let yourself get hit.
Do you want to get hit?
No, Sensei.
He's a machine.
It's like he reprogrammed himself.
He adapted.
Now you adapt.
I don't know if I can.
Robby Keene not knowing how to adapt?
That's a first.
You've never had things easy, Robby.
You've been knocked down every which way more times than anyone I've ever known.
But you've also gotten back up more times too.
You stood up to Kreese. To Silver.
Whenever you knew something was wrong, you stood up.
Even when you had to do it alone.
You turned your rival into your best friend.
You patched things up with your dad.
No one has adapted more than you.
So tell me.
Can you do it again?
Damn good speech, LaRusso.
Yeah, let's just hope it's not too late.
Fight!
No point. Block.
Point.
Ais!
Point.
No point. Block.
- Point. - Yes!
Oh yeah!
Come on.
Point.
No point. Block.
Point, Keene.
Point.
Yeah!
Point.
Ais!
Point, Keene.
That's what I'm talking... That's what I'm talking about!
Yeah! Oh, you see that? Yeah!
That's great. You got five points.
Yeah, but so did he.
Yeah. So what? Now you see he's not a machine. He's human.
But if you wanna catch up, you have to get a knockdown.
Oi.
Knock him on his ass.
- Yeah! - Here we go!
He's adjusted. He's small but fast.
Don't make excuses. That was pathetic.
Are you sure?
Do as I say,
and you'll win.
This is it, gentlemen. Final round.
Fight!
- What happened? - Hey!
- What's wrong? - My knee!
- My knee. - Medic.
Medic.
- Ladies and gentlemen. - Hey! You did it on purpose!
Please remain calm.
Hey, shouldn't that be a disqualification?
From what I saw, they both got tangled up, and they both hit the mat.
- I mean... - So no points scored.
He...
We're gonna get you on your feet. Ready?
Put your weight on us.
Robby Keene has 15 minutes to return to the mat.
If Keene is unable to return,
Axel Kovačević will be awarded the win.
I'll let the judges know.
You did well out there, young man.
Damn it.
Just like that.
Ch... Chozen, do you know how to...?
Heat massage not magic, Daniel-san.
Broken bone needs time to heal.
I just can't believe Silver's gonna get away with this.
Hey, you were awesome.
I'm so proud of you.
Thanks, Mom.
Do you guys mind if I can have a minute to myself?
Take all the time you need, Robby-san.
That asshole cheated. I'm gonna murder him and his entire team.
Just worry about winning your fight.
I'm sorry, Robby.
You gonna be all right?
I could have won.
It just sucks the world will never know that.
But I do.
I did my best.
I fought with honor.
If that lands me in second place, there's worse places to be.
You're taking this way better than I ever could.
I guess instead of focusing on the things that I lost, I just...
I wanna focus on the things that I've won.
Karate's given me all the best things in my life.
I mean, it's given me my friends. It's given me my girlfriend.
It's given me my dad.
I'd say that makes you a winner in anybody's eyes.
Especially mine.
I love you, man.
I love you too.
- I'm so proud of you. - Thanks.
As Robby Keene cannot continue, Axel Kovačević moves on to the finals.
And if Cobra Kai does not name a replacement for Kwon Jae-Sung,
Axel Kovačević will be named the boys' champion
following the conclusion of tomorrow's girls' semifinal round.
I hate to be the bearer of math news, but that fight just set us way back.
Sam would have to score multiple knockdowns,
and the Iron Dragons would have to stop scoring altogether.
Yeah, it's not gonna happen. They've been scoring nonstop.
We gotta face the facts. We lost.
Looking Jersey tough.
Mom said you were back here.
Yeah, yeah. I couldn't sleep.
Yeah, I know the feeling.
It doesn't matter if I win tomorrow, Dad.
There's no way I'm gonna make up enough points to catch the Iron Dragons.
And if I'm not fighting for Miyagi-Do, then
what am I even fighting for?
A few months ago, I thought it was for closure.
In Barcelona, it became about fighting our enemies again.
But now... I'm supposed to fight Tory?
And she has so much more riding on this than I do, and...
I don't know, I just...
I guess I'm just having a hard time finding my focus.
I know that feeling too.
For a while now, I've been pretty off-balance.
I thought restarting the tournament here
would help us close the book on all this the right way.
But after what happened to Robby, I... I just don't know.
I wish I had the answers for you, kiddo,
but I'm still searching for some of those myself.
Maybe you know how to win this, Mr. Miyagi.
Just tell me what to do.
There's gotta be a way.
Danny, Danny, Danny, you're getting in that ring.
It's open season. On him. And you.
What's the matter? Mommy not here to dress ya?
I'm talking to you, punk.
You couldn't leave well enough alone.
God, you had to push it. Well, now you're gonna pay.
Get him a body bag!
- Yeah! - All right.
We do not train to be merciful here. Mercy is for the weak.
Here, on the street, in competition, a man confronts you, he's the enemy.
- The enemy deserves no mercy. - Right!
- Right!
Mr. Miyagi?
Jump. Block. Get him!
Look out!
Daniel-san,
it's okay.
Why didn't you tell me you fought in the Sekai Taikai?
That you killed someone?
Why did you leave me all alone?
Without any answers?
I've been fighting so hard, Mr. Miyagi, trying to do what you would do.
But we can't win.
We can't.
We can't win.
Daniel-san.
Answer same place as always.
Remember, Miyagi teach win, lose, no matter.
No need to fight anymore.
You're up early. Ready for your big day?
I, um...
I have something that I wanna tell you.
But I don't want you to be disappointed.
You're not fighting today.
Samantha,
I'm not disappointed.
But I just told you I'm giving up.
When I asked Mr. Miyagi to train me,
I thought it was to fight.
Then I learned maybe the most important lesson he ever taught me.
I was training so I wouldn't have to fight.
You're not giving up.
You figured out something that I forget too often.
The greatest victory karate can bring to you
is not having to fight at all.
I'm so proud of you.
I get Robby, but you and Sam?
Why are all the original Miyagi-Dos okay with not fighting?
What happened to Robby wasn't an accident.
We're just gonna walk away, let them win?
Believe me, I hate the thought of that, too, Johnny.
Then what is it?
I entered this tournament to share Mr. Miyagi's teachings with the world.
That's why I was so upset when I learned about his past.
But then I realized
none of that matters.
Teachers may seem all-knowing, okay?
But they are just human beings like the rest of us.
They may have their flaws and their failures,
but it's not on us to carry that.
Our responsibility is to take the good lessons that we're taught
and pass those along.
So the fact that Sam and Robby are okay not fighting
means that Mr. Miyagi's legacy will live on,
whether we win or lose.
I get that.
And that's great for you. I mean it.
But I don't know how to not fight.
And winning this thing was my last shot.
I'll be right back.
What the hell was that yesterday?
Bringing up all this stuff from the past.
What, you expect me to forgive you?
- I don't deserve forgiveness. - Yeah, we agree on that.
I'll never forgive you for what you did.
I loved you, man.
Idolized you.
Every good thing about myself... Strength.
Confidence. Karate.
you taught me.
I only wanted to please you.
So, yeah, that night in the parking lot,
December 19, 1984, was the single worst moment of my life.
But what hurt even more than being choked out
was you abandoning me.
You threw me away like trash
right when I needed you most.
You have no idea
what those years were like.
I trusted no one!
Least of all myself!
All because of you!
I'm so sorry, son.
I can't... can't change the past.
I wish there was some way I could...
I could make it up to you.
Maybe there is.
The Sekai Taikai has always been unpredictable,
but this year has been like no other.
Samantha LaRusso has elected not to fight,
officially ending Miyagi-Do Karate's impressive underdog run.
Let's give them a round of applause!
Do I still get to fight Nichols?
Either way, we've still won.
This now concludes our semifinal matches.
Cobra Kai not naming a replacement for their fallen captain
means that Axel Kovačević
automatically becomes our new male champion.
However,
Cobra Kai has named a replacement.
Joining Tory Nichols on Team Cobra Kai
will be
Miguel Diaz!
Coached by the two-time All Valley champion
and their new sensei,
Johnny Lawrence!
This is bullshit.
How can they do that?
They're former Cobra Kai.