Warning: SPOILERS for Cobra Kai Season 6, Part 2If Cobra Kai Season 6’s Sekai Taikai Tournament continues, Zara Malik (Rayna Vallandingham) must win the women’s championship, not Samantha LaRusso (Mary Mouser) or Tory Nichols (Peyton List). Sekai Taikai could potentially be canceled following the tragic death of Cobra Kai captain Kwon Jae-Sung (Brandon H. Lee). But the women’s side of the tournament just needs to determine whether Tory or Sam will face Zara Malik for the world championship if Sekai Taikai is not cancelled.
Sam LaRusso and Tory Nichols finally became friends at first Cobra Kai Season 6, but Tory leaving Miyagi-Do to become the captain of Cobra Kai puts the two former rivals on opposite sides of the mat once again. Neither Sam nor Tory want to hate each other and fight each other again, but each of them has reasons to win the Sekai Taikai. Tory needs to win to fulfill the promise she made to her late mother, while Sam feels the pressure to fulfill the legacy of his father, Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio). But Zara Malik surpasses both of them.
Why Zara Malik should win Cobra Kai’s Sekai Taikai, not Sam or Tory
Zara is the true karate queen of Cobra Kai
Cobra Kai Season 6 part 2 clearly established that Zara Malik of the Iron Dragons dojo is the best female fighter in Sekai Taikai. Played by 13-time world champion Rayna Vallandingham, Zara is the most talented and authentic female martial artist Cobra Kai already seen. Zara is also presented as an unbeatable star and is undefeated in Sekai Taikai so far. As skilled as Sam and Tory are, Zara is in a league of her own and doesn’t have any of the emotional baggage or inner doubt that LaRusso and Nichols harbor. Frankly, it wouldn’t make sense for Zara to lose to Sam or Tory, as neither of them have shown that they are the best fighter in the world.
Zara’s name is “The Queen of Karate” and Cobra Kai has already proven that she is more than exaggerated. Losing to Zara would not only be logical, but it makes more sense for Sam and Tory’s stories as Cobra Kai ends. Sam failing to win Sekai Taikai would confirm that she cannot win tournaments, but the true value of Miyagi-Do is not in the trophies. Tory, in turn, has already questioned Sensei Kim Da-Eun (Alicia Hannah-Kim) if the sacrifice of karate is “it is worth it.” Zara Malik knows it does, and there’s no reason Zara can’t dominate Tory or Sam to prove she’s the true champion of the world.
Losing to Nichols or LaRusso on karate’s biggest stage would decimate Zara’s reputation and earning potential.
Zara Malik also has more to lose if she doesn’t leave Sekai Taikai as world champion. Unlike Sam and Tory, who only have their personal pride at stake, Zara is a social media influencer with corporate sponsors. Losing to Nichols or LaRusso on karate’s biggest stage would decimate Zara’s reputation and earning potential.
While Cobra Kai presents Zara as a villain who tried to separate Tory and Robby Keene (Tanner Buchanan) on the mat, there is no indication that Malik has any flaws in his karate game. If Sekai Taikai continues in Cobra Kai Season 6 Part 3, Zara Malik is the only winner who makes sense based on how Cobra KaiThe tour is over.
Sam and Tory’s future isn’t about karate, unlike Zara Malik
Sam goes to college and Tory no longer believes in karate
As much as it meant to Sam LaRusso to win the Sekai Taikai, her life does not depend on becoming world karate champion. Sam is one of the best fighters in Miyagi-Do, but LaRusso’s future isn’t in karate. When Sam finishes high school, she will go to college and karate will be just a phase of her teenage past. Samantha is likely to find a career that has nothing to do with karate and it became a success, just as Daniel became rich running LaRusso Luxury Motors throughout the San Fernando Valley before karate came back into his life.
Tory Nichols’ future is more uncertain, and she needs the affirmation that being Sekai Taikai World Champion would bring. However, Tory only returned to Cobra Kai as a means to an end, and is still conflicted about her friendships, her place in Miyagi-Do, her trust in John Kreese (Martin Kove), and what karate means to her. Tory is too unbalanced to win Sekai Taikaiwhile Sam is worthy but can survive without it. Zara Malik is the fighter who must win the Sekai Taikai if the tournament continues Cobra Kai Season 6, part 3.