Cobra Kai: All Sekai Taikai Rounds & Rules

Warning! Spoilers for Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 ahead!The Sekai Taikai is the greatest challenge Cobra Kai‘s characters have faced yet, with each round presenting new impossible odds to overcome. This global karate tournament has been the goal since Cobra Kai season 5, and the event itself is finally an on-screen reality in season 6, part 2. Miyagi-Do arrived in Barcelona for the competition at the end of season 6, part 1, and things quickly kicked off in the following episodes as the Sekai Taikai administrator announced how things would proceed.




Previous karate tournaments in Cobra Kai and The Karate Kid have gone much the same. A wide variety of fighters hit the mat in one-on-one matches, and the first to three points proceed to the next bracket within the tournament. The familiar All-Valley Tournament introduced weapons and skill matches, which were also relatively straightforward. The Sekai Taikai does things a bit differently. The tournament kicks off with 16 qualified dojos at the start of Cobra Kai season 6, part 2, who must face a variety of events to earn points or face elimination. In the end, the team left standing with the most points will be the winner.


First Team Points Event – The Captain’s War

Protect The Captain At All Costs

Image via Netflix


The first few events of the Sekai Taikai allow teams to rack up as many points as possible. There is no elimination in these first rounds, but the more points a dojo gets, the less likely they will be eliminated when the time comes. The first event of the Sekai Taikai is called the “Captain’s War.” All six members of four dojos hit the mat at one time for a nothing-held-back brawl. If a fighter hits the mat, they are out and must leave their teammates to continue fighting. However, if one of the two team captains hits the mat, then the whole team is out.

While fighters can plow ahead and take out as many opponents as possible during this first Sekai Taikai event, it’s smarter to approach with some strategy. The team captain must be protected, but as the team’s strongest fighters, they can’t simply hang back and not take part in the fight. Captains who make it through as the last ones standing earn points that carry into the next event.


Second Team Points Event – Sudden Death Matches

A Variety Of Traditional One-Point Matches

Miguel fighting in Cobra Kai Sekai Taikai

Cobra Kai season 6, part 2, episode 7 picked up with the second points event already underway, so there were never any specific instructions about what this stage of the Sekai Taikai entailed. However, it seemed to be a variety of traditional tournament-style matches, though rather than a typical three-points-to-win format, each match was sudden death. A fighter could earn their single points by claiming a hit on their opponent, and the next match would begin.


During this stage of the Sekai Taikai, several different types of matches were held. Some were simple one-on-one, hand-to-hand fights, while others involved bo staff. At one point, Miguel is seen fighting two opponents at once. It’s possible that different teams were able to put forward whichever member they felt was best equipped for that match. Miguel has proven himself the best in Miyagi-Do at taking down multiple opponents, while Sam has the most experience with weapons.

Third Team Points Event – The Platform (1v1)

Don’t Fall Off The Runway Platform

Devon falling off a platform at the Sekai Taikai

The third and final point event involved one-on-one matches atop a long and narrow platform. This time around, points aren’t given when a fighter lands a hit on their opponent—they must instead get them to fall off the platform. Winning will earn a fighter points, but how many depends on how long it took them to knock their enemy to the ground. A quick victory means the optimum number of points, so taking too long would result in only a few. For this reason, making quick work of a match during this event is highly important since this is the final points event before the Sekai Taikai elimination rounds.


This is the final points event before the Sekai Taikai elimination rounds.

First Team Elimination Event – The Platform (Teams)

The Stakes Are Even Higher

A platform being lowered at the Sekai Taikai in Cobra Kai

The first elimination event of Cobra Kai‘s Sekai Taikai takes the platform from the previous event to the next level. This time around, a much larger platform is suspended above the ground, and two members of each dojo face off with two members from another. If one is knocked off, then they are out. However, another teammate can climb up on the platform to replace them. It’s important that those not actively fighting are paying close attention and that they are ready to get on the platform as quickly as possible so that their remaining teammate isn’t left fighting alone.


Cobra Kai Season 6 Ep 9-8

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Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 included another massive brawl during the final round of the Sekai Taikai, allowing some rivalries to come to a close.

The point rankings from the previous Sekai Taikai matches are important here. In the first round, the first-ranked team will face off against the 16th-ranked team on the platform. During the second round, the second-ranked team will face off against the 15th—and so on. There are, therefore, eight total matches in this round, and once each member of a team has been knocked off the platform, that dojo has been eliminated. Following the “Platform” team event, eight dojos proceed to the second team elimination event.

Second Team Elimination Event – All Dojo Tag-Team Competition

Requires Strategy, Teamwork, & Trust

Robby at the Sekai Taikai


The second elimination round would again cut the number of participating dojos in half, with four teams proceeding to the semifinal “Tournament of Champions” round. To avoid being one of the four sent home, a dojo must make it through a tag-team, tournament-style competition with the least number of losses. To start, one member from two dojos faces off with one another in a circular arena while their 10 remaining teammates wait around the outside of the ring (5 from each dojo). The first team to three points (three hits) wins.

The catch here is that a fighter can tap in another teammate to trade places with them.


The catch here is that a fighter can tap in another teammate to trade places with them. The match will always be one-on-one, and the fighting will be ongoing, but teams can tap in someone else when they are too tired to continue or if they think their teammate would be better equipped against that particular opponent. Fighters can also attempt to keep their opponent from tapping another teammate in, thus ensuring that there is no time to recuperate or trade in a stronger fighter. The four teams with the most wins in this round proceed to Cobra Kai season 6’s semifinal round.

Semifinal – Tournament Of Champions

Captains Vs. Captains


The semifinal round of the Sekai Taikai involves only the eight captains from the four remaining dojos. It’s a televised event, which sees these champion fighters face off in one-on-one matches. Each match consists of three two-minute rounds, during which a fighter can rack up unlimited points. One point is earned for a traditional hit, 10 points are claimed for knocking an opponent to the ground, and a knockout earns a fighter 20 points.

At the end of these matches, it’s assumed that the two dojos with the highest number of points would proceed to the Sekai Taikai final. However, things didn’t get that far in Cobra Kai season 6, part 2. Tension quickly grew, and a massive brawl broke out when one of the previously eliminated dojos attacked. Whether the semifinal continues and the final event is ever revealed depends on Cobra Kai season 6, part 3—the Netflix series’ grand finale.

Cobra Kai
season 6, part 3, is expected to release on February 13, 2025.