Karate Kid: Legends introduces Li Fong as the newest student in the franchise, but he already matches up well with several of Cobra Kai‘s best fighters. Cobra Kai continued the story of the Karate Kid trilogy, introducing many new students taught by Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) and Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka). Johnny mainly taught an offense-first strategy, while Daniel focused on balance, something Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita) emphasized in his lessons. Both strategies have their pros and cons, but they were best utilized in a combined fighting method.
Johnny and Daniel’s combination of Cobra Kai and Miyagi-Do produced many of the world’s best fighters and led to their victory in the Sekai Taikai. In Legends, Li also combines two fighting styles: Daniel’s Miyagi-Do and Mr. Han’s Kung Fu. By the end of Karate Kid: Legends, Li is a skilled fighter who is powerful and well-balanced. He still has more to learn, but he’s proven he can take on many of the world’s best fighters. There are several Cobra Kai fighters he could beat right now, while others will require him to practice more before accepting the challenge.
How Good Of A Fighter Li Fang Is In Karate Kid: Legends
Li Already Has Some Training When The Film Starts
In 1984’s The Karate Kid and the 2010 reboot, Daniel and Jaden Smith’s Dre Parker had to learn karate or kung fu from scratch. However, Li already has some martial arts experience when the film begins. Li is Mr. Han’s great-nephew and has learned kung fu from his uncle for many years. When he moves to New York, he’s supposed to leave martial arts behind him, but he still has fighting experience. He’s fast and acrobatic and uses it to his advantage since he has less physical strength.
Still, Li struggles against Connor Day (Aramis Knight), the franchise’s newest bully, and needs to learn a combination of kung fu and karate from Mr. Han and Daniel. He learns new tricks, like the Tiger Trap, which he uses to beat Connor in the Five Boroughs Tournament. While Li could still use more practice polishing his new fighting style, he knows both kung fu and Miyagi-Do, and a new move that Daniel has not taught to any of his students. He’s an excellent fighter and a tournament champion, making him one of the most skilled fighters in the Karate Kid universe.
Which Cobra Kai Characters Li Fang Would Definitely Beat In A Fight
Li Has A Significant Advantage Over Several Cobra Kai Characters
Li would easily beat many of the amateur fighters from Cobra Kai. Many of the fighters on the lower tier, like Chris, Nathaniel, or Mitch, wouldn’t stand a chance against Li, who’s too fast and experienced for them. The same could be said for Anthony LaRusso, who is still early in his karate training. In terms of the more experienced fighters, Li is still a tier above several of Cobra Kai‘s better fighters. For example, Devon Lee still has a lot to learn from her senseis, and likely doesn’t have the speed or strength to take on Li.
The same can be said for Demetri. While Demetri has years of experience, he lacks the aggression and acrobatics that make Li such a dangerous fighter. He could block for a while, but eventually, Li would land a few hits that would take him out. Kenny is a more aggressive fighter, but he isn’t as polished as Li. He lacks balance since he fought based on anger for so long, and needs to learn how to control his emotions before taking on a tournament champion like Li.
Which Cobra Kai Characters Li Fang Could Beat In A Fight
Li Has A Chance Against A Few Of Cobra Kai’s Best Fighters
Moving up the tier list, there are several Cobra Kai fighters that Li would have a sH๏τ at beating. At the very least, these would be exceptional fights. Firstly, Hawk is an excellent fighter, who is one of the best at his dojo. He matches well with Li, as he’s acrobatic and has almost the same amount of strength as Li. Samantha LaRusso is another fighter who matches well with Li, as she’s well-balanced and coordinated. However, both Samantha and Hawk lack training in kung fu, giving Li an advantage.
Another fighter who Li could beat is Axel from the Iron Dragons dojo.
He knows several skills that they don’t, and could use his speed and agility to beat them in a match. Another fighter who Li could beat is Axel from the Iron Dragons dojo. Axel is one of the best fighters in the world and is incredibly strong. However, as displayed in Legends, Li knows how to use his strength against him. Axel doesn’t have balance and is often influenced by his emotions, leading to hits that are powerful, but easy to avoid. His strength is somehow his biggest weakness against Li, who knows how to strategize around it.
Which Cobra Kai Characters Li Fang Wouldn’t Beat In A Fight
A Few Fighters Are Too Experienced For Li
Firstly, Li has no sH๏τ against any of the senseis. In Legends, Li fails to land a single hit on Mr. Han or Daniel, and he’d experience the same results if he tried fighting Johnny or Chozen since they are too strong and too experienced. With regard to Cobra Kai students, there are three that Li could lose to: Robby, Tory, and Miguel. Robby and Tory know several different fighting styles, including those taught by Sensei Kreese. Their combination of Cobra Kai’s merciless offense and Miyagi-Do’s balance would be something Li may struggle to counter.
Tory is also a Sekai Taikai champion, making her one of the best fighters in the world. The other champion Li would lose to is Miguel. Miguel is just as acrobatic as Li, with a unique combination of training from multiple dojos. He beat Axel to win the Sekai Taikai, showing he could counter strong attacks and sustain heavy blows. These three fighters may not know kung fu, but they know a diverse approach to martial arts and can counter whatever Li throws at them. Hopefully, Li gets a chance to fight a few members of Cobra Kai after Legends.
