COBRA KAI: Back on the Mat

The roar of the crowd intensifies as we wait for our turn. The tension in the air is palpable, and I can feel my heart racing, though I try to keep a calm expression. The moment I've been waiting for is finally here, and there's no room for doubt.

Suddenly, the announcer calls out:

"STEP FORWARD, COBRA KAI!"

Without hesitation, our entire team moves forward, jogging in line while shouting in unison:

"COBRA KAI! COBRA KAI! COBRA KAI!"

The sound of our voices blends with the cheers and murmurs of the crowd. We line up next to another dojo, feeling everyone's eyes on us. This isn't just a tournament—it's our chance to prove what we're made of.

As I take my place, I glance up at the stands and spot Sam sitting near the front, her expression calm yet focused. I raise a hand and flash her a smile. To my surprise, she smiles back, radiant and confident, as if she knows I'll give it my all. That simple gesture fills me with energy.

Then, the announcer introduces the last participant:

"And finally, Robby Keene, unaffiliated with any dojo."

Robby jogs in. Our eyes meet, and we exchange a brief nod. No words are needed; that small gesture says enough. But something catches my attention: Johnny looks stunned. His expression says it all. I glance over and see Daniel standing up, heading toward Robby. The tension rises before the tournament even begins.

I can't help but ask:

—"Sensei, is everything okay?"

Johnny blinks, as if snapping out of his thoughts.

—"Miguel? Oh, yeah… yeah, it's fine," he replies, though his tone suggests otherwise.

I understand what's going on: seeing his son here, especially with Daniel, is an emotional blow. But there's no time for distractions.

The announcer takes the mic once more.

"NOW THAT EVERYONE IS HERE, LET THE ALL VALLEY TOURNAMENT BEGIN!"

The referee shouts:

"FIGHT!"

My first opponent charges toward me with a direct attack. It's almost predictable, and I easily take him down, following up with a strike to his stomach.

—"Point! Miguel advances!" shouts the referee.

As I step back, I glance toward Sam again. She's watching me with a smile that radiates confidence and satisfaction. I whisper a silent "thank you," and she seems to understand, responding with a slightly smug yet charming smile. That look fuels me even more.

My second match proves more challenging, but not because of my opponent's skill—his style is just odd. The guy keeps bouncing around like he's performing in a circus. I keep my cool, studying his movements. Finally, I predict his next flip, and just as he lands, I hit him with a clean strike.

—"Point! Miguel advances to the semifinals!"

Excitement wells up inside me. This is my moment.

Semifinals: Introduction to the Audience

The announcer takes the mic again:

"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE HIGHLY ANTICIPATED SEMIFINALS HAVE ARRIVED!"

The crowd responds with a deafening ovation.

"FIRST, REPRESENTING COBRA KAI… ELI, ALSO KNOWN AS HAWK!"

Hawk strides to the center of the mat, greeted by loud applause.

"AND HE FACES OFF AGAINST ROBBY KEENE, UNAFFILIATED WITH ANY DOJO."

Robby steps forward, nodding slightly in acknowledgment. The crowd's reaction is equally enthusiastic.

"IN THE OTHER SEMIFINAL, WE HAVE STONE!"

Stone steps onto the mat, but instead of simply accepting the applause, he grabs the mic from the announcer:

"Good afternoon. While I support karate, I do not support hatred—"

I can't help but roll my eyes. This guy is insufferable. I walk up, snatch the mic from him, and say firmly:

"AND I'M MIGUEL DÍAZ, THE NEXT CHAMPION OF THIS TOURNAMENT."

The crowd erupts in cheers, and I can't help but smile. It feels good to be in the spotlight. I hand the mic back to the announcer, who whispers a quick "thank you" before continuing.

"NOW, LET'S START THE FIRST SEMIFINAL: ROBBY VS. HAWK!"

The referee gives the signal:

"FIGHT!"

From the start, Robby looks more confident, probably because he now has Daniel cheering for him from the stands. Hawk attacks aggressively, throwing a front kick and a punch to the face. But Robby, as agile as ever, dodges both moves with ease and counters with a clean strike to Hawk's torso.

—"Point! Line up."

Hawk seems frustrated, letting his emotions get the better of him. Between rounds, I shout at him:

—"Hawk! Stop fighting like an idiot. Let your mind fight, not your emotions."

My words seem to hit home, and when the referee signals to continue, his focus shifts. Hawk becomes more calculated, seizing every opening in Robby's defense. He manages to tie the score 2-2.

The referee shouts:

"Point wins! FIGHT!"

Although Hawk sticks to his strategy at first, he gets overconfident. Robby punishes him with a quick combo: a low kick to unbalance him, followed by a stomach kick as he falls, leaving him no chance.

—"Point! We have our first finalist: ROBBY KEENE!"

The crowd roars. I approach Hawk, who looks dejected, and place a hand on his shoulder.

—"Hey, don't sweat it. You made it to the semifinals in your first tournament. Next year, you'll be in the final… with me, of course."

He gives me a weak smile but replies with a smirk:

—"We'll see who wins next year."

I grin too. Hawk is strong, and I know this loss won't define him.

The final awaits me. This is my moment.

"STEP FORWARD, STONE AND MIGUEL!" the announcer called. I walked to the center of the mat alongside Stone. Before the match began, a shrill voice rang out from the crowd:

"COME ON, SON! KICK THAT BOY'S BUTT!"

I glanced to the side, and sure enough, it was Stone's mother. The situation amused me, but the best part was hearing Sam, who hesitated at first but then shouted confidently:

"COME ON, MIGUEL! KICK THAT MAMA'S BOY'S BUTT!"

I couldn't help but chuckle briefly as Stone's mom glared at her, but the referee quickly brought us back to focus.

"GET INTO POSITION!"

We took our stances, ready for the fight. "FIGHT!" shouted the referee.

I have to admit, Stone had good technique. He wasn't the reigning champion for nothing, but I quickly spotted his weakness: his strikes lacked power. I barely felt them, thanks to Cobra Kai's endurance training.

I decided to toy with him a bit, testing his reflexes. But I reminded myself this wasn't a practice session or a game. This was a tournament, and underestimating a rival would be disrespectful. At the right moment, I anticipated his acrobatic move. Before he landed, I delivered a direct kick.

The impact sent him flying several feet. "AAARGH!" Stone cried as he hit the ground. The referee rushed to him.

"Can you continue?" he asked.

"Y-yeah… yeah," Stone answered reluctantly, standing back up.

We returned to our positions. I noticed he was angry, but also that his left shoulder seemed injured. "FIGHT!" the referee called again.

With a confident smile, I aimed a strike at his left side. I saw the hesitation in his eyes: protect his injured shoulder or block the attack. I took advantage of that hesitation and landed a clean hit.

"POINT!" announced the referee.

As we lined up again, I couldn't resist some trash talk.

"Want me to call your mom to come help you?" I said with a sly grin.

Stone glared at me furiously. "FIGHT!" the referee ordered again.

With a shout of rage, he charged at me. His anger made him predictable. Dodging him easily, I used his own momentum to sweep his legs. He fell to the ground, and before he could react, I struck him squarely in the chest.

The impact echoed like a drum across the gym. "AAAHH!" he gasped, completely winded.

The referee raised my hand and declared:

"THE SECOND FINALIST IS MIGUEL DÍAZ OF COBRA KAI!"

The crowd erupted in cheers. I looked up at the stands and saw Sam clapping enthusiastically. For a moment, I let the emotion wash over me. I was one step away from becoming the All Valley champion.