Cobra Kai Season 6 Part 3 Features A Controversial Real-World Sports Trend

This article contains spoilers for "Cobra Kai" Season 6 Part 3.

"Cobra Kai" Season 6 contains all of the soap opera drama and over-the-top action that we want from this series, but it's also locked into the world of combat sports. From casting real-life martial artists like Brandon H. Lee to play villains to showcasing a variety of fighting styles, the creators of the YouTube-turned-Netflix series pay respect to the athletes and disciplines that inspired the show. However, that doesn't mean the "Karate Kid" spin-off is afraid to address the more controversial subjects in the fighting realm, as Season 6 explores the use of artificial intelligence as a training device.

"Cobra Kai" Season 6 Part 2 used AI to bring Pat Morita's Mr. Miyagi back from the dead, but Season 6's third — and final — installment looks at how the tool is utilized in everyday society. While training for the Sekai Taikai, Robby (Tanner Buchanan) and Miguel (Xolo Maridueña) use an AI program designed by Demetri (Gianni DeCenzo) and Hawk (Jacob Bertrand) to fight digitized versions of their tournament opponents. Let's just say the simulations don't prepare them for the real Sekai Taikai, thus making them question the purpose of AI-based training.

That being said, the program Robby and Miguel use isn't some futuristic sci-fi concept. AI has informed real-world fighting for a while now, and its influence is probably going to increase as the technology advances.

"Cobra Kai" Season 6's final installment sees Robby and Miguel use virtual reality headsets to engage in a combat simulation. This is similar to how it is in the MMA world, as fighters have been known to use VR to digitally create octagon environments, allowing them to hone their crafts and prepare for fights without the need to train with an actual human being.

Elsewhere, UFC stars like Connor McGregor and Urijah Faber have sparred with AI robots while training for fights, proving that Hugh Jackman's "Real Steel" movie is one step closer to becoming a reality. Such a concept would have seemed alien to people years ago, but it appears that robots are playing a crucial role in the development of fighters nowadays.

While AI may be enhancing fight preparation to some degree, it will undoubtedly continue to cause controversy due to the divisive nature of the technology. One of the biggest criticisms is that it risks making more human roles obsolete, and using robots and VR to simulate combat arguably lends more credibility to this viewpoint. However, only time will tell if the technology replaces coaches across the board.

"Cobra Kai" is now streaming in its entirety on Netflix.