Cobra Kai was one of the nicest surprises of the 2020 television season, when the show catapulted to the top of Netflix’s rankings once joining the streamer’s lineup after spending two years on YouTube Red. In an exclusive interview with Popthrill, Ron Thomas, who played Bobby in the first Karate Kid movie, reveals a real-life karate kid moment about kids in high school giving him trouble, which prompted him to actually learn martial arts.
“I was playing the role of Daniel-san, cast by the universe to play a wimpy little kid freshman in high school,” Thomas explained. “I was walking around looking for my locker on the first day, and I was 97 pounds, 4’10 and here come four guys. I have named them Dutch, Bobby, Johnny and Tommy.”
The older kids walked by him, but before leaving, one of the kids steps out and just punches him in the face for no reason.
“Then they walked away and started laughing about it,” Thomas shared. “So, I started martial arts because I needed an equalizer.”
Thanks to his sensei, someone he describes as his own “personal Mr. Miyagi,” Thomas learned the skills to protect himself.
“He really understood the dynamics of what made things work and the psychology of it all,” Thomas said. “We would talk after each class for about 20-30 minutes about life, loyalty and character. If something was happening in the news, he would expand upon it. I soaked it all up like a sponge. That made me want to help people and become a sensei.”
In fact, today, Ron Thomas is a sixth-degree black belt in Kodenkan Ju-Jitsu and a former trainer for the United States Sport Ju-Jitsu Team.
For Thomas, the world of competitive sports proved to be a breeding ground for the type of confidence, focus, discipline, and determination that has served him throughout his lifetime.
See Ron Thomas (Bobby) and William Zabka (Johnny) in Cobra Kai are now streaming on Netflix. Cobra Kai Season 4 is coming soon.
