Rayna Jade Vallandingham stands at the crossroads of martial arts mastery and Hollywood stardom. At 22 years old (as of 2025), this champion has built a career that challenges expectations about size, gender, and cultural representation in action entertainment.
Her journey spans competitive championships, Netflix’s Cobra Kai, and upcoming major film roles. What makes her story compelling isn’t just technical skill—it’s how she’s used martial arts to reshape conversations about femininity, strength, and who gets to be an action hero.
Rayna Vallandingham Bio/Wiki
| Quick Facts | Details |
| Full Name | Rayna Jade Vallandingham |
| Date of Birth | January 18, 2003 |
| Age | 22 years (as of 2025) |
| Birthplace | Encinitas, California, USA |
| Height | 5’2″ (157 cm) |
| Ethnicity | Punjabi-Indian & Dutch |
| Parents | Joty (mother), Jeff (father) |
| Martial Arts Rank | Fourth-degree black belt (Tae Kwon Do) |
| Notable Role | Zara Malik in Cobra Kai Season 6 |
| Social Media | 2.4M Instagram, 1.3M TikTok, 650K+ YouTube |
| Nationality | American |
Early Life and Background
Rayna Vallandingham grew up in Encinitas, California, a coastal town that shaped her grounded personality. Her mother Joty brought Punjabi heritage from India, while her father Jeff contributed Dutch ancestry.
“It’s Dutch,” she explained in interviews when people questioned her surname. “But don’t worry, I get that a lot.” Growing up between two cultures created identity challenges she’s addressed through her career choices.
Her grandfather, whom she calls “Nana” in Punjabi, took her to the dojo daily, even when she spent six months hiding under benches, too shy to participate. “He would just persevere with me and be like, ‘You know what, Rayna? I believe in you. She’s going to do this. She’s my kaur, she’s my lioness,'” she recalled. The word “kaur,” meaning “lioness” in Punjabi, is now permanently tattooed on her body.
Rayna Vallandingham Physical Profile
According to IMDb profile, at 5 feet 2 inches tall, Rayna Vallandingham defies every stereotype about martial arts champions. Her competition weight was documented at 104 pounds in 2020.
She’s addressed this contrast directly: “What the 21-year-old also doesn’t look like is someone who could take down a man twice her size. And yet, by the age of eight, Vallandingham was doing exactly that.”
Her petite frame became an advantage rather than a limitation. Technical skill and mental discipline proved more valuable than physical size across her competitive career.
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Martial Arts Journey
Rayna Vallandingham began practicing at just two years old. Her start was far from promising—she spent those first six months hiding under benches at the dojo.
“I was a shy kid, so they put me into martial arts to help me break out of my shell,” she explained.
Her grandfather refused to give up, bringing her to practice every day. This daily persistence transformed her from a timid child into a fierce competitor who earned her first-degree black belt at age six.
Championship Achievements
By age eight, she won her first American Taekwondo Association (ATA) World Championship in 2011 in Little Rock, Arkansas. Her competitive record includes 13 ATA World Championship titles across multiple categories:
- Traditional forms
- Traditional weapons (bo staff and nunchaku)
- Sparring
- Creative weapons
- XMA (Xtreme Martial Arts) forms and weapons
In 2011, she achieved the “Triple Crown”—winning championships in traditional forms, weapons, sparring, and creative weapons while competing against much older and larger opponents (The US Sun). She became the youngest black belt ever to win these championships.
In 2012, she won six additional world championships in a single year, breaking the world record for most titles won annually. She currently holds a fourth-degree black belt.
Middle School Break and Redirection
During middle school, Rayna took a break from martial arts. “I took a break when I started middle school because I wanted to be a normal kid. Soon after, I began getting bullied and a teacher advised me to get back into it. I did, but I felt like I’d lost my momentum. As a child prodigy, that was hard to stomach,” she admitted.
She never won another individual world title after her childhood streak. This shift redirected her focus toward action cinema—her original dream since age eight. The experience taught her to measure success differently, preparing her for the unpredictable nature of entertainment careers.
Training Philosophy
Rayna Vallandingham’s training emphasizes three core components. “Of the three, I think strength and flexibility are the top two,” she has stated.
Her approach prioritizes dynamic warm-ups before training, raising body temperature and heart rate to prepare muscles. She favors supersets—performing two exercises back-to-back targeting the same muscle groups—preceded by mobility work.
Favorite exercises include goblet squats (often performed after deep mobility stretches) and training on unstable surfaces like Bosu balls to increase muscle activation. For power development, she varies tempo: “If I’m building power, I’m also maintaining control of my movements. That’s the thing I feel like a lot of people who are learning how to generate power forget—maintaining control during it is so important.”
Learning from Past Training Mistakes
She’s spoken against the forcing of flexibility that characterized early martial arts training. “We used to have people stand on my legs and force my knees to come down in butterfly stretch. I have permanent damage to my body—I have tendonitis [because of this],” she revealed.
This experience informed her more balanced approach. She saves static stretching for post-workout when muscles are warm, allowing gravity to assist flexibility development without forcing positions. Her philosophy emphasizes consistency over intensity: “Consistency is so much more important than intensity for attaining maximum gains. Enjoy the journey. Don’t be overly hard on yourself; don’t apply too much pressure” (Well+Good).
The Beginner’s Mindset
Rayna embraces a beginner’s mindset, citing her taekwondo master’s wisdom: “In life, the goal is to always be a white belt in everything you do; to always be prepared to start from the ground up.”
She applies this philosophy across career transitions. “When I went back to martial arts in middle school, I was a beginner again. Now, in movies, it’s the same,” she explained. This mental approach keeps her adaptable as she moves between competitive martial arts, stunt work, acting, and content creation.
Rayna Vallandingham Breaking Gender Barriers
One of Rayna Vallandingham’s most powerful contributions is her reclamation of the phrase “kick like a girl.” In her words: “There would be so many times where the boys in class would be like, ‘Rayna, you kick like a girl.’ At the time, I already had two sparring world titles. When they would say, ‘You kick like a girl,’ I would take it as a compliment. Girls kick so beautifully. We have the most flexibility, you know.”
As she matured, she recognized deeper implications in male-dominated industries. “As I got older and I learned about how poignant that topic is in this industry and every single male-dominated industry, it became really difficult because I would go to a shoot where it would be all stuntmen. And there would be no women there. And I would really have to prove myself and prove my talent. I mean, no other guy there had to prove their talent, but I did.”
Challenging the Stunt Industry
Women in martial arts and stunt work face discrimination that Rayna has witnessed firsthand. On professional sets, she’s often the only woman among male stunt performers. While men’s abilities are assumed, she must constantly demonstrate her skills before being taken seriously.
Her presence on sets challenges the assumption that action sequences require male performers. Her technical skill in fight choreography proves that size matters less than precision, timing, and training.
Inclusive Vision Beyond Gender
Rayna extends her advocacy beyond women. “I want to celebrate what it is to be a woman in this industry. But also the little boys who have had a really tough childhood with dads that are like, ‘You’re not masculine enough. You’re not this, you’re not that.’ I want to inspire them. If you want to do martial arts and like cute clothes and makeup, go do it.”
This inclusive masculinity advocacy challenges traditional gender norms. “There’s nothing more womanly than just being badass—that encapsulates everything that a woman is,” she stated, redefining what it means to be strong and feminine at the same time.
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Representation & Identity Mission
South Asian Representation in Action Cinema
“I never got to see a female Indian lead in an action movie,” Rayna stated. “And that’s why I want to be that. I want to inspire so many girls who don’t see people that look like them.”
She cited Lucy Liu as her closest childhood role model. “I absolutely adore her because I know she inspired so many little Asian girls that are now kicking ass, and that’s absolutely what I want to do in this life” (In The Know).
Her records consistently note this significance: “It’s always been like, ‘Rayna, you are the first Indian American to do this, or you’re the first female Indian American to lead a music video.’ And for me, that was so crazy because it’s like Indian women are so incredible. They’re so beautiful.”
Mixed Heritage Identity
Growing up with multicultural identity created specific challenges. She didn’t fit neatly into either cultural box—not looking “fully Indian” to some or “fully Dutch” to others.
Her grandmother Nani passed away in 2023, shortly after Rayna booked Cobra Kai. The timing added emotional resonance to portraying Zara Malik, an Indian character with authentic cultural details. “I had to put on an Indian accent for it. I kept thinking about how my nana and nani would speak, focusing on capturing those little nuances. I got this role a month before Nani passed away, and it later felt like everything had come full circle.”
Becoming the Female Bruce Lee
Rayna serves as a Brand Ambassador for the Bruce Lee Foundation. “I’ve always said that I wanted to be the female Bruce Lee, and people were like, ‘Well, he’s a man, honey. You can’t do that.’ And so that became my mission statement. Well, you know what? I am going to be the female Bruce Lee, and I’m going to be renowned as that” (Yahoo).
She’s collaborated with the foundation on signature bomber jackets and promotional campaigns. “I remember the day that the Bruce Lee account followed me, and it was a celebration because it was a marker of everything I’ve been through,” she recalled in the In The Know podcast.
Her connection to Bruce Lee’s legacy extends beyond admiration. “It was such a huge blessing, and just a culmination of everything I have dreamt of, because I always saw that for myself—to make a similar impact that he’s had on the world ever since his career flourished, even if it was for a short amount of time. His impact is going to inspire generations and generations to come and he inspired me, and so I would love to do that for all those little girls out there who are told that they’re not strong enough to dominate a sport like martial arts.”
Rayna Vallandingham Acting & Entertainment Career
Film Debut: Underdog Kids (2015)
At age 10, after winning the XMA Forms World Championships, Rayna flew to Los Angeles to make her film debut. Underdog Kids (released July 7, 2015) featured her as Leticia Hernandez. The film was directed by Phillip Rhee, a six-time taekwondo black belt and actor (Fandom.Wiki).
This early role introduced her to the mechanics of film production. She learned how fight choreography differs from competitive martial arts—camera angles, multiple takes, and storytelling through movement rather than scoring points. The experience confirmed her childhood dream of combining martial arts with acting.
Music Videos
In 2018, Rayna appeared in Shawn Mendes and Khalid’s music video for “Youth,” demonstrating her martial arts skills alongside other talented young performers.
In 2023, she appeared in David Guetta, Anne-Marie, and Coi Leray’s “Baby Don’t Hurt Me” music video. These appearances built her visibility in mainstream entertainment while showcasing her unique physical abilities.
Cobra Kai Breakthrough: Zara Malik
Rayna’s major television breakthrough came on her 20th birthday in 2023 when she learned she had booked the role of Zara Malik in Netflix’s Cobra Kai Season 6.
“When I found out that I booked the role of Zara, I was overwhelmed by the honor of being a part of this iconic franchise, especially having been a martial artist for my entire life,” she reflected.
Zara Malik is a complex antagonist: a cocky, high-maintenance social media influencer and skilled martial artist serving as co-captain of the Iron Dragons dojo under Sensei Wolf (Lewis Tan) alongside Axel Kovačević (Patrick Luwis). Introduced during the Sekai Taikai tournament as part of the defending champion team, Zara represented an undefeated rival force.
The character challenged Robby Keene and Tory Nichols (Peyton List) throughout the competition. Her fighting style blended technical precision with theatrical flair, reflecting her social media personality.
In Season 6 Part 3 (released February 13, 2025), Zara suffered her first competitive defeat to Tory Nichols in the Sekai Taikai girls finals. This loss provided character depth, showing vulnerability beneath the confident exterior.
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Upcoming Projects
Street Fighter (2026): As confirmed by Deadline, Rayna is set to appear as Juli in the upcoming Street Fighter film (2026, currently filming). This casting represents a major step in her mission to become a leading action cinema actress.
The Street Fighter franchise has global recognition, and her role will expose her talents to international audiences. Filming began in 2024, with the production utilizing her real martial arts skills rather than relying on stunt doubles.
Unannounced Priyanka Chopra Jonas Project
Rayna has mentioned working on an unannounced project starring Priyanka Chopra Jonas, though details remain confidential as of early 2025 (Vogue India).
Working alongside Priyanka Chopra Jonas, one of the most successful Indian-American actresses in Hollywood, offers mentorship and visibility. She’s expressed excitement about this collaboration in interviews, noting it brings her closer to her goal of inspiring South Asian women through action roles.
Rayna Vallandingham Social Media & Content Creation
Rayna has built a substantial digital presence with over 3.8 million Instagram followers, over 3.2 million TikTok followers, and more than 722,000 YouTube subscribers (launched April 2014).
One viral video showing her flooring her coach with an unexpected kick accumulated over 15 million views. One Instagram reel featuring boxing content garnered over 16 million views, demonstrating her reach beyond traditional martial arts audiences.
Content Strategy and Authenticity
“I’m doing something that’s not really been done before, in the sense of taking martial arts and adapting into content creation. That’s where some of the hate comes from. And I’ve just decided to commit to that and feed into it and be true to myself and who I want to be. Hopefully, that can inspire a lot of people to be authentic to themselves as well and not care about what other people say” (The Direct).
Her approach balances educational content (techniques, training methods) with entertainment (challenges, collaborations, lifestyle). This mix appeals to both serious martial arts enthusiasts and casual viewers interested in fitness.
On Instagram, she posts training clips, professional photoshoots, and promotional content. TikTok features shorter, more casual content—quick techniques and personality-driven videos. YouTube offers long-form content where she can teach detailed techniques and provide deeper insights into her career.
Brand Partnerships & Ambassadorships
Beyond the Bruce Lee Foundation, Rayna serves as an American Taekwondo Association ambassador, filming campaigns, videos, interviews, and photo shoots that promote the organization.
Her Alo sportswear ambassador role reflects her authentic interests. In a 2025 interview with Numero, she stated: “What I love about Alo has felt so authentic to who I am, because I am passionate about athletics and wellness, but also love fashion and everything that Alo represents,” she explained.
Her Squatwolf partnership focuses on athletic wear designed for intense training. Both partnerships allow her to earn income while promoting products she actually uses, maintaining the authenticity she values in all content.
Personal Philosophy & Values
Rayna’s defining philosophy centers on respect: “Respect is action rather than words. Giving others respect not only empowers them mentally, but elevates yourself as well. Giving respect when the cameras disappear and the lights shine no more is the ultimate definition of our character.”
Her legacy aspirations are clear: “I aspire to be a female role model for young individuals who have lofty dreams. I want to be a successful actress that combines storytelling and cinema with an inspiring art such as martial arts. I want to inspire young girls to pursue martial arts and feel confidence and strength wherever they go.”
She measures success not just by personal achievements but by the doors she opens for others. Being the first Indian-American female lead in action films means creating a path that others can follow.
Beyond physical training, she values intellectual and emotional growth. She’s mentioned reading Jen Sincero’s book “You Are a Badass” as influential in her mindset development. She enjoys poetry, journaling, and watching films to study storytelling techniques.
Rayna Vallandingham Personal Life
Rayna maintains close relationships with her parents, Jeff and Joty, who provided crucial early support. Her grandfather Nana’s influence remains particularly significant, with the Punjabi word “kaur” (lioness) tattooed as a permanent tribute to his encouragement.
She describes her personal style as primarily streetwear with feminine-masculine fusion: “I love combining feminine with masculine and putting outfits together with unexpected accessories. Some days I love a sheer top with a military skirt or a cropped tank top with oversized baggy bottoms.”
Her Encinitas upbringing influences her lifestyle preferences. She values outdoor activities like hiking, watching sunsets, and maintaining connection to nature despite living in Los Angeles.
Impact & Cultural Significance
Rayna’s career challenges multiple stereotypes about femininity and strength. She proves that women in martial arts can maintain feminine expression while excelling in physical combat. Her interest in fashion, makeup, and “cute clothes” coexists naturally with her ability to execute devastating kicks and complex fight choreography.
This balance resonates with young women who’ve been told they must choose between femininity and physical capability. As someone of Punjabi-Indian and Dutch heritage, she represents the growing population of mixed-heritage individuals who don’t fit neatly into single cultural categories.
Through her social media presence and Bruce Lee Foundation ambassadorship, she directly influences young martial artists worldwide. Her training videos provide technical guidance while her personal story offers motivation. She’s particularly influential for girls considering martial arts—seeing someone petite, feminine, and mixed-heritage dominating at the highest levels challenges assumptions about who belongs in combat sports.
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FAQ’s About Rayna Vallandingham
How tall is Rayna Vallandingham?
She stands 5 feet 2 inches (157 cm) tall and weighs approximately 104 pounds in competition shape.
What is Rayna Vallandingham’s ethnicity?
She is Punjabi-Indian through her mother Joty and Dutch through her father Jeff. Born January 18, 2003, in Encinitas, California.
What martial arts does Rayna Vallandingham practice?
She practices Tae Kwon Do and holds a fourth-degree black belt, specializing in traditional forms, weapons, sparring, and XMA (Xtreme Martial Arts).
Who does Rayna Vallandingham play in Cobra Kai?
She plays Zara Malik, a cocky social media influencer and skilled martial artist who co-captains the Iron Dragons dojo during the Sekai Taikai tournament in Season 6.
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