Ralph Macchio: Director Had Worst Movie Title In Mind For 'The Karate Kid'

Ralph Macchio admitted Tuesday that he thought “The Karate Kid ” was a hokey title for a movie. He said the name seemed too “cheesy” for a film directed by John Avildsen, who won an Oscar for helming “Rocky.”

But Avildsen had an even worse suggestion for naming the 1984 classic, the actor recalled on “The Tonight Show ”: “East Meets West In West.”

“What does that mean?” Macchio told host Jimmy Fallon .

Watch above as Macchio, whose Daniel LaRusso grows up to become a middle-aged car dealership owner and sensei in Netflix ’s “Cobra Kai ” series, takes on fan theories and rumors about the original movie that started it all and defined his career.