Rayna Vallandingham Is Breathtaking in Pretty Detailed Bikini for SI Swimsuit Debut

The mixed martial artist and actress will be featured in the 2025 magazine.

Rayna Vallandingham / Phillip Faraone/Getty Images for Vanity Fair

Live from set in Jamaica, 13-time Tae Kwon Do World Champion Rayna Vallandingham is posing for Yu Tsai’s lens for her debut with SI Swimsuit. Set to be featured in the 2025 magazine, this incredibly talented athlete and actress is a powerhouse in the world of mixed martial arts. The 22-year-old began taking Tae Kwon Do at the age of 2 and became a child prodigy, breaking records and making history in the sport.

As she grew up and started pursuing other interests, representation as an Indian-American woman became very important to her. Being able to serve as a face for younger people to look up to has been very rewarding, and it’s something that motivates her to keep succeeding. “I never got to see a female Indian lead in an action movie,” she told Yahoo! Life. “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.”

Though Vallandingham’s full gallery of images from her Jamaica shoot won’t be available until closer to the magazine’s release in May, we are so excited to share the first official image from the feature today. Rocking a gorgeous brown-two piece from Lybethras featuring the prettiest hand-embroidered detailing of pearls and beads, she looked great in the water, flaunting her fit figure.

Rayna Vallandingham was photographed by Yu Tsai in Jamaica. Swimsuit by Lybethras. / Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

Vallandingham’s striking smolder and expert pose prove she’s a natural in front of the camera. But if you’ve watched the latest season of Cobra Kai, you’d already know that by now. The Southern California native joined the final season of the popular Netflix comedy, appearing as a new character named Zara Malik from one of the opposing dojos. First seen in Part 2, she’ll also play a role in Part 3, which releases this Thursday, Feb. 13.

“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,” Vallandingham told Numéro Netherlands on booking the Karate Kid spinoff series. “Filming it was indescribable because the passion in the air from the whole cast was palpable, so it felt like we really all were a part of this world, competing on the biggest stage. From production to it now being released, it’s been such an incredible and full-circle experience for me.”

The fourth-degree black belt is a total inspiration and the magazine is thrilled to welcome her to the fold as a 2025 rookie.