You’re standing in a dusty lot in Rancho Coronado, staring at a guy with a golden arm and a pregnant wife nearby. Your V is a god. You’ve got legendary Quickhacks that can melt brains through walls or a Tier 5 Shotgun that turns Scavs into confetti. Then the fight starts. Two punches later, you’re staring at the "Flatlined" screen while the NPC does a victory lap. Cyberpunk Beat on the Brat is, quite frankly, a massive wake-up call for players who think their high-end gear makes them invincible in Night City.
It’s brutal.
Most people play Cyberpunk 2077 as a power fantasy, but Coach Fred’s questline forces you into a box. No guns. No Sandevistan-fueled hacking sprees. Just your fists against guys who hit like runaway freight trains. If you haven't specced into Body, you’re basically a wet paper bag trying to fight a hurricane. This questline is arguably the biggest bridge between the game's RPG mechanics and pure, raw player skill.
The Problem With Cyberpunk Beat on the Brat
The main issue is the scaling. Back when the game launched in 2020, these fights were notorious for being "janky." You’d get hit by a punch that visually missed you by three feet. Even after the 2.0 and 2.1 updates, which overhauled the entire perk system, the difficulty spikes remain wild. One minute you're breezing through the Kabuki twins, and the next, you're getting your ribs turned to powder by Buck in Arroyo.
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It’s not just about health bars. These NPCs have specific patterns that ignore the usual "I'm the protagonist" rules. Take the fight against Rhino in the Animals' gym. She’s a tank. If you try to trade blows with her, you lose. Every time. The game is forcing you to learn the parry mechanic, something a lot of players ignore for the first 40 hours of their playthrough.
Honestly, the rewards for Cyberpunk Beat on the Brat aren't even the main draw for most people. Sure, you get some Street Cred and some eddies. Maybe you win O’Five, the iconic Sniper Rifle, if you play your cards right with Buck. But the real reason people obsess over these fights is the sheer ego of it. You want to prove that your version of V is the toughest mercenary in the city, even without the fancy hardware.
How to Actually Win Without Raging
Look, if you’re struggling, you aren’t alone. The community has spent years figuring out the "cheese" methods for these fights. In the early days, you could literally drop a melee weapon from your inventory onto the ground before the fight and pick it up once the timer started. CD Projekt Red patched that out because they want you to suffer. Mostly.
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Gorilla Arms are Mandatory
Don't even try the later fights without Gorilla Arms. It’s not just about the damage boost. Gorilla Arms provide a massive bonus to your Body attribute checks during the fight and, more importantly, they allow you to deal "blunt" damage that can actually stagger these behemoths. Even if you're a "Netrunner" build, go to a Ripperdoc and swap your cyberdeck for some chrome hands before heading to the fight. It makes a world of difference.
The Stamina Game
Since the 2.0 update, stamina management is everything. You can't just spam light attacks. If your stamina bar hits zero, your swings become pathetic and you can't block effectively. You have to treat this like a low-budget Elden Ring. Dodge, wait for the opening, hit twice, and back off.
Specific Opponent Nuances
- The Twins (Kabuki): They try to flank you. Don't let them. Keep them both in your line of sight. If you line them up, one usually blocks the other's path. Focus one down fast.
- Buck (Arroyo): He’s a jerk. He heals. You need to stay aggressive enough to prevent his recovery animations, but don't get greedy. If you win and take his gun, be prepared for a shootout immediately after.
- Rhino (The Animals): She is slow. Her wind-ups are huge. Use the double-jump (Reinforced Tendons) if you have them to literally leap over her and strike from behind. It feels cheap, but Night City isn't about fair play.
- Razor Hugh (Pacifico): The final boss. He’s sponsored by Animals and his cyberware is top-tier. Viktor Vektor gives you a hint: hit him in the abs. Specifically, the middle section where his recent "surgery" took place. It’s his weak point.
Why the Razor Hugh Choice Matters
The finale of Cyberpunk Beat on the Brat presents you with a choice that actually feels like a "Cyberpunk" dilemma. Coach Fred asks you to throw the fight.
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He offers you a cut of the betting money if you take a dive. It’s more money than you get for winning. From a pure "business" perspective in a dystopian city, losing is the smart move. But Cyberpunk 2077 is a game about legacy. It’s about being a legend. If you lose, you’re just another forgotten fighter. If you win, you’re the champion of the pits, but you walk away with less cash and a disappointed coach.
Most players choose to win out of spite. Razor Hugh is an arrogant jerk, and there's something deeply satisfying about watching a corporate-sponsored titan fall to a mercenary from the streets.
The Technical Reality of Fighting in 2026
If you’re playing this today on modern hardware or the latest patches, the fights feel much tighter. The input lag is mostly gone. However, the AI is smarter. They will punish you for back-stepping too much. They will catch you if you try to heal (if you're using the "blood pump" exploit). It’s a genuine test of the game’s combat physics.
A lot of the "expert" advice you'll find online suggests using specific consumables. Eat a "Nourished" food item and drink a "Hydrated" beverage before the fight starts. It sounds like such a small thing, but that 10% health boost and 50% stamina regen speed is often the difference between winning with a sliver of health and getting knocked into next week.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Fight:
- Visit a Ripperdoc: Equip the best Gorilla Arms you can afford. If you have the "Animal Knuckles" mod, even better—it adds internal bleeding damage.
- Respec if Necessary: If you are deep into a Cool/Intelligence build, you might want to move a few points into Body just for the duration of this questline. You can always switch back later.
- Learn the Counter-Punch: Go to the training bot outside V’s apartment. Practice the timing for a block right as the hit lands. A successful counter stuns the opponent for a full three seconds. That is your window to win.
- Watch the Feet: NPCs in this quest have telltale foot movements before they lung. If they step back, they are about to charge. If they shift their weight, a heavy hook is coming.
- Save Scum: Honestly? Just save right before the fight starts. The walk-back after a loss can be annoying, and these fights are meant to be repeated until you find the rhythm.
Night City doesn't give you anything for free. The Cyberpunk Beat on the Brat questline is the game's way of reminding you that beneath all the neon and chrome, it's still about who can stand the longest when the power goes out.