IBUSHIGIN's Sho Wins CAPCOM CUP 11, the World Tournament for STO 6! I had a fight with my wife the day before..."

The final day of the " CAPCOM CUP 11 " to determine the world's strongest Street Fighter 6 player was held on Saturday, March 8, 2025 at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo! The winner was IBUSHIGIN's Sho(@Kakeru_FGC )!

Grand Final Sho vs.

The first "CAPCOM CUP 11" was held in Japan, and the last hope of the Japanese players, Sho (JP), was up against the Chilean prodigy, Blaz (Ryu). While many expected Sho to receive a lot of support, Blaz received just as much support as Sho, who had shown his true potential in the tournament.

#CAPCOMCUP11 TOP16 現地の映像とともに振り返り‼️
グランドファイナルは翔選手(JP) vs. Blaz選手(リュウ)の対決に。
翔選手が幸先の良いスタートを切りました💨#ストリートファイター6 #スト6 #CC11 pic.twitter.com/CzmZ96H9zG

— Saiga NAK (@saiganak) March 10, 2025

Sho, who won the tournament from Winners, will win the championship if he wins this one match. Blaz from the Loosers will advance to the Grand Final Reset with a win in this round, and another win in the next round to win the tournament. The conditions are overwhelmingly in Sho's favor, but will he win?

Blaz, who had tended to be pushed in the early rounds so far, took advantage of JP's weakness by bringing his opponent into close range. However, Sho's ability to respond and apply pressure stung, and the match went back and forth. They won one set each and went to a third set.

#CAPCOMCUP11 TOP16 現地の映像とともに振り返り‼️
翔選手(JP)とBlaz選手(リュウ)が1本ずつ取り合うも、先にリーチをかけたのはウィナーズ側の翔選手です🫴🏆️#ストリートファイター6 #スト6 #CC11 pic.twitter.com/PPjPxn5Twr

— Saiga NAK (@saiganak) March 10, 2025

In the third set, Blaz again showed no hesitation in attacking, but Sho responded in the nick of time. Little by little, Sho seems to be pushing forward. Sho wins the third set and is within reach of the win!

#CAPCOMCUP11 TOP16 現地から優勝の瞬間‼️
グランドファイナル翔選手(JP) vs. Blaz選手(リュウ)は3対1で翔選手の勝利✨
相撲の聖地・両国国技館で日本チャンピオンが誕生しました🎉#ストリートファイター6 #スト6 #CC11 pic.twitter.com/Ak0uJC4bIC

— Saiga NAK (@saiganak) March 10, 2025

At this point, the audience was in the mood for Sho to win. The audience cheered every time a combo was executed, and in the end, Sho won with a last-minute physical comeback! The Japanese champion was born at the Ryogoku Kokugikan.

The winner of "CAPCOM CUP 11" was Sho!

The winner of "CAPCOM CUP 11" was Sho! The audience was excited to see the first Japanese champion in 7 years!

左からアール、翔、Ryan Hart — From left to right: Earl, Sho and Ryan Hart

- How are you feeling right now?

Sho: I'm super happy!

- Who do you want to tell about your victory?

Sho: My wife.

辻本春弘氏から賞金パネルの授与 — Haruhiro Tsujimoto presents the prize money panel

- Please give your comments

Sho: There are many things I want to say, but... I wasn't satisfied with my moves from Day 1 to Day 3, but the result itself went well and I got out of the main tournament. After I went home yesterday, I had a fight with my wife because of the pressure of the competition and my own moves... We made up this morning, and I feel that my moves have become more relaxed because of that. Actually, I haven't even prepared my wedding ring yet, so I'm glad to have the money for it!

I am very happy to have won the "CAPCOM CUP 11" in Japan. Thank you for your support!

We interviewed Sho immediately after his victory!

- Did you think about changing your character during the tournament?

Sho: I had no intention to change my character from the beginning. I didn't want to get lost in the noise whenever I lost, so I decided to go with one character.

- How did you feel about your last match?

Sho: It was held at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Japan, and I was the only one left standing while the other Japanese competitors were eliminated. I was playing with the thoughts and feelings of those players and people who supported me in Japan on my back. I felt like I was going to throw up the whole time, but I did my best to endure it!

- How did you feel playing against Blaz?

Sho: Even though I had beaten Blaz once, I didn't want to play him because he had so much momentum. I knew that Ryu was in a good mood, so I knew that he would probably go on to the Grand Final, but I am good at not going with the flow of my opponent, so I fought with that in mind.

- Has your marriage had an impact on your life as a fighter?

Sho: It has helped me a lot in terms of physical condition andmental care. I think it is great to be in a situation where I only have to watch the competition.

- You won the championship in Japan for the first time. How do you feel about it?

Sho: I can't say anything.

- What is your impression of Blaz?

Sho: It is really amazing that he can play like that at the age of 15. I was also out of shape from Day 1 to Day 3, and I think it is normal to not be able to show your usual performance on a big stage, but I thought he was able to control his mentality. When I saw him get depressed when he beat Blaz in the quarterfinals, he quickly recovered with the support of others and made it to the finals. I think he is mentally strong.

- I know Mai has been working hard lately.

Sho: I wanted to get it out. But I had a fight with my wife about that too (laughs).

- You have not had a chance to play against Leshar so far, but how was it today?

Sho: Of course, I think he is a strong player, but one of the things I liked about him today was that he had a good flow. The other is that I think he was not in good shape. Of course, we don't know what will happen in the future, so he is a threat.

- My only loss was to Tokido.

Sho: It's frustrating..! In the end, I couldn't beat Tokido-san. If I have another chance, I would like to win.

- How do you feel about the growth of the e-sports scene?

Sho: When I was a child, the public's view of games was cold. I started playing fighting games when I was in the second grade of junior high school, and I am thankful that the fighting game scene is what it is today because a limited number of professionals like Mr. Umehara and Mr. Tokido at that time made the scene more exciting. I hope that I can help to make the fighting game scene more exciting in the future.

- UMA327 retired from the competitive scene after winning the "CAPCOM CUP X." What about you, Sho?

Sho: I will continue to play as long as I can stay in the competitive scene.

- What does the CAPCOM CUP mean to you?

Xiang: Well, it's hard to say, it's ・・・・・・. Personally, I think it is the biggest tournament and winning the CAPCOM CUP is everyone's goal. Moreover, I think it is everyone's goal to win the CAPCOM CUP! I am happy to win here (Ryogoku Kokugikan).