The winner of Street Fighter 6 (hereafter SF6), which served as the grand finale of the fighting game festival EVO Japan 2024 held from Friday, April 27 to Monday, April 29, 2024, was Bandits MenaRD!
SF6 Decorates the Grand Finale of EVO Japan 2024
Prior to the matches, it was announced that the world championship CAPCOM CUP 11 would be held at the Ryogoku Kokugikan in Japan. Additionally, a gameplay trailer was released for Akuma, the fourth character of the Year 1 additional character lineup, which had been scheduled for implementation in spring 2024.
The venue's voltage reached its peak with the extremely flashy Shun Goku Satsu!
From here, the following six players (names are based on start.gg) who advanced to the EVO Japan 2024 finals from more than 5,000 entries will engage in the final fierce battle of EVO Japan 2024:
- Bandits MenaRD (hereafter MenaRD)
- FAV Ryukichi (hereafter Ryukichi)
- Nuckledujo Lexx (hereafter Lexx)
- VSPO Vxbao
- IBUSHIGIN Kakeru (hereafter Kakeru)
- VARREL moke
The top candidate to win was MenaRD.
In addition to winning official world championships such as Capcom Cup 2017 and Capcom Cup IX, his track record in Street Fighter 6 over the past year in particular has been outstanding.
Lexx was the one who faced MenaRD in the Winners Final.
MenaRD's Blanka dared to challenge a matchup that is said to be in Guile's favor.
MenaRD won with Blanka's attacks that exceeded even high defensive power.
The Losers Semi-Final was a showdown between Japanese players.
A breathtaking distance between masters.
If you show even a slightly wasted movement, you will be taken down in an instant.
The victory in the match that could be called the Japanese representative deciding match went to Kakeru.
The subsequent Losers Final was a match between Lexx and Kakeru.
Kakeru maintained a relaxed atmosphere, smiling and responding to the cheers of the audience even before the match, and won in straight sets!
He advanced to the Grand Final.
Both players stared each other down before the match.
Actually, the martial arts event RIZIN was being held in the same Ariake area on the same day, but this was not to be outdone.
Saiga NAKThey challenged the final battle with concentration heightened to the limit!
Saiga NAK
While there was also the option of Luke, MenaRD chose Blanka, who was on a roll.
Although he lost the first round, he took the first and second matches with Blanka's characteristic aggressive stance and reached match point.
Saiga NAKKakeru took an interval during the overwhelming development.
Cheers also rose from the venue.
Kakeru showed a different way of attacking at the end, but MenaRD's response was frighteningly perfect.
He continued to attack with his inherent offensive power until the end and brilliantly grasped the victory!
Saiga NAKMenaRD secured the victory by overwhelming top players in an away environment.
Saiga NAKIt was very impressive that he was actively providing fan service even outside of the EVO Japan 2024 matches.
Congratulations, MenaRD!
Saiga NAK"I know that this Japan is the place where Street Fighter and fighting games were born.
I may have been born in the Dominican Republic, but I believe 'MenaRD' was born in Japan.
This is because 'MenaRD' is Street Fighter itself.
Truly, 'Thank you very much.'"
(Translated from Japanese)
Saiga NAK(The following block quotes are translated from our original Japanese article.)
Q. Please tell us your feelings about your first EVO Japan victory.
MenaRD: I am happier than anything to have been able to win in Japan, the land where fighting game culture was born.
Q. There were various changes in SF6.
MenaRD: Of course the characters change, but more than that, I believe it is important to always maintain one's own mentality.
I think that being able to concentrate throughout the tournament was one of the factors that led to this victory.
Saiga NAKQ. Your movement in the Grand Final seemed to overwhelm Kakeru.
MenaRD: I have lost to Kakeru in Saudi Arabia (Gamers8) and Singapore (CAPCOM Pro Tour 2023 Offline Premier Singapore). He is a formidable opponent that I remember even when I go to sleep.
However, for EVO Japan 2024, I watched all of Kakeru's videos and practiced assuming a fight with him, so I was able to win.
Q. What were your impressions of the overall EVO Japan 2024, which became the largest scale ever?
MenaRD: I think the way SF6 is being accepted in Japan is truly a wonderful thing.
Since CAPCOM Pro Tour has not started, I was honestly wondering whether to participate, but since it became such a large tournament, I felt I had to enter, and every experience of these three days was impressive.
I have finally become a EVO champion.
EVO JAPAN 2024 CHAMPION.
Thank you God, thank you @banditsgaming_ , thank you FGC.
ありがとうございます pic.twitter.com/bH62vtQQeS
— WBG MenaRD🇩🇴(最強) (@_MenaRD__) April 29, 2024
