Xiaohai, Yamaguchi, iKARi Triumph at EVO Japan

Competitors from across the world converged at Tokyo Big Sight for EVO Japan, a premier stop on the Road to EWC, where qualification for Riyadh was on the line and rivalries took shape across multiple fighting game titles.

As one of the largest fighting game events of the year, EVO Japan drew more than 7,000 players over three days of competition, delivering high-stakes action across stacked brackets as established champions and rising contenders battled for titles, momentum, and direct pathways to the Esports World Cup.

From Riyadh to Tokyo

In Street Fighter 6, Japan’s Eisuke Yamaguchi delivered a breakout performance, winning over $25,000 after an impressive run through a bracket of thousands of players. His path to the title included victories over Lin "Hope" Jun-xi and Kojiro Higuchi before closing out the tournament with a 3-1 win over Victor “Punk” Woodley in the grand final.

In TEKKEN 8, South Korea’s Kim “iKARi” Min-kyu claimed over $15,000 with a composed run through a stacked field, defeating two-time Esports World Cup champion Lim "Ulsan" Soo-hoon and Hafiz Tanveer en route to a grand final clash with Bae "Knee" Jae-min. After being pushed to a bracket reset, iKARi adapted and secured a 3-1 victory, securing a victory from the jaws of defeat.

In FATAL FURY: City of the Wolves, multi-title Esports World Cup champion Zeng “Xiao Hai” Zhuojun continued his run of dominance, capturing another international trophy and reinforcing his position as one of the most consistent forces in fighting games.

Road to EWC

Yamaguchi and Punk both secured berths at the Esports World Cup after reaching the Street Fighter 6 grand final at EVO Japan. In TEKKEN 8, the top four finishers, iKARi, Knee, Hafiz Tanveer, and Alexandre “AK” Laverez, also locked in their tickets to Paris with strong performances in Tokyo.

Xiao Hai earned another berth with his victory in FATAL FURY: City of the Wolves. With several top finishers already qualified for EWC 2025, additional spots were awarded to Lee “Poongko” Chung-gon, Christopher “NYChrisG” Gonzalez, and Naoki “Nemo” Nemoto.