Masato “Bonchan” Takahashi has won his first ever EVO Championship for Street Fighter V, beating Adel “Big Bird” Anouche. Bonchan has been having a standout year so far, placing first in three of the four events he has entered. Now, he will take home the title of the best Street Fighter V player in the world for himself and Red Bull Esports. The king is back on his throne.
He is your Street Fighter V – EVO 2019 Champion!
Bonchan @katitagaribon 🇯🇵#EVO2019 #EVOPS4 #CPT2019https://t.co/pRm0CRLp4y pic.twitter.com/OLEfmUblDj
— EVO (@EVO) August 4, 2019
OG Bonchan, the king of Sagat
Bonchan is one of the greats of the Street Fighter community and the FGC. He has been labeled as the King of Sagat in Japan due to his unbelievable use of the character. Watching him win is always a great feeling. He has given back to the community in so many impactful ways by training up young competitors to compete at the highest level. The year 2017 was one of the best for Bonchan, where he would go on to cement himself as the best Nash player in the world by winning Saigon Cup 2017, Battle Arena Melbourne 9, and The Colosseum 2017. The year 2018 wasn’t as great for Bonchan, but players and fans knew he would be back. It seems that Bonchan hit the training room hard, and it has shown with his performances this year. He has made his mentors in Tokido and Daigo proud over the years, but I am sure today will be something special.
For those who don’t know, the Evolution Championship Series — EVO — is the biggest fighting game tournament of the year. In 2019, it houses nine games on the main stage along with other titles as side events. EVO was founded in 1996 and has grown over the years, presenting some of the craziest matches we have ever seen in the FGC. This year has seen over 9,000 participants from across the globe come together to try and wear the crown for their game.
