EVO 2019 Grand Finals Recap

The Evolution Championship Series (EVO) was just this past weekend, and it was an absolute wild ride for fans and competitors alike. We here at G FUEL want to give you recaps of all the top games’ Grand Finals. While the build-up to all these games were phenomenal, the Grand Final match-ups were some of the best action around. 

EVO prize pool amounts are assigned based on how many people enter each tournament. $10 from each participant's entry fee is put into the pool and split eight ways (60/20/10/4/2/2/1/1). For example, the prize pool for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate at EVO 2019 is $35,300, with first place walking away with $21,180. 

Not only the prize money but the coveted title of EVO Champion is something all of these players worked so hard for. There were some major upsets as well as earned victories. No matter who came out on top, all of these players really put in their all!

The final placements for the top eight players and a video of the final matchup can be seen below each title.

Soul Calibur VI

Bluegod versus Yuttoto

Yuttoto defeated Losers Bracket winner Bluegod in the Grand Final, but it did not come easy. 

Bluegod won the first match 3-1, forcing an amazing bracket reset and a second, winner-takes-all match. The Japanese player then clutched up in the 3rd round after springing off a super move with Voldo that really sent Bluegod into a tizzy. 

To be fair, Bluegod had Yuttoto down to one hit before he had to pop that super. Yuttoto came out winning 3-1 and secured the tournament victory. 

The final placements for the top eight players and a video of the final matchup can be seen below.

 

Top 8 final placements:

1. BNE Yuttoto
2. Bluegod
3. Oplon Skyll
4. Woahhzz
5. PG Shen Chan
5. Tamonegi
7. DF Saiyne
7. ORANGE KAYANE

 

Under Night In-Birth Exe:Late[st]

Oushuu-hittou versus Clearlamp_o

EVO 2019 was the first time that a lot of people got to watch Under Night In-Birth EXE: Late[st].

This one was such an “edge of your seat” action that if you blinked, you missed it. This matchup featured a lot of momentum shifts, with Oushuu-hittou finding ground and making the most of his chances against Clearlamp_o, who sat on the winners side of the bracket. 

Still, Clearlamp_o's control with Byakuya outpaced Oushuu-hittou's Seth 3-1, giving him the Evo 2019 win.

 

Top 8 final placements:

1. Clearlamp_o
2. Oushuu-hittou
3. hishigata
4. くれ
5. Neji
5. Rikir
7. Senaru
7. Libekichi

Samurai Shodown

Kazunoko versus Infiltration

Before EVO, many spectators and players dreaded the overpowering nature of Genguro and the idea of the finals being littered with the character. Thankfully, the top eight showcased a strong mix of play styles and character variety. 

Lee "Infiltration" Seon-woo came back from the loser's bracket with Genguro to take EVO 2019. In the grand finals, he reset Ryoto "Kazunoko" Inoue's Haohmaru, 3-0 using a mix of counters and brute force. 

He won again 3-1 in the second set. It was a site to see Infiltration just make a run through Kazunoko like that. It was a huge upset but the underdog story that everyone loves.

 

Top 8 final placements:

1. Infiltration
2. Kazunoko
3. JWong
4. Reynald
5. CaliPower
5. RB
7. Didimokof
7. ZJZ

Dragon Ball FighterZ

GO1 versus SonicFox

The theme of the top eight was defense and familiarity. There was a nice mix of different team combinations. However, many were using the newcomer GT Kid Goku in their mix, and it was integral to have the right answers for every incoming threat. 

SonicFox seemed to plow through,was up 2-0, and looked poised to reset the bracket, but GO1 refused to let that happen. 

After making some crucial adjustments in his approach, GO1 won games three and four. This sent the Grand Finals to a final game. 

Previously, the games had been a matter of slight edges. However, a few dropped combos by SonicFox that led, finally, to a wasted Level 1 Sparking proved pivotal in GO1's victory in the final game. 

 

Top 8 final placements:

1. Go1
2. SonicFox
3. Fenritti
4. Shanks
5. B
5. hirohiro
7. NyChrisG
7. Kazunoko

 

Mortal Kombat 11

SonicFox versus Dragon

After coming in Second in Dragon Ball FighterZ,  Dominique "SonicFox" McLean continued his one-of-kind resume and legacy, and proved that he is undoubtedly the greatest fighting game player of all time. 

He took this latest championship over beastcoast's Ryan "Dragon" Walker in a rematch of winner's finals. Sonicfox honed in on all of the factors that would destroy Dragon: the reads, the pristine blocks, and a ground game so tight that he jumped a total of two times! 

This is how SonicFox took the game to a 3-0 victory. That’s not to say Dragon didn’t win once or twice in the run. Just never a full match. The Grand Finals for Mortal Kombat 11 was 10 minutes. It was astounding to say the least.

 

Top 8 final placements:

1. SonicFox
2. Dragon
3. Tekken Master
4. Deoxys
5. A F0xy Grampa
5. Tweedy
7. Hayatei
7. Semiij

Read more:

Here Are The 11 Best Mortal Kombat Games Ranked

16 Best Mortal Kombat 11 Combos And Variations (And How To Perform Them)

All Mortal Kombat 11 Fatalities For All 37 Characters (And How To Perform Them)

15 Best Mortal Kombat 11 Characters To Annihilate Your Enemies

BlazeBlue: Cross Tag Battle

Shinku versus Kyamei

With only 646 players entered, BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle had the lowest number of players at EVO. However, it was not any less entertaining to watch.

Oscar "Shinku" Jaimes gave up a bracket reset to Kamei "Kyamei" Hiroyuki. But after some logical thinking, he started more on his defense and combos. The result: he came back to win 3-0 in the next bracket to take the Grand Finals.

This matchup, although super fast-paced, was like a chess match. Shinku's slow and methodical style clashed with the aggression of his opponents and it cinched his win in the end.

The key to Shinku's tournament victory was not choosing a weird gimmick character, aggression, or matchup knowledge. It was his patience and defensive tendencies that frustrated the prototype top-tier aggression players like Kyamei.

Watch this clip, and you’ll see what we’re talking about:

 

Top 8 final placements:

1. Shinku
2. Kyamei
3. Domi
4. mekasue
5. bace
5. Fenritti
7. kojiKOG
7. Jona

 

Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition

Big Bird versus Bonchan

Street Fighter V was the game that brought in the second highest number of participants to EVO 2019 with 1,952 players registered.

Bonchan was a single-player dominate, which means he didn’t lose once through his entire playthrough. This was another match up (like with SonicFox in MK11) where a player dominated his opponent.

Bonchan prevented a grand final reset from a NASR's Adel "Big Bird" Anouche and won with his impressive Karin, 3-2. It must be seen to be believed.

 

Top 8 final placements:

1. Bonchan
2. Big Bird
3. Infexious
4. Fujimura
5. Machabo
5. iDom
7. Kichipa-mu
7. YANGMIAN

Tekken 7

Arslan Ash versus Knee

Pakistani player Arslan 'Arslan Ash' Siddique --- who was the surprise winner of the Tekken tournament at EVO Japan 2019 in February --- accomplished the same feat in Las Vegas.

The grand finals were the match that many wanted! This was a battle between the two best players in Tekken 7. However, despite Knee's attempts to change up the momentum with his bag of characters, Arslan Ash forced the tempo and out-matched Knee. 

Knee did give him a run for his money, but when he was down 2-1, Knee changed his character from Kazuya to Devil Jin. Arslan Ash was still able to take him down after a long back and forth. 

With this win, Arslan Ash became the first player to win both EVOs in the same game in one year. He even got down and prayed after his win. It was an amazingly emotional win for him.

 

Top 8 final placements:

1. Arslan Ash
2. Knee
3. Anakin
4. TAKE
5. NOROMA
5. NOBI
7. LowHigh
7. chikurin

 

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

MkLeo versus Tweek

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate made its first-ever debut at EVO 2019 (which Melee fans are still salty about) and was the most populated tournament of the weekend. Not only that but it also closed out the event.

MkLeo and Tweek battled through 3,528 other entrants to reach the grand finals. MkLeo had to fight his way through the losers top 8 bracket to reach the Grand Final. In Leo’s first matchup with Tweek, he defeated him and his Pokemon Trainer after a nail-biting reset and a 3-2 win.

After all that work to reach where he did, Echo Fox's Leonardo "MkLeo" Perez took down TSM's Gavin "Tweek" Dempsey after a mistimed spike. Although MkLeo had been in a dominating 3-0 second set, he still cemented himself as the world's best Super Smash Bros. Ultimate player.

 

Top 8 final placements:

1. MkLeo
2. Tweek
3. Glutonny
4. Samsora
5. ProtoBanham
5. Raito
7. zackray
7. Light

There you have it folks. A quick recap of the nine biggest games in EVO 2019! 

What was your favorite moment? 

Tell us in the comments below!

 

Top image via ShackNews

This article was written by John D. AKA SomeBeardy2Love. John has been gaming for 30 years, has a bowtie tattoo, thinks he’s hilarious on Twitter, and watches nothing but Bob’s Burgers. He’s on a mostly weekly podcast and has a sponsored beard.