Red Bull Kumite 2023
An epic battle comes to South Africa
Summary
- 1Tokido – Japan
- 2JabhiM – South Africa
- 3Mister Crimson – France
- 4iDom – United States
- 5NL – South Korea
- 6Gachikun – Japan
- 7Problem X – United Kingdom
- 8Oil King – Taiwan
- 9Bonchan – Japan
- 10Big Bird – United Arab Emirates
- 11Zhen – China
- 12Leffen – Sweden
- 13Mono - Puerto Rico
- 14Akainu – France
- 15Angry Bird - United Arab Emirates
01
Tokido – Japan
Tokido
© Red Bull
Tokido is a living legend, one of the five Japanese Gods. For over 20 years he's been part of the Street Fighter elite. At the release of a new game, Tokido is always there, as evidenced by his domination at the beginning of the Street Fighter V era. After several second-places at Red Bull Kumite, Tokido is determined not to let victory escape him this time!
Career highlights include first place at EVO 2017 - Street Fighter V, EVO 2007 - Super Street Fighter IIX and TOUGEKI 2003 - Capcom vs. SNK 2
02
JabhiM – South Africa
JabhiM
© Red Bull
JabhiM is a symbol of an entire nation, the host country of Red Bull Kumite 2023. He's a four-time champion of Red Bull Hit The Streets and the first African player to reach the final stages of the Capcom Cup in 2023. With the arrival of Street Fighter 6, JabhiM intends to prove that the deck has been completely reshuffled in the world of fighting games, with Africa reigning supreme!
Career highlights include first place finishes at Red Bull Hit The Streets 2022 - Street Fighter V and CPT 2022 ONLINE: South Africa - Street Fighter V
03
Mister Crimson – France
Mister Crimson
© Red Bull
In 2016, Mister Crimson was the first winner of a major tournament in the Street Fighter V era (Cannes Winter Clash). Seven years later, he finished in style with the 2021-2023 seasons at the highest level, including victory at Red Bull Kumite London, Top 8 at EVO and Capcom Cup. Considered one of the best players in the world, he'll proudly represent France, the country where Red Bull Kumite was born.
Career highlights include first place at Red Bull Kumite London - Street Fighter V; fourth at Capcom Cup IX - Street Fighter V; and first at First Attack 2022 - Street Fighter V
04
iDom – United States
iDom
© Red Bull
iDom is considered by most players to be the best American player, and perhaps the best player in the world in the Street Fighter V era. Since 2019 and his victory at the Capcom Cup, which put him on the international stage, iDom has never faltered, chaining podiums in all prestigious competitions. He is simply the most consistent player of recent seasons.
Career highlights include first place at Capcom Cup 2019 - Street Fighter V; second at EVO 2022 - Street Fighter V; and third at Capcom Cup IX - Street Fighter V
05
NL – South Korea
NL
© Red Bull
After a solid start to his career on Street Fighter V, NL made his mark with a victory in 2018 at the American Combo Breaker tournament. A rain of first places in the CPT ONLINE in Asia followed and even a team victory at the Street Fighter League US 2022. After failing in the final at Red Bull Kumite Las Vegas, South Korea's best Street Fighter V player intends to take his revenge on Street Fighter 6.
Career highlights include first place at Combo Breaker 2018 - Street Fighter V; second at Red Bull Kumite Last Vegas - Street Fighter V; and first at CPT 2022 ONLINE: ASIA EAST - Street Fighter V
06
Gachikun – Japan
Gachikun
© Red Bull
Gachikun's international Street Fighter V career truly began at Red Bull Kumite 2017, where as a young underdog he surprised everyone by making it to the Grand Final against Nemo. From then on, nothing could stop the rising star of fighting games with the title of champion of the Capcom Cup 2018 and, this year, a victory in the biggest team tournament in the world: the Street Fighter League World Championship. Gachikun is in better shape than ever and hopes to establish his domination from the beginning of the Street Fighter 6 era.
Career highlights include first place at Street Fighter League World Championship 2022 - Street Fighter V; second at Red Bull Kumite 2017 - Street Fighter V; and first at Capcom Cup 2018 - Street Fighter V
07
Problem X – United Kingdom
Problem X
© Red Bull
The reigning Red Bull Kumite Champion will of course be in South Africa to fiercely defend his title! And the least we can say is that he has a good chance: Problem X is one of the few players to have won - in the Street Fighter V era - both EVO (2018) and Red Bull Kumite (Las Vegas, in 2021). Even better, in Las Vegas, Problem X won the victory with class by using characters like Alex or Honda, considered 'weak' in the game’s roster. Today, everyone is eagerly waiting to discover what exotic character and strategy the English player will be able to pull out in Street Fighter 6!
Career highlights include first place at Street Fighter League EU 2022; first at Street Fighter V Red Bull Kumite Las Vegas; and first at Street Fighter V EVO 2018
08
Oil King – Taiwan
Oil King
© Red Bull
After years with numerous Top 8 in major tournaments, Oil King is the player who won the last biggest Street Fighter V competition: EVO Japan in 2023. So for many, no matter what happened before, the player currently in the best shape on Street Fighter is him! But the Taiwanese star has especially carved out a reputation as an elite in tournaments in Asia. So Red Bull Kumite 2023 represents for Oil King the opportunity to prove, once and for all, that he is simply the best player in the world.
Career highlights include first place at EVO JAPAN 2023; second at Street Fighter League World Championship 2022; and first at Street Fighter V Thaiger Uppercut 2022
09
Bonchan – Japan
Bonchan
© Red Bull
Bonchan is a legend of Red Bull Kumite, as he won the very first edition of the event in Paris in 2015. At that time, it was still on Street Fighter IV and the world still remembers his magnificent final against his compatriot Tokido. Since then, Bonchan has confirmed his status by winning numerous tournaments in the Street Fighter V era, with notably an exceptional year in 2019 where he was invincible in the major events of the Capcom Pro Tour: first place at Versus Masters, CEO, VSFighting, Celtic Throwdown and, of course, the supreme coronation at EVO. The Red Bull Kumite audience loves Bonchan, and he returns the favour. So without a doubt, he will be there to reclaim his crown on Street Fighter 6!
Career highlights include first place at EVO 2019; first at Street Fighter V CEO 2019; and first at Street Fighter V Red Bull Kumite 2015 - Street Fighter IV
10
Big Bird – United Arab Emirates
Big Bird
© Red Bull
Big Bird began to make a name for himself at the end of the Street Fighter IV era, with a few podiums in international tournaments such as Cannes Winter Clash. Then it was the rise to power from the beginning of Street Fighter V in 2016, where he won the Last Chance Qualifier at Red Bull Kumite Paris, and then gave a breathtaking performance in the final tournament where he beat Alioune, Xian and GamerBee. And that was just the beginning: in 2019, he achieved an incredible second place at EVO before winning, on the same weekend, the Premier Event EGX (London) and the European finals of the Capcom Pro Tour – an achievement still unmatched to this day. The young prodigy and his formidable Ken are in the starting blocks for Street Fighter 6!
Career highlights include first place at CPT 2022 World Warrior: Middle East Final; first at Street Fighter V EGX 2019; and second at Street Fighter V EVO 2019 - Street Fighter V
11
Zhen – China
Zhen
© Red Bull
Every Red Bull Kumite needs its underdog, a player who will create a surprise by bringing down the tournament favourites from their pedestal. Without a doubt, Zhen will be that player, because he has already done it at the last Capcom Cup! Imagine: coming out as the clear winner of an ultra-difficult Last Chance Qualifier, he had made it to the Grand Final of the tournament by beating former EVO and Capcom Cup champions like Momochi, Kawano or iDom along the way! It was an unprecedented journey in the history of fighting games, and we can only wish him the same at Red Bull Kumite in South Africa!
Career highlights include second place at CAPCOM CUP IX - Street Fighter V; and first at CAPCOM CUP IX LCQ - Street Fighter V
12
Leffen – Sweden
Leffen
© Red Bull
Leffen is a legendary player of Super Smash Bros. Melee. Considered by many to be the best FOX player in the world, he notably won EVO 2018. However, Leffen is not just a Smash Bros player... upon the release of Dragon Ball FighterZ, he impressed the world by holding his own against the game’s god, Japanese player GO1. Then, he made the same impression upon the release of Guilty Gear Strive, successfully challenging the best fighters in the series. Today, Leffen has decided to devote himself to Street Fighter 6 and the pillars of Capcom's saga should tremble because the Swedish player is above all an outstanding competitor with unparalleled execution skills. At Red Bull Kumite, he comes to challenge Street Fighter’s Top Players on their own turf and thus enter history.
Career highlights include first place at EVO 2021 Online Europe - first at Guilty Gear Strive SUPER SMASH CON 2019 - Super Smash Bros. First at Melee EVO 2018 (1st) - Super Smash Bros. Melee
13
Mono - Puerto Rico
Mono
© Red Bull
Mono is a player who defies all logic and statistics. Usually, tournament organisers are not great competitors and those who win major competitions typically use the best characters in the game. And yet, Mono finds the time to organise the First Attack tournament, a jewel of the Puerto Rican community, and to win major tournaments like CEO in 2021. What's more, he achieved all this using F.A.N.G. – one of the characters considered "weak" in Street Fighter V. Mono is living proof that when you are driven by the flame of passion, no one can beat you!
Career highlights include fifth place at Twitch Rivals – Legacy Showdown – Street Fighter 6; first at CEO 2021 – Street Fighter V; and first place at Dreamhack San Diego 2023 – Street Fighter V.
14
Akainu – France
Akainu
© Red Bull
Akainu was already one of the best players in the European community on Street Fighter V, but on Street Fighter 6, he has become one of the best players in the world thanks to his use of Guile. He's already won numerous offline tournaments in Europe but is seen as one of the underdogs for Red Bull Kumite. However, many competitors will be afraid of him, because he's hungry for victory and his rise on Street Fighter 6 has only just begun.
Career highlights include first place at 95 Kings of Fields – Street Fighter 6; first place at Galaxian Explosion #2 – Street Fighter 6; and second place at EGX 2018 EU - Street Fighter V.
15
Angry Bird - United Arab Emirates
Angry Bird
© Red Bull
Alongside Big Bird, Angry Bird is the strongest player in the entire Middle East region and was one of the strongest players in the entire world at Street Fighter V. He won the Street Fighter League Pro-US two years in a row, in 2021 and 2022, and this year put in an impressive performance at the Capcom Cup IX. Since the release of Street Fighter 6, Angry Bird has carved out a reputation as one of the best players of the new game thanks to his use of Ken. Seemingly unstoppable, could he emerge as the winner at Red Bull Kumite? Fate will decide.
Career highlights include fifth place at Capcom Cup IX – Street Fighter V; first place at CPT 2022 in the Middle East – Street Fighter V; and first place at EGX 2018 EU - Street Fighter V.
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