Esports
The fighting-game GOAT will be on home soil when Kumite comes to Japan later this year. And he won't be short of old foes.
The Beast is back. That's right, Daigo 'The Beast' Umehara is returning to Red Bull Kumite, and he'll be looking to prove exactly why he's undisputed king of Street Fighter tournament when the event comes to Japan on December 22.
Having placed third at Red Bull Kumite 2018 and fourth in the 2017 edition, it's fair to say the record-breaking serial winner will have unfinished business at the event, and he won't be short of old foes.
The Beast will also be joined at Red Bull Kumite 2019 by UK mastermind Infexious, who defeated him two years ago at the event, and mystery man YHC-Mochi, who Daigo famously once said he "wouldn't want to meet in a tournament".
Here's what you need to know about the latest names on the Kumite roster:
Daigo 'The Beast' Umehara
- Country: Japan
- Age: 38
- Real name: 梅原 大吾
- Title for RBK: The Beast
- Character: Guile
Daigo is considered to be the best Street Fighter player of all time. He was the very first Japanese pro gamer and he’s conquered so many tournaments on so many different games that it's become increasingly difficult to keep count of them. The 38-year-old has been playing fighting games since the early Street Fighter 2 days back in 1991, participating in his first tournament in 1995 and emerging victorious during his second one in 1997. In 1998, at only 18 years old, he flew for the first time to the United States to challenge the then-American-champion Alex Valle. Daigo won again, thus sparking a major rivalry between the USA and Japan in fighting games.
But what definitively cemented his legend is the famous 'EVO Moment 37', in 2004: while he was down to a sliver of health, Daigo managed to parry 15 consecutive rapid hits from his opponent Justin Wong, playing as Chun Li, before delivering a KO to his stunned opponent. The feat went down in history as the first viral fighting game esport moment ever. In the 2010s, the rise of streaming and fighting games allowed a broader public to discover Daigo and witness his skill, elevating him to star status.
Humble by nature and a fierce player, Daigo is a true martial artist of the electronic age, a real life incarnation of Street Fighter’s protagonist Ryu who seeks truth in the heart of battle.
DC 'Infexious' Coleman
- Country: United Kingdom
- Age: 22
- Real name: DC Coleman
- Title for RBK: The Brain
- Character: Zeku
If Europe were a game, the UK's DC 'Infexious' Coleman would be its secret boss. Ever since the Street Fighter 4 days, the Manchester-born player has been described by his peers as the most frightening player you could meet on the continent. He's said to be a strong theoretician, a fierce tactician and above all, a stubborn opponent. If he has a game plan in mind, he will attempt to execute it until the opponent snaps and falls for it. His steadiness and talent allowed him to place third at EVO this year and third at Red Bull Kumite 2017 where he eliminated Daigo Umehara. On his day, he's simply unbeatable.
While his stone-cold face, deep voice and stoic attitude give him the air of a final-stage boss, he's actually a really sweet and caring soul. Formerly a lawyer in London, after a career crisis he went back to his hometown of Manchester where he felt the need to give back to the community. It should also be no surprise, considering he enjoys getting lost in puzzles and probabilities, that he's since gone on to become a mathematics teacher.
As an acknowledgement of his inspiring journey, Infexious was recruited to Daigo’s Cygames Beast Team last year.
YHC-Mochi
- Country: Japan
- Age: 40
- Real name: Unknown
- Title for RBK: Shimane's Final Boss
- Character: Dhalsim
YHC-Mochi is the most elusive player at this year’s Red Bull Kumite. His real name is unknown and the western public will have barely heard of him, given how he never travels outside Asia. Even outside of the Tokyo scene he still remains a mystery for a lot of Japanese players. What is certain however is that YHC-Mochi is the strongest Dhalsim player in the world. To the inexperienced viewer, Dhalsim might seem like a defensive character, playing from a long, relatively safe range. However, YHC-Mochi is a very aggressive foe, known not only for managing space but also for his violent comebacks.
Living in Shimane prefecture, by the sea north-west of Tokyo, he's been a constant online threat for the last 10 years, often ranked at the very top of the leaderboard. It was during the Street Fighter 4 era that Daigo Umehara said about him that “he's the Japanese player I wouldn’t want to meet in a tournament”. Unfortunately for Daigo, Shimane’s final boss adapted perfectly to Street Fighter 5 and it’s his time to shine.
