Gaming
After winning EVO in front of hundreds of thousands of viewers, Salem became one of the biggest stars in the scene – we caught up with him to find out how life has changed.
When it was announced that Smash 4 had unseated Melee as the penultimate game at EVO this year a lot of people expected the pro players to really put on a show. Then when it was announced just days before the event that the Smash 4 finals would be broadcast on TV channel Disney XD, the stakes rose even more. The players knew hundreds of thousands, if not millions, would be watching and they needed to prove they were the best.
Of course, when you go all in, you go bust, sometimes. Some of the biggest names in Smash 4 fell incredibly early in the competition. MkLeo went out in 65th place, Ally was out in 49th, ANTi was out in 25th and Mr.R in 17th. Even the Japanese star Abadango missed out on the top eight.
So when Saleem 'Salem' Akiel Young managed to fight his way to the top eight, after having a bit of a rough time in Smash 4, he knew he had a life-changing opportunity. A win on this stage and he would instantly become the biggest name in the game.
He delivered. After one of the most incredible finals ever – where almost every round went down to the last stock with some massive percentages – Salem stood on top of the podium as EVO champion for 2017. He had achieved what almost every Smasher dreams of doing, and he had done it with long odds. To find out how he did it, and how he managed to get this far, we caught up with him after a lengthy run of tournaments following his big Evo win.
Back in the day you were quite the successful Brawl player. How did you find the transition to Smash 4?
Salem: It was kind of awkward at the time, considering I didn't have a Wii U yet and 3DS Smash Bros was a bit odd controls-wise. The implementation of custom moves at the time was very interesting though and I loved it. I was lucky to be invited to Sky William's Smash Wii U invitational, I think that helped me out a lot in the long run. Almost all the top Brawl players were there and we all practiced together. Later on, I started better understanding the state of the metagame, though there were game patches so it was hard to fully follow, but I made it out and transitioned okay.
Why did you choose to main Bayonetta?
There's a bit of a story to this. I chose to main her because I use to watch my older brother play the original Bayonetta game a lot – he let me play it like once and I fell in love with the game. I was young at the time and the looks and graphics of the game with its blood and gore kinda scared me. I didn't get to play Bayonetta 2 until much farther in the future though, but that character was so very iconic to me, so much that I voted for her in the Smash 4 character ballot. I didn't think she would make it in, but to my surprise she did. I watched her trailer so many times and fell in love with it over and over again, her design is so perfect. A character I voted for actually made it in, so very surprising and a moment I can't forget. Later on I eventually bought the bundle for both Bayonetta games on the Wii U and I’ve beat them both several times, I love Bayonetta so much! She's pretty much my character and is just fitting for me to main her.
Heading into EVO, did you think you would win it? Were there any opponents you were worried about facing?
I didn't think I'd win it, but there wasn't anyone I was worried about. I was prepared to fight anyone.
What was it like playing in the top eight, on that massive stage with thousands of people watching? Did that impact you while playing?
Actually, it had zero impact. The lights however, kinda did. It was so bright and everything was shiny. I'll have to remember to bring shades next time!
That first winners’ bracket game against Larry Lurr where he sent you to the losers’ bracket, what went wrong for you?
I kinda was playing weird and was slowly adapting to his style, but I flubbed here and there, forgetting what could be punishable and whatnot.
Did you change the way you play when you then faced him again in the losers’ final?
I definitely did, I was fully prepared that time. I couldn't have many room for errors at that point either, I was in losers and had to play my best, especially getting this far.
When you were getting ready for the final, with ZeRo next to you on stage, what were you thinking?
I was thinking this is it, whatever happens happens, I wanted to reach him in bracket somehow and some way. He's my most favourite player to fight in tournaments.
What was going through your mind during that match? It was incredibly close, so did you always think you had it in the bag?
There was many emotions during those matches. I remembered all the people I had to go through to get here, I remembered Tweek wearing CaptainZack's jersey and having beat him made me sad, I almost cried when I hugged him. But being in losers in the first place made me mad and getting all the way there to face ZeRo made me happy, all those emotions and types of thoughts went through my head, my gameplay wasn't emotionless that time, it was full of emotion.
I wish and want to go on a run like ZeRo did.
What was that winning moment like for you?
I felt like I almost had a heart attack really! I did everything I could and used every ounce of my power to win. Those mixed emotions I had stayed, but they felt so wonderful, it all felt like a dream, but it was real and I loved every bit of it.
A week later you go and win DreamHack – how different was that event compared to EVO?
Quite different! I encountered Tweek on the winners’ side of the bracket – there he's really strong when fighting me. In the grand finals was Void, a very tough player to fight as he’s considered the Bayonetta slayer. He almost completely 3-0'd me in the final but I brought it back and won the tournament. That was also a tournament I wanted to win very badly!
That’s two major event wins in a row now; does this mean that we are about to enter the Salem era where you go on a dominating run like ZeRo a few years back?
No! I wish and want that, but I still have ways to go. I want to be the best player in the world and I have to keep practicing for a while before that can happen.
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