Picture Credit score: WSOLogan / X.
In the event you ever end up lined up in opposition to Saul Leonardo “MenaRD” Mena II in Avenue Fighter 6, do your self a favor and convey a spare pair of thumbs. The Dominican Republic’s absolute powerhouse simply rolled into Las Vegas for EVO 2026 and basically rewrote the historical past books, proving that attempting to take his crown is a incredible method to get your emotions damage.
Dealing with down a large discipline of two,416 hungry gamers on the Las Vegas Conference Heart, MenaRD walked out as a back-to-back EVO champion. He did it with a mix of swagger, character swaps, and a inexperienced, electrocuting beast that nightmares are manufactured from.
Chaos within the Bracket
Whereas previous heavy hitters like EVO Japan champion Yamaguchi went MIA throughout the closing bracket run, MenaRD appeared like he was simply having fun with an off-the-cuff Sunday stroll. That was till he bumped into Shigematsu, a younger Japanese phenom who clearly didn’t get the memo that MenaRD was presupposed to win simply.
MenaRD got here out swinging with M. Bison, however Shigematsu refused to again down, matching him blow for blow till the rating learn a sweaty 2-2. MenaRD needed to swap over to his signature Blanka to clutch out the ultimate recreation, incomes his spot within the higher bracket closing.
From there, he completely dismantled France’s Kilzyou with a cruel 3-0 Blanka masterclass, treating the semi-finals like a warm-up routine.
A Wild Blanka Mirror Seems
You must respect Shigematsu. After being kicked all the way down to the decrease bracket, the child went on an absolute tear, flattening everybody in his path to arrange a Grand Finals rematch.
MenaRD determined to get a bit experimental to kick off the ultimate showdown, opting to begin with M. Bison once more. It was a daring technique, and it practically blew up in his face. Shigematsu absorbed every little thing MenaRD realized from their first set and went full autopilot-destroyer mode, taking three straight video games and resetting the bracket. For a fast second, the champ appeared human.
Then got here the ultimate set, and MenaRD determined playtime was formally over. He introduced again the Blanka, and Shigematsu met him with a Blanka of his personal. We received a grand closing Blanka mirror match for the primary time in EVO historical past.
Historical past Has a Favourite Colour
In the event you play Blanka in opposition to the grasp of Blanka, you’re taking part in with fireplace. MenaRD placed on an absolute clinic underneath the intense Vegas lights. The stress was sky-high, however that’s precisely the place the Strongest Bull thrives. He learn Shigematsu like a youngsters’s e-book, dropping a flawless 3-0 sweep to lock down his fourth general EVO title.
When requested concerning the historic back-to-back achievement afterward, a humbled MenaRD credited his group and the group round him (one thing he does very often). He stays the undisputed king of the hill, and till somebody figures out easy methods to tame the bull, the remainder of the FGC is simply taking part in for second place.
