Tekken savant Arslan Ash has been stirring the pot together with his feedback relating to the present state of the sport’s character stability, putting a nerve with fellow professional Knee in an surprising rivalry.
The controversy flared up a few weeks earlier than Evo 2025. Korean Tekken participant Knee has been on a tear defending Bryan, a personality largely thought-about by many locally to be among the best within the recreation proper now, and with whom he received Evo Japan earlier this 12 months.Article continues after advert
Others within the scene — together with five-time Evo champion Arslan Ash, specifically — aren’t pleased with how blatantly top-tier Bryan is at current. Whereas the dialog has been simmering for a sizzling minute, issues escalated when Arslan uploaded a video of different professional gamers agreeing with him that Bryan is high three within the present meta.
Made a video of high gamers agreeing Bryan is high 3.However don’t fear, one man mentioned we’re all mistaken as a result of we don’t essential him. 😂We should be a chef to know the meals is unhealthy 😭 pic.twitter.com/95CxvQNAQg— Twis | Arslan Ash (@ArslanAsh95) July 25, 2025
Knee was fast to hit again, suggesting a first-to-ten set towards Ash, whereby Ash would play Bryan, whereas he would use Nina. “The reality is, you simply can’t play Bryan. You may’t deal with him. That’s why you’re busy taking part in politics, asking for nerfs,” Knee boasted.Article continues after adArticle continues after advert
Ash agreed, setting a date for someday in 2026 for a doable “Korea vs Pakistan” occasion. Knee, nevertheless, accused Ash of ducking him by planning a date to this point sooner or later somewhat than operating the set at Evo. That’s when Justin Wong stepped in, asking: “How a lot do you suppose it could take to make Knee vs Arslan occur?”
Why didn’t you follow if you had been shouting “TOP2” and “TOP3”? By your logic, if he’s OP or TOP2, why would it’s essential to follow till subsequent 12 months? His efficiency ought to present, no want follow very long time proper? Saying “let’s do it subsequent 12 months” simply sounds such as you’re operating away… https://t.co/ng6kKREL0N— DRX｜KNEE (@holyknee) July 25, 2025
Arslan set the value at $20K — however when Justin requested to verify the “winner takes all” cash match, Arslan challenged him to fund it, prompting one other spherical of confusion and criticism from the neighborhood.Article continues after advert
You tweeted it, now you fund it 😎💸— Twis | Arslan Ash (@ArslanAsh95) July 28, 2025
With that setup out of the way in which, right here’s what Arslan needed to say concerning the ongoing beef.
Arslan addresses his viral ‘Bryan high 3’ debate with Knee
So far, no official FT10 has been arrange between the 2 gamers, and their feud continues to simmer simply beneath the floor as Evo will get underway. We bought the possibility to ask Arslan concerning the dialogue and the way he feels concerning the combating recreation neighborhood’s response to it.Article continues after advert
“ For me, I don’t downplay my character,” he advised us. “If I’m taking part in Anna proper now, I’ll all the time say that she’s top-tier, and that’s why I’m taking part in her. However the Bryan mains, they’re like… loopy.Article continues after advert
“So you will have me, and I’ve a superb variety of followers. After which you will have Knee, and he additionally has a superb quantity of followers. So if I say one thing towards his character or towards him, all of his viewers will begin saying unhealthy issues about me. If I say Bryan’s top-tier, I believe [Knee] likes to downplay. I don’t know what the reason being.
“We’re allowed to say something we would like, proper? In the event you suppose I don’t like apples, as an illustration — yeah, that’s advantageous. If I say Bryan is top-tier, that ought to be advantageous. You can not say, ‘No, you need to play this character to say in the event that they’re top-tier or not.’ It’s the identical factor that I mentioned on Twitter: You don’t should be a chef to say the meals is unhealthy. You may see that the character is damaged. That character received Evo Japan. [Knee] thinks I’m doing politics, that I’m getting his character nerfed by posting so much, however that character ought to get nerfed an increasing number of.”Article continues after adArticle continues after advert
Purple Bull Content material Pool: Kena KrutsingerArslan Ash competed towards Knee at Combo Breaker earlier this 12 months – now, the 2 are going through off on-line over Tekken 8’s character stability.
Regardless of the meat, Arslan has no real-life feud together with his fellow combating recreation participant. He merely feels that they every have completely different opinions of the sport, saying it isn’t one thing that impacts their relationship in the actual world.
“I like him as an individual,” he mentioned. “However relating to the sport, relating to Tekken, we’ve completely different opinions. However he’s very nice. Every time I meet him, we speak so much concerning the recreation and different issues, however our mentality has all the time been completely different concerning the character decisions or no matter in Tekken.”Article continues after advert
Arslan Ash desires Tekken 8 devs to hurry up stability patches
It’s protected to say that Arslan has beef with the velocity of Tekken’s stability patches, although. The sport’s improvement crew has been clear about delaying these patches to keep away from impacting main tournaments like Evo — and whereas he’s understanding of this, Arslan thinks Bandai may nonetheless meet opponents midway.
“ I’m not a developer, however I really feel like when you have a really massive franchise like Tekken, you must have a much bigger crew balancing the entire thing,” he argued. “I believe it shouldn’t take an excessive amount of time so that you can stability.Article continues after adArticle continues after advert
“The sport goes in the correct course. Each patch is getting higher and higher, however they’ll make it quicker. As a competitor, it’s our responsibility to study and adapt. However in addition they can’t introduce a much bigger patch simply two weeks earlier than an enormous event, so it kinda is smart, however they’ll do it quicker, proper?”
For now, the FGC is ready with bated breath for the final word fruits of Arslan and Knee’s feud — nevertheless it’s anybody’s guess as as to if or not they’ll truly run the set to find out whether or not or not Bryan is really as top-tier as he’s made out to be.Article continues after advert
