This past Saturday, New York City and Nashville’s fighting game communities turned out in full force for Red Bull Conquest, the newest fighting game circuit hosted by Red Bull. As the home to some of the most respected fighting game players in the country, it is no surprise that both tournaments were packed with fierce competitors and filled with thrilling matches that only New York City and Nashville’s finest players could bring.
The Big Apple did not disappoint and delivered numerous nail-biting matches during the finals. Punk ultimately reigned supreme and won the Street Fighter Arcade Edition bracket, while fightinggm successfully beat out tight competition in TEKKEN 7. LostSoul showcased his incredible skills and won the Guilty Gear Xrd REV 2 bracket. In Nashville, RobTV fought his way to the top in Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition, while Lil Majin showed no mercy and emerged as the TEKKEN 7 champion. Lastly, bafojig won Nashville’s Guilty Gear Xrd REV 2 bracket.
Later this year, the top three winners from New York City and Nashville will represent their respective cities against the top fighting game players in the country at the National Finals in Washington, D.C. this November.
What happened in New York City…
Punk, a leading Echo Fox fighting game competitor, dominated the Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition bracket and beat out iDom during the finals, after a bracket reset, with a 3-1 win. The competition proved to be no match for Punk as he set the pace of the match and iDom couldn’t keep up. Despite originally being from Philadelphia, Punk was enthusiastic about his win and is excited to represent New York City at the National Finals.
In what was one of the closest matches of the day, New York City’s own fightinggm proved his abilities in TEKKEN 7 and narrowly defeated fan-favorite fighter Victim_of_Ritual from Maryland. Despite an initial two point lead by Victim_of_Ritual, fightinggm came back strong and managed a 3-2 win. Upon his victory, fightinggm was humbled by the win and noted he is looking forward to representing New York City in the National Finals later this year.
Guilty Gear Xrd REV 2 provided some of the most entertaining matches of the day with LostSoul, a dominant threat in the Guilty Gear fighting game scene, securing a flawless 3-0 win against competitor JDLWR. Sponsored by top esport athlete, Justin Wong, LostSoul was the favorite to win and has quickly cemented his place in the community. Now, LostSoul will see if he can keep the momentum going at the National Finals this November.
What happened in Nashville…
Ohio-native RobTV pulled the biggest surprise in Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition and was undefeated throughout the entire tournament. Having previously lost during the grand finals at the Chicago qualifier in April, RobTV returned determined to win and is now ready to make a name for himself at the National Finals in November.
In the TEKKEN 7 brackets, fans were held at the edge of their seats as a close match between Lil Majin and Velocity took place. Lil Majin versed Velocity in the final 8 bracket and in the grand finals, coming out victorious in both. Lil Majin is currently riding a wave of victory, most recently having placed 4th at CEO in Orlando.
In Guilty Gear Xrd REV2, bafojig earned his place among the trio headed to DC next year. Following a thrilling round of matches, bafojig remained undefeated throughout the tournament. A native of Atlanta and a Kennesaw State University Graduate, bafojig took the finals 3-1 against Kimjongphil.
What’s next…
After impressive showings in Chicago, Seattle, Los Angeles, New York and Nashville, only 10 more qualifiers remain before the National Finals in Washington, D.C. this fall. Up next, Red Bull Conquest has its sights set on Dallas and St. Paul as it holds qualifiers in those cities on Saturday, July 14. The full schedule can be found at www.RedBullConquest.com and all events can be streamed at www.twitch.tv/redbullesports.
