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EVO 2025 has officially ended, and it was another unforgettable year for fighting game fans. Thousands of players from around the world came to Las Vegas, all with one dream to become the champion of the biggest fighting game tournament in the world.
From legendary veterans to breakout stars, only a few walked away with the prestigious EVO trophy. Here’s a full list of EVO 2025 winners and the characters they used to claim victory.
Street Fighter 6: MenaRD
Winner: Saul “MenaRD” Mena II
Character: Blanka
The Street Fighter 6 title went to MenaRD, who put on a flawless performance to defeat Kakeru 3-0 in the grand finals.
This is MenaRD’s second big win of 2025 after also winning EVO Japan earlier this year. Many expected a tough back-and-forth match, but MenaRD’s aggressive Blanka playstyle completely shut down the Capcom Cup 11 champion.
Tekken 8: Arslan Ash
Winner: Arslan “Arslan Ash” Siddique
Character: Anna & Nina
Arslan Ash proved once again why he’s one of the best Tekken players of all time. He defeated Atif “Atif Butt” Ijaz 3-1 in the grand finals reset, switching between Anna and Nina to secure the win.
After losing the first set 0-3 in an Anna mirror match, Arslan changed to Nina, adjusted his strategy, and came back with an incredible performance. This victory marks his sixth EVO title, further cementing his legendary status.
Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves: GO1
Winner: Goichi “GO1” Kishida
Character: Kain
GO1, known for his success in Dragon Ball FighterZ, proved his versatility by taking the Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves championship.
He faced Lin “E.T.” Chia-hung in a tense 3-2 grand finals reset. After surviving E.T.’s pressure-heavy Hokutomaru gameplay, GO1 used Kain’s Schwarze Flamme to close out the match and secure his first City of the Wolves EVO win.
Guilty Gear Strive: Kshuewhatdamoo
Winner: Kshuewhatdamoo
Character: Johnny
In a surprise-filled bracket, Kshuewhatdamoo claimed victory over RedDitto with a clean 3-0 in the grand finals reset.
RedDitto had swept the first match, but Kshuewhatdamoo adjusted quickly, using Johnny’s unpredictable mix-ups to dominate the reset and win his first EVO title.
Granblue Fantasy Versus Rising: Kojicoco
Winner: Mathieu “Kojicoco” Fardet
Character: Beatrix
After dropping to the lower bracket, Kojicoco fought his way back and defeated Brandon “Zane” Wanders 3-1 in the grand finals reset.
Using Beatrix’s clever anti-air tools and aggressive pressure, he overcame Zane’s Grimnir and captured his first-ever EVO championship.
Marvel vs. Capcom 2: Khaos
Winner: Ken “Khaos” Villalobos
Team: Sentinel, Storm, Cyclops
Khaos claimed the Marvel vs. Capcom 2 crown after an intense 3-2 battle with VIGGA in the grand finals.
Using the iconic Matrix team, Khaos dropped only three games throughout the entire top eight, proving his dominance in this year’s throwback tournament.
Under Night In-Birth 2 [Sys:celes]: Defiant
Winner: Defiant
Character: Hyde
Defiant once again proved his consistency in the Under Night series by defeating Izayah “BigBlack” Davis 3-2 in the grand finals reset.
After losing to BigBlack earlier in the top eight, Defiant climbed back through the lower bracket, switched to Londrekia in key rounds, and took revenge to win his first EVO title of the year.
Mortal Kombat 1: SonicFox
Winner: Dominique “SonicFox” McLean
Character: Cyrax
SonicFox added another EVO trophy to their already legendary career by defeating Nicolás “Nicolas” Martínez 3-2 in the Mortal Kombat 1 grand finals.
Using Cyrax’s bomb-heavy gameplay and mixing in Madame Bo assists, SonicFox forced Nicolas to switch to Baraka but even that wasn’t enough. With this win, SonicFox is now an eight-time EVO champion.
Also Read: GOAT: What Stu Ungar’s Triumphs Teach Us About Genius And Resilience
