When it comes to tournaments, very few can compare with Evolution in terms of scale and overall skill level, but the folks at Community Effort Orlando have grown so tremendously over the past few years that it’s hard to argue their event isn’t a close second. And with the additional impetus of an automatic Capcom Cup qualification looming over the Ultra Street Fighter IV bracket, the amount of talent on display in Florida this weekend was nearly unprecedented.
That’s why, when word both Mad Catz’ Daigo Umehara and Momochi of Team Evil Geniuses had been eliminated soon after the top 32 began, it wasn’t a huge shocker after the initial, “Whaaat?!” moment. Though arguably two of the strongest Street Fighter players in the world, the aforementioned level of competition meant anything could happen in the losers bracket, and these two powerhouses came up against stiff resistance in China’s Xiaohai (representing Qanba and Douyu) and CORN|alucarD, an American player who has risen to prominence recently with his outstanding Hugo play.
While tournaments of this magnitude no doubt benefit from their huge international presence, there’s also a downside, especially if you weren’t able to be there in person: some of the best sets won’t make it to a streaming station. As the news about these matches popped up on Twitter, some could only imagine what went down with no footage readily available.
Fortunately, we don’t have to rely on our imaginations any longer.
Pacific Northwest group Khaos Gaming recently uploaded direct feed footage of these incredible matchups, allowing those of us stuck at home to experience just how Xiaohai and alucarD–who, don’t get me wrong, are two amazing players in their own right–were able to fell Daigo and Momochi. We’ve included both of their videos below, so if you weren’t able to visit Florida this year, check them out!
Source: Khaos Gaming