One of the most anticipated showmatches in the history of FGC has wrapped up, and Street Fighter 6 fans have mixed feelings about the outcome.
Evo Japan presented the Legends LIVE showmatch for fighting game fans, pitting veteran Street Fighter pro Daigo Umehara against top Street Fighter 6 player Saul Leonardo “MenaRD” Mena II. This has been a long time coming, with MenaRD respectfully asking Daigo to face him in a first-to-10 sometime.
Last year, he tweeted: “It would be the greatest honor of my career if I had the opportunity to fight you in a first-to-10.”
Daigo agreed. Since then, the FGC has been wondering how this would go down. Daigo, known as The Beast, is 44 years old. This is ancient in esports years. He is a legendary Street Fighter player, although he has never really been dominant in the newest iteration of the game. MenaRD is one of the top SF6 players, winning multiple Capcom Cup championships.
The two finally faced off on April 29th.
MenaRD Wins Legends LIVE Showmatch, But is Daigo Still the GOAT?
Daigo is known for his first-to-10 matches, and he has shown great stamina during his long career. He definitely gave MenaRD a tough time. The two went back and forth, often coming out of battles with even scores. The matches were close. However, MenaRD’s ability to adapt to Daigo’s playstyle ultimately put him on top.
The final score was Daigo at 6, MenaRD 10.
It was bittersweet for the FGC. Japanese fans were emotional throughout the showmatch, clearly invested in Daigo. When he lost, it was expected to an extent, but not the outcome most hoped for. While the FGC respected MenaRD and his skills, many people said Daigo is still the ultimate GOAT.
Said one fan on X: “Honestly, both of them came out as winners IMO. Mena showed that he truly is one of the greatest of all time. Daigo showed that he can still hang with the newer generation, despite not getting the victory. It was a lot of fun to watch.”
After the victory, MenaRD said it was an “honor” to face “the god of fighting games.” Daigo said there was no room for excuses. The loss was “disappointing” but “refreshing.” While he had no excuses, fans did. Many pointed out that he’s older than the usual age of competitors in their prime. He also has never really been invested in Street Fighter 6.
Another noted: “The GOAT vs the best SF6 player in the world.”
There were some funny takes as well.
But it was overall a very emotional day for the fighting game community. Most still see Daigo as the GOAT due to his long history of dominating in Street Fighter. However, MenaRD has also proven that he’s the current best, which will make for a very exciting tournament at Evo.
More showmatches, please! They really highlight the passion of FGC players and the community. It’d be great to see even more top-level players fight to get 10 wins.