As a diehard fan, I’m thrilled to share that after a heart-wrenching defeat at Red Bull Kumite 2025, the legendary Street Fighter maestro and multiple Evo champion, Daigo “The Beast” Umehara, has declared his comeback to professional gaming. His last Top 10 placement in a Tier 1 tournament was at Evo 2022 where he ranked 5th for Street Fighter 5. Since then, he’s been a guiding force, spending most of his time streaming his online battles and offering guidance to players through his Twitch chat. While he’s been part of tournaments since 2022, many didn’t view him as a significant contender.
Taking a brief look at Daigo’s Liquipedia profile reveals that he rarely places among the Top 20 competitors in most Tier 1 tournaments today. This is quite different from his past achievements, where he consistently placed within the Top 15. So, what could have brought about this shift?
2025’s Red Bull Kumite tournament showcased a “Veterans vs Rising Stars” competition where the pioneers of Street Fighter battled against the new wave of players. The veterans included Daigo, Bonchan, gachikun, Kakeru, Problem X, Big Bird, MenaRD, and Xiaohai who squared off against NoahTheProdigy, Kilzyou, Kusanagi, Higuchi, Akainu, EndingWalker, Nyanpi, and Zangief_bolado.
Among the much-anticipated matches in the tournament, the duel between Daigo and NoahTheProdigy stood out. Given that Noah admires Daigo greatly, Daigo certainly lived up to Noah’s expectations in their contest.
Despite Luke being heavily pressured by Noah, The Beast’s Akuma struggled to keep up. Intricate combinations of traps, throws, and decisive hit-confirms proved too much for Daigo, resulting in Noah winning five games to Daigo’s three. Although it might seem like a challenging feat for Noah given that Daigo secured three games, the replays suggest otherwise. The truth is, it was not easy for Daigo to clinch crucial rounds where he could have emerged victorious.
Following the game, Daigo expressed his intention to team up with Noah again and focus more on training. Additionally, he seems to be taking a more competitive approach, as suggested by MenaRD’s first-to-ten challenge from February. This might mean a reduction in his streaming time, implying he may no longer be in a supporting role. Fighting game commentator Ryan Hart shared this news during his post-match interview with Daigo at RBK 2025 on X channel.
As Daigo Umehara, now in his forties, observes, the fighting game scene has significantly evolved during his lifetime. He once proclaimed Japan as the top contender in Street Fighter, but today, nations beyond Japan and the United States are leading the pack. The younger generation admires him for embodying the epitome of dominance and the relentless work ethic he brings to his match preparations. Watching him continue to play with unwavering dedication until he finally retires will make for a classic conclusion to the legend of Daigo Umehara.
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2025-04-20 16:42