Evo 2017 Day 3 —A Smashing Conclusion at the Grand Finals
Ah, the day we’ve all be waiting for! The third and final romp at Evo 2017 came and went and it did so in such a blur that I refuse to believe I spent an entire day watching gamers pummel each other. Sweaty palms, intense stares, exasperated sighs — these final gamers were in it to win it, and their determination put on one heck of a show.
With the pools for Super Smash Bros. Melee, Guilty Gear Xrd: Rev2, Injustice 2, and The King of Fighters officially closed yesterday, that left five thrilling grand finals left — and what a thrill they were.
It started early in the morning with Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3, the perfect alternative to a big cup of caffeine, and a thrilling match between NyChrisG and RyanLV.
The two duked it out over 10 matches, and though Ryan swept the floor with ChrisG in the Winner’s Final, Ryan’s win in the Grand Final came with more resistance.
ChrisG did, however, make a comeback in the Loser’s Final, beating out PC Marvel God in a near sweep.
Sunday continued to heat up with the BlazBlue Grand Final as Fenritti and Ryusei went back and forth over three rounds.
It was quite the show, starting with a complete shutout in Ryusei’s favor, but far be it from Fenritti to take that sitting down — though, I guess, technically, he had to.
In round two, he struck back hard, demolishing his opponent 3-1.
It just wasn’t meant to be, however, and Ryusei struck back with a fervor, taking the Grand Final in a close 3-2 finish.
By midday, it was time for the King of Iron Fist Tournament. The final two fighters, JDCR and Saint, both hailed from EchoFox, and they were both sure to represent their team well.
Saint wound up taking the first round of the Grand Final, beating JDCR in a 3-0 shutout, but his teammate wasn’t going to stay down, eventually taking the big “W.”
After a morning of some heavy-hitting punches, we all needed a break with lighthearted fun…
Instead, we got a stressful series between MVG’s Salem and TSM’s ZeRo, who were adamant about keeping spectators at the edge of their seats as Diddy Kong and Bayonetta.
In two very tense Grand Final matches, Salem snuck ahead with two 3-2 victories and even totally cleaned up in the Loser’s Final.
Last, but certainly not least, we ended the night with the Street Fighter V Grand Finals.
Tokido took on Punk in a rather one-sided competition, almost completely dominating round one of the Grand Final before taking the title in a complete shutout.
As if the Grand Final wasn’t enough, Tokido also reigned supreme in the Loser’s Final, beating out Kazunoko in a 3-1 finish.
And that, my friends, was Evo 2017. From trying out the latest in indy gaming to watching people beat the snot out of each other, it was a fun weekend that has me already pumped up for 2018!
Mark LoProto is a horror-loving gaming enthusiast who also has a soft spot for Ghostbusters, bubble wrap, and kittens. Look for his work here, here, and here.
