Xian ends Momochi’s comeback effort to win Final Round 18

The Street Fighter ace for Evil Geniuses came up just short this weekend as a Singaporean powerhouse and an old man proved too much to handle.

Kun “Xian” Ho’s Gen was Yusuke Momochi’s kryptonite at Final Round 18, taking down the Capcom Cup Champion three games to two to prevent the bracket reset. Kun’s counter pick ran circles around Momochi’s Ken and qualified the Team Razer player for the end-of-season finale.

Momochi found himself on precarious footing early in the tournament when Jeron “Hiro” Grayson’s Bison gave the Japanese veteran fits.

Momochi looked the part of a champion on his run through the loser’s bracket, though unexpected opposition nearly knocked him out of the tournament. Arturo “Sabin” Sanchez’s Dalsim had a read on Momochi’s Ken throughout their match, playing the space game brilliantly and baiting multiple miscues out of the Evil Geniuses player.

In the winner’s bracket final, Ai “Fuudo” Keita took Kun to the brink on Fei Long before Elena’s aggressive offense locked up the victory. Momochi had considerably less trouble with the fighter, closing the gap on Ai quickly before finishing the set three games to one.

Quickly becoming a household name for Street Fighter fans, Ryota “Kazunoko” Inoue’s Yun was a masterstroke of calculated aggression and measured patience. The fighter made it all the way to the loser’s bracket semifinal before ceding the match to a rampaging Momochi.

The tournament was a spectator’s dream with taut final matches and remarkable upsets. Among those who failed to crack the top eight, MadCatz’s Daigo Umehara, r/Kappa’s Seonwoo “Infiltration” Lee, and PIE’s Bryant “Smug” Huggins will be looking for another opportunity to accumulate circuit points and secure their spot in the Capcom Cup Finale later this year.