Evo 2026 has concluded with Saul ‘MenaRD’ Mena adding another trophy to his collection, solidifying his status as a dominant force in Street Fighter 6. However, legendary player Daigo Umehara believes the current state of the game makes crowning an undisputed 'GOAT'—or greatest of all time—a difficult task.
Speaking with us during the Sunday finals, 'The Beast' shared his perspective on the game's balance at the end of Season 3. While much of the Western fighting game community has expressed frustration over the powerful Drive Rush mechanic, Capcom recently confirmed they have no plans for major system adjustments. Daigo acknowledged the volatility of the current build, noting that while the “random” nature of the gameplay helps onboard new players, it creates a fluctuating competitive environment.
“The random elements in the gameplay that exist now are doing a good job of bringing in new players, so I’m not against that,” Daigo said. “The only thing is, I feel like, with the way this game works, it's hard for an absolute best player to emerge. I would like to see an absolute champion emerge, and I would like for the events to facilitate that.”
The Argument for Longer Tournament Sets
Daigo’s critique extends beyond game balance to the rules governing the Capcom Pro Tour. Currently, matches are held as 'First to Two' for earlier brackets and 'First to Three' for Top 8. Daigo argues that these formats are too short for players to truly gauge their opponent's tendencies, comparing them to online ranked matches rather than the high-stakes environment expected of a premier event.
“Everyone already knows that there's no way to win consistently in that format,” Daigo explained. “For more important events like Capcom Cup, they should switch to a ‘First to Three’ structure or longer.”
He proposed an ideal scenario where major tournaments would transition to 'First to Five' for qualifiers, scaling up to 'First to Seven' for deeper brackets. While he acknowledged the logistical challenges regarding event duration, he suggested that if an event only happens once a year, extending the schedule to last a week or ten days could allow for a more accurate reflection of player skill.
MenaRD’s Stance on Competitive Integrity
Following his Evo 2026 victory, we asked MenaRD for his thoughts on Daigo’s comments. The champion admitted he is somewhat conflicted between the needs of the product and the desires of the competitors.
“There’s a side of me that would agree,” Mena said. “Of course, I want the most amount of skill to dictate every championship. At the same time, if you think about the product itself and how boring it could become to a lot of people [if that structure were in place], I’m not sure if it’s the right step.”
Mena noted that while he personally would enjoy much longer sets—joking about a “First to 200” format—the current quick-fire structure is vital for viewer engagement. For now, the competitive season continues with the community waiting to see how the meta shifts following the introduction of Yasmine, and whether MenaRD can maintain his hold on the title under the current tournament rules.