By Sagar V. Mankar In a thrilling finale at Boulevard Riyadh City, South Korea’s “Ulsan” claimed the TEKKEN 8 title at the Esports World Cup 2024, held from August 14 to August 19.
Ulsan delivered a career-best performance, sweeping “Atif” of Team Falcons 5-0 in the grand final, and secured the top prize of $300,000 and 1,000 Club Points for his team, Kwangdong Freecs.
The tournament featured 32 of the world’s best players, with fierce competition throughout its three-day duration.
Ulsan’s Path to Victory
Ulsan showcased his dominance from the start, finishing first in both the First and Second Phases of the tournament.
He only faced a single defeat against Team Falcon’s Muhammad “Farzeen” in the quarterfinals with a 3-5 victory.
Ulsan then decisively overcame Yagami 5-1 in the semifinals, setting the stage for a spectacular grand final against Atif.
Seeking to avenge his teammate CBM’s earlier defeat, Ulsan put on a masterclass performance, securing his place as the TEKKEN 8 champion.
Atif’s Impressive Run
Despite the intense competition, Atif, representing Pakistan, showcased his skills by reaching the Grand Finals.
In a tournament where reigning EVO champion Arslan Ash was eliminated without a win, Atif carried the torch for Pakistan.
He topped Group B in the First Phase and secured second place in Group A during the Second Phase, trailing only behind the red-hot Benjamin “Yagami” Torngdee.
Atif’s playoff journey included a 5-2 victory over KDF’s Jae-hyun “CherryBerryMango” Kim in the quarterfinals and a 5-1 win against ZETA DIVISION’s Shoji “Double” Takakubo in the semifinals, setting up the highly anticipated final against Ulsan.
A Grand Final to Remember
The Grand Final was a spectacle, with a capacity crowd in Riyadh cheering for Atif. He started strong, achieving a Perfect victory in the first round of Match 1.
However, Ulsan quickly turned the tide, executing a reverse sweep by winning three consecutive rounds after being down 0-2, taking the lead.
Ulsan’s momentum only grew as he secured Match 2 and repeated his reverse sweep in Match 3. From there, Ulsan was unstoppable, completing a 5-0 sweep to claim the championship.
Reflecting on his victory, Ulsan, whose real name is Lim Soo-hoon, expressed his joy:
“I’ve imagined this moment many times, but now that it’s a reality and I’m an Esports World Cup champion, it’s an amazing feeling — it’s unreal, exactly like my whole experience here in Saudi Arabia. The venue, the atmosphere, the hospitality, the way we’ve been made to feel so welcome — all of this has made the Esports World Cup so special, and winning the final adds the finishing touches to a most incredible experience. I can’t wait for the next Esports World Cup.”
Ulsan also expressed his love for passionate Saudi Arabian esports fans for love and support:
“I’ve played in other countries many times, but the support I received out there tonight in the SEF Arena, with so many people cheering for me and calling my name, was unbelievable. It inspired me to keep my focus and get over the line. The fans were terrific.”
Prize Pool Distribution
In total, the tournament has an impressive $1 million prize pool, which is distributed as follows:
- 1st Place: Ulsan – $300,000, 1,000 points
- 2nd Place: Atif – $140,000, 600 points
- 3rd Place: Yagami, Double – $75,000, 275 points each
- 5th Place: CBM, Farzeen, Chanel, THE JON – $45,000, 60 points each
- 9th Place: Hafiz Tanveer, Chikurin, Knee, JeonDDing – $20,000 each
- 13th Place: AO, Sajawal, Bilal, Meo-IL – $12,500 each
- 17th Place: Kkokkoma, NOBI, EDGE, Usama Abbasi, Raef, LowHigh, Mangja, AK – $7,500 each
- 25th Place: Rangchu, Mulgold, Arslan Ash, Kaneandtrench, Doujin, Jodd, Sephiblack, KEISUKE – $5,000 each
Viewership
The TEKKEN 8 event at the Esports World Cup 2024 drew an impressive 741,000 viewers over its 22 hours of broadcast, with a peak of 60,509 viewers during the grand final.
This event ranks among the top most-watched TEKKEN esports tournaments of 2024, alongside major events like EVO 2024, EVO Japan 2024, and Combo Breaker 2024 T8.