Following a fifth place finish at DreamHack Austin, fighting game player Ryan "Filipino Champ" Ramirez, also known as FChamp, has renewed his contract with sponsor Panda Global. FChamp is currently rank 14 in the global Capcom Pro Tour standings and fifth in North America.
FChamp will continue to compete in Street Fighter V under the Panda Global brand in upcoming fighting game events, including the 2016 E3 Street Fighter V competition, Community Effort Orlando, EVO, Twitch Con, and the Capcom Cup. He will also compete in Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3, a game he's been one of the best in, winning EVO in 2012.
The fighting game star originally signed with the organization last year around the time of the organization's launch, competing under its banner at CEO 2015 for the first time. FChamp tells ESPN it was a "no brainer" for him to continue to work with the team, due to its support for his goals over the last year.
"Ryan is the embodiment of what makes Panda Global tick," Panda Global CEO Alan Bunney M.D. tells ESPN. "He is a personality that drives his scene forward and the most electrifying player in the FGC."
Aside from being a top player across multiple games, FChamp is also known for being an strong personality in esports. Earlier in the year, in a match versus Nicolás "KaneBlueRiver" González, FChamp turned to his opponent and yelled "you are free," a common phrase of disrespect to the opposition when they're easy to beat. That moment has gone down as one of the most memorable among the fans in the fighting game community.
Additionally, FChamp was recently nominated to be a Bud Light Esports All-Star at DreamHack Austin. That vote is currently still open as FChamp competes against Chris Tatarian, Jason "Jayce the Ace" Nghe, and Winterfox's Gustavo "801_Strider" Romero.
