Monumental. Unprecedented. Daunting. Epic.
These are some of the words that could describe the undertaking known as the "Street Fighter V" tournament at the Evolution Championship Series (Evo). After Day 1 and with more than 200 pools finished, we're at the point where games come packed with heavy drama.
It's a brutal process, but the second round of pools on Day 2 will represent the further whittling of pretenders from the actual contenders. For many, the first day of pools was 'business as usual' and Evo was no exception; there were no major upsets that really rocked the world. For the beginning of the second day, it will be a little more of the same. This is a tournament with more than 5,000 participants, after all.
There were several notable performances from players that both excited and amazed audiences. Day 1 allowed for top players to really affirm the consensus that they do belong on top of the mountain. Twitch and Red Bull's Daigo "The Beast" Umehara cruised through his matches with a signature calm demeanor and clutch. For others, it was proof that they still belonged. Another player, Red Bull's Darryl "SnakeEyez" Lewis, showed off his new main character, Ryu, and moved onto to the next step after a closely contested pool. Finally, Ryo "Dogura" Nozaki (a good representative of a middle-tier player from Asia) struggled, but still qualified in his pool.
What to expect from an action-packed Day 2? The ending of the "warm-up" pools and the start of the real tournament.
