15-year-old makes Street Fighter finals as teens take Evo France by storm

by

Fifteen-year-old Blaz, a talented player from Chile, achieved a major win by finishing second at Evo France. Meanwhile, a newcomer, 16-year-old, made a splash in the Tekken competition and placed 17th.

I just got back from Evo France in Nice, and it was amazing! It was the first time Evo came to Europe, which is wild considering it all started way back in 1996 in Las Vegas. It ran from October 10th to the 12th, and the hype was totally real.

Even though talented young players have been making a name for themselves in fighting games since the mid-90s, it’s still common to see experienced veterans consistently perform well in big tournaments.

Teenage players are increasingly successful in competitive fighting games, as shown by the recent results from Evo France.

We appreciate your support in making this year a huge success! Come celebrate with us at Evo 2026 in Las Vegas, June 26-28!

— Evo (@Evo) August 21, 2025

Blaz takes second place at Evo France

A prime example of this growing trend is Derek Blaz, a 15-year-old professional Street Fighter player from Chile. He quickly became a rising star after Street Fighter 6 was released in 2023.

He’s had success in online Capcom Pro Tour tournaments, winning several and consistently placing among the top 8 at major events like Blink Respawn, Combo Breaker, and Ultimate Fighting Arena.

He also achieved remarkable results by placing second at two major Street Fighter events: the 2025 Esports World Cup and Capcom Cup 11.

Blaz impressed at Evo France, battling his way through the lower bracket to face Korean pro Leshar in the Grand Finals. At only 15 years old, he’s quickly becoming a major talent in the fighting game community, having already placed second in three of the world’s most important tournaments.

16-year-old Tekken player beats seasoned pros

A 16-year-old Tekken player named Neia also caused a stir at Evo France. She became a viral sensation after reaching the Top 24, where she impressively beat professional players like Hakim ‘Skywalker’ Touré and Jonathan ‘Tibetano’ Medina.

Before Evo France, Neia wasn’t well-known in the fighting game community. But after an amazing performance, she quickly became a rising star. Players in France have especially recognized her talent and are excited about her potential.

Wow, this is incredible! Sixteen-year-old Neia is a Tekken prodigy and just defeated both Skywalker and Tibetano in her second major tournament. She’s like a game-changer for Tekken, and everyone’s hoping she makes it to the top 8!

— Damascus EVO FRANCE!!! (@zDamascus) October 11, 2025

Evo France had some amazing players, but honestly, what’s *really* exciting is how many teenagers are dominating the fighting game scene right now! I was blown away when Micky, who’s only 17 and from Hong Kong, made it into the Top 8 at Evo Las Vegas earlier this year. But then 13-year-old Craime from Chile came along and absolutely stunned everyone by getting fourth place at Blink Respawn 2024 – it’s incredible!

I’m noticing a big shift in the fighting game scene lately. It feels like the younger players are really taking over now. The old guard is definitely stepping back and letting them shine, and honestly, it’s exciting to see how good these new players are going to get as they keep practicing and improving. It’s going to be awesome to watch them develop!

Evo France wasn’t just notable for one thing—it also set a new record as the biggest fighting game tournament ever held in the European Union. Players from an impressive 93 countries came to compete.

Read More

2025-10-13 21:19