Summary:
- Ulsan showed us again, to no one’s surprise, that he is one of the best after achieving back-to-back EWC titles.
- Although he started slow in the Tekken 8 tournament, he managed to finish strong and made it to the finals.
- Ulsan went through some big names like Arslan Ash and Kkokkoma in this year’s competition.
If there was any doubt about whether Ulsan is a top player in Tekken 8, doubt no more. The 2025 Esports World Championship (EWC) took the world by storm once again this year. And truthfully, for a lot of fans, the burning question was whether someone would finally beat the undisputed champion. Spoiler alert: they didn’t, because Ulsan made history once again by delivering a shocking back-to-back victory.
Who is Ulsan?
Lim “Ulsan” Soo-hoon, a Tekken superstar from South Korea, has certainly made his case as one of the best modern fighting game competitors. He became a household name approaching the end of the Tekken 7 era with his dependably technical and methodical style. Notably, Ulsan’s international fame began at premier events like BAM11, where he defeated legendary players, especially JDCR during the finals.
Ulsan didn’t really come out swingin’ with his debut at the Tekken 8 tournament. But Ulsan is known for adapting, and it wasn’t long before he found himself at back-to-back world finals.
Ulsan’s path to his first title in the 2024 Esports World Cup championship was an important moment in competitive Tekken. That year, Ulsan crushed the best players in the world; he even beat Atif Butt 5-0 in the grand final!
Tekken 8 EWC 2025 Tournament Overview
The Tekken 8 EWC 2025 was one of the most prestigious events in the competitive Tekken 8 scene, from August 13 to 16. The event had a whopping $1,000,000 prize pool, with 32 of the world’s best players taking part to compete on LAN over three phases.
- The first two phases used the GSL-style double-elimination bracket format with best-of-2 matches. This filter players from the group stages to the final knockout bracket.
- The third phase became an absolute bloodbath in the single-elimination bracket. Every match was a best-of-5 set where each player battled it out for the coveted champion title.
Ulsan’s Road to Victory in Tekken 8 EWC 2025
Group Stage
Coming in as the defending champ for the Tekken 8 EWC 2025, Ulsan’s group stage wasn’t easy. But despite the tough contest, he made it through to the next round in an epic showdown. And Ulsan shuts any doubters with a once-in-a-lifetime performance.
He hit his first bump in the road early on when he went down 0-2 to Kim “Kkokkoma” Mu-jong. After sending Ulsan to the lower bracket again, with elimination possible, that’s when Ulsan hit his stride.
In the lower bracket quarterfinals, he defeated EVO 2025 champion and crowd favorite Arslan “Arslan Ash” Siddique. Then, he defeated Kkokkoma again in the lower bracket decider round to secure his spot in the playoff rounds.
Third Phase
In the playoffs, he took apart Japan’s PINYA 5-1 in the quarterfinals, and then he outsmarted Kim “CBM” Jae-hyun 5-3 in the semifinals. The grand final was a highly expected all-Korean battle against LowHigh with Ulsan’s Dragunov, as we all wanted to see.
He took a commanding 2-0 lead but had to overcome a comeback from LowHigh to draw it even at 2-2. But Ulsan adjusted and read LowHigh’s Bryan and crushed the rest of the matches to win the set 5-2. With this win, Ulsan established himself in competitive Tekken history as a back-to-back EWC champion.
Conclusion
When all is said and done, it’s not just a win for Ulsan at Tekken 8, EWC 2025. And, we can say with certainty that Ulsan’s story isn’t ending anytime soon, nor is the battle to take him down. With new contenders on the rise, we can expect crazier action and fierce competition in the next tournaments. But for now, we can only tip our hats to a champion who isn’t just playing the game, but changing it.
Writer’s Recommendation:
Want to go deeper into the cool world of the Esports World Cup (EWC) 2025? Check out the epic games that defined the tournament’s legendary status!
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