Daigo Umehara Falls to MenaRD in Kemonomichi Street Fighter 6 Showdown
On April 29, 2026, the CLUB CITTA' venue in Kawasaki City, Kanagawa Prefecture, hosted "Evo LEGENDS LIVE - DAIGO vs MENARD (獣道 / Kemonomichi)", a fighting game event centered on player identity rather than prize money. This particular iteration of the Kemonomichi series, organized by professional gamer Daigo Umehara (ウメハラ選手), featured a highly anticipated "first to 10" (10先 / jussen) match in Street Fighter 6 against MenaRD (MenaRD選手). The strategic depth of a jussen format, where players cannot change characters and must adapt their "character countermeasures" (キャラ対 / kyaratai) and "player countermeasures" (人対策 / hitotai) over many rounds, always offers a unique spectacle for dedicated fans of competitive fighting games. This format, reminiscent of the long-form duels that defined early arcade rivalries, truly tests a player's mental fortitude and adaptive skill.
The Challenge and Build-Up
The rivalry began when MenaRD publicly challenged Umehara to a jussen match via social media in February 2025. While a preliminary "first to 3" match at CAPCOM CUP 12 saw MenaRD win 3-0, Umehara declared he would win a jussen, setting the stage for this high-stakes encounter. The event, supported by EVO, saw both players express significant enthusiasm. Umehara, approaching 45 years of age, spoke of the rare opportunity for such an intense competition, while MenaRD emphasized the importance of a Kemonomichi match.
Attendees at CLUB CITTA' experienced a vibrant atmosphere, with merchandise booths and displays of the players' histories. Notably, fellow professional player Tokido, who had previously faced Umehara in Kemonomichi, expressed confidence in Umehara's victory. This suggests an understanding of Umehara's jussen prowess that only direct experience can provide. The real story here is the psychological warfare inherent in the jussen format, where each round informs the next, demanding constant adaptation.
Other Notable Matches
Before the main event, the audience witnessed two other significant matches. The first featured Laggia against GO1 in Garou: Mark of the Wolves City of the Wolves (餓狼伝説 City of the Wolves). This was a rematch from the SNK World Championship 2025 finals, where Laggia had defeated GO1. In a "first to 7" match, GO1 achieved his revenge, winning 7-6 in a close contest. The second match pitted Chikurin against Arslan Ash in Tekken 8. Both are top-tier Tekken players, with Chikurin having won EVO Japan 2024 and Arslan Ash securing multiple EVO titles. Chikurin, playing Clive Rosfield throughout, defeated Arslan Ash 7-4, who frequently changed characters in an attempt to adapt.
The Main Event: Umehara vs. MenaRD
The highly anticipated Street Fighter 6 jussen between Umehara's Akuma (豪鬼) and MenaRD's Blanka began with Umehara taking an early 2-0 lead. However, MenaRD quickly adapted, winning the next three rounds. Umehara called an interval at 2-5, consulting his notes. This tactical pause proved effective, as he then won three consecutive rounds, tying the score at 5-5. MenaRD, however, adjusted his play to a more cautious style, which Umehara struggled to counter. MenaRD then pulled ahead, ultimately winning the match 10-6.
In a post-match interview, MenaRD expressed his joy at fulfilling a dream of facing Umehara in a jussen, noting the passion and power he felt from his opponent. Umehara, in turn, acknowledged MenaRD's strength, stating he was "stronger than anticipated" and that his defeat was without excuse, despite extensive preparation. He also expressed a sense of satisfaction, recognizing the emergence of a truly powerful new generation of players. This outcome highlights the continuous evolution of high-level competitive play, where even seasoned veterans like Umehara face formidable new challenges. MenaRD later revealed in an interview with Ryan Hart that he deeply enjoys the jussen format and the process of developing specific countermeasures against opponents, indicating his strategic mindset was perfectly suited for this challenge.
Looking Ahead for the Fighting Game Scene
While the event's production experienced some technical and logistical issues, the matches themselves delivered high-level competition. Umehara's ability to recover from a significant deficit to tie the score at 5-5 showed his deep understanding of the jussen format. However, MenaRD's subsequent adaptations proved superior. This result suggests that MenaRD's mastery of the long-form match, including his ability to read and counter Umehara's mid-match adjustments, was a decisive factor. The event concludes with a hope that Umehara will seek a rematch, perhaps in another Kemonomichi or a major world tournament, to reignite this rivalry and further shape the history of fighting games.
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Originally published by Game Watch. Read original article.
