Smarrgasm
What's a Smarrgasm?
Tuesday has come and gone in Atlanta and that means another episode of the Atlanta Kombat Arena. This AKA would be the last before EVO meaning that everyone would be looking to go out on a high note before the world championships where YOMI is hoping to take home the grand prize. 22 players participated this week with all the usual notable names in attendance. Who would be victorious in the last few days before EVO?
Some early notable matches included Kush defeating Xenomorph 2-1 as well as MIT falling to REO 2-1. Top 4 would settle down to be DJT vs REO in winners and MIT vs Slayer in losers. Denzell would take the initial set against REO 3-1 to advance to grand finals while Slayer fell to MIT 3-1 as well. This set up a clash between MIT and REO to see if one could dethrone Denzell who has been unbeaten since CEO. A close 3-2 set would insue where REO used all Bone Shaper Shinnok and MIT swapped between Kitana and Scorpion.
Reo would now get the runback against DJT. Both players began grand finals in a mirror match with Shinnok. Shinnok has definitely been putting his place on the map as of late with his top 8 finish at CEO (D.R.) and a few local wins across the scene (Mustard at EGP, Gunshow at TTT). It seemed destined that if both players kept the mirror going that AKA would also be won by the great sorcerer. The first match would be excruciatingly close with REO winning after cornering Denzell for the last moments of the match.
Denzell would chose to swap characters giving hope to the idea of another character winning the tournament. Denzell decided to throw it back to TCW and give his Fisticuffs Johnny Cage another shot even after the nerfs. REO would show how to use Shinnok's great screen control to quicly go up 2-0 on Denzell. Another switch seemed in order, and this time DJT would select the character that won him AKA #11 in Jax. DJT was in full character roulette mode and it seemed that REO had him on the ropes.
The switch would prove fruitful for Denzell after the 3rd game where Denzell used EX dash punch as a conditioning tool to make REO fear the long range space control that had worked so well thus far. Game 4 began with Denzell going straight to the armor well again forcing REO onto his back foot. Denzell would push on in the round going for the win only to get met by a wake up MB sparks by REO. MB sparks is much faster on startup and caught Denzell when he hesitated to pressure REO on wakeup due to Shinnok's armor. Denzell would smother REO in the corner to even up the rounds. The final round started with both players at full meter meaning each player had to be cautious. The round would wind down and Denzell would look to be in control and get to a point where any armor would kill REO. DJT went on for the kill after REO just sat back only to be met with...AN XRAY. An unbelievably good move by REO as he was then able to hit DJT on knockdown because of an accidental delayed wake up to deplete his lifebar and cause a bracket reset 3-1!
Starting over, Denzell would take us back even further than the Johnny Cage pick by picking his oldest main SUB ZERO. The Grandmaster has been known to come in at key times for Denzell like when he used him to finish the Grand Finals at CEO. The first game would go back and forth until the final round where Denzell again was on the brink of taking it only to be stifled by excellent reads on REO's part. Denzell would stick with the Lin Kuei and give the Grandmaster one more run out. REO would win the first round and try to go stylish again at the end of the 2nd when he barely missed with yet another X-ray. In round 3, Denzell would use EX ice bomb on multiple occasions to dissolve REO's zoning attempts and would close out the round by locking REO down in the prison that is the corner when playing against Sub Zero.
All tied up and heading into game 3 each player seemed to be comfortable with how the set was going. Denzell would strike first in the third game but give up yet another chance to take the advantage by jumping into the corner late in the second round. REO would use a quick jump 1 to air to air and finish the round. REO would take most of the third round working on a flawless only to drop a late combo giving DJT the ability to slide and save some of his pride. REO was now up 2-1 and on the brink of taking his very first AKA and ending the streak of the current champ.
Denzell would finally decide to pick his true main in Tempest Lao to attempt the comeback of 2 games. DJT's initial pressure and pace would be a nice changeup as he took the first round of game 4. REO would fire back with a few tricks of his own. The final round would put REO on tournament point and Denzell struggling to stay afloat. Pressure would exchange between the two for almost the entire round until Denzell was forced into the corner. REO would finally go to his overhead after using the low tirelessly to open Denzell up. REO decided to throw thinking a breaker might come (even though Denzell didnt have the bar). REO would then simply use sparks and MB them followed by another set to chip out Denzell and take the set 3-1 giving REO his first AKA win!
Congratulations to REO and thanks for all those who tuned in for the action.
Grand Finals Video
Make sure to tune in to EVO this week with pools happening on Saturday for Mortal Kombat. YOMI looks to have many of the favorites for Top 8 as the tournament is only a few days away.
Top 8
1-REO
2-DJT
3-MIT
4-Slayer
5-Forever King
5-Saltface
7-Forever King jr.
7-Zyphox
Full Results can be found at http://challonge.com/mkx71415
Youtube Playlist
Some early notable matches included Kush defeating Xenomorph 2-1 as well as MIT falling to REO 2-1. Top 4 would settle down to be DJT vs REO in winners and MIT vs Slayer in losers. Denzell would take the initial set against REO 3-1 to advance to grand finals while Slayer fell to MIT 3-1 as well. This set up a clash between MIT and REO to see if one could dethrone Denzell who has been unbeaten since CEO. A close 3-2 set would insue where REO used all Bone Shaper Shinnok and MIT swapped between Kitana and Scorpion.
Reo would now get the runback against DJT. Both players began grand finals in a mirror match with Shinnok. Shinnok has definitely been putting his place on the map as of late with his top 8 finish at CEO (D.R.) and a few local wins across the scene (Mustard at EGP, Gunshow at TTT). It seemed destined that if both players kept the mirror going that AKA would also be won by the great sorcerer. The first match would be excruciatingly close with REO winning after cornering Denzell for the last moments of the match.
Denzell would chose to swap characters giving hope to the idea of another character winning the tournament. Denzell decided to throw it back to TCW and give his Fisticuffs Johnny Cage another shot even after the nerfs. REO would show how to use Shinnok's great screen control to quicly go up 2-0 on Denzell. Another switch seemed in order, and this time DJT would select the character that won him AKA #11 in Jax. DJT was in full character roulette mode and it seemed that REO had him on the ropes.
The switch would prove fruitful for Denzell after the 3rd game where Denzell used EX dash punch as a conditioning tool to make REO fear the long range space control that had worked so well thus far. Game 4 began with Denzell going straight to the armor well again forcing REO onto his back foot. Denzell would push on in the round going for the win only to get met by a wake up MB sparks by REO. MB sparks is much faster on startup and caught Denzell when he hesitated to pressure REO on wakeup due to Shinnok's armor. Denzell would smother REO in the corner to even up the rounds. The final round started with both players at full meter meaning each player had to be cautious. The round would wind down and Denzell would look to be in control and get to a point where any armor would kill REO. DJT went on for the kill after REO just sat back only to be met with...AN XRAY. An unbelievably good move by REO as he was then able to hit DJT on knockdown because of an accidental delayed wake up to deplete his lifebar and cause a bracket reset 3-1!
Starting over, Denzell would take us back even further than the Johnny Cage pick by picking his oldest main SUB ZERO. The Grandmaster has been known to come in at key times for Denzell like when he used him to finish the Grand Finals at CEO. The first game would go back and forth until the final round where Denzell again was on the brink of taking it only to be stifled by excellent reads on REO's part. Denzell would stick with the Lin Kuei and give the Grandmaster one more run out. REO would win the first round and try to go stylish again at the end of the 2nd when he barely missed with yet another X-ray. In round 3, Denzell would use EX ice bomb on multiple occasions to dissolve REO's zoning attempts and would close out the round by locking REO down in the prison that is the corner when playing against Sub Zero.
All tied up and heading into game 3 each player seemed to be comfortable with how the set was going. Denzell would strike first in the third game but give up yet another chance to take the advantage by jumping into the corner late in the second round. REO would use a quick jump 1 to air to air and finish the round. REO would take most of the third round working on a flawless only to drop a late combo giving DJT the ability to slide and save some of his pride. REO was now up 2-1 and on the brink of taking his very first AKA and ending the streak of the current champ.
Denzell would finally decide to pick his true main in Tempest Lao to attempt the comeback of 2 games. DJT's initial pressure and pace would be a nice changeup as he took the first round of game 4. REO would fire back with a few tricks of his own. The final round would put REO on tournament point and Denzell struggling to stay afloat. Pressure would exchange between the two for almost the entire round until Denzell was forced into the corner. REO would finally go to his overhead after using the low tirelessly to open Denzell up. REO decided to throw thinking a breaker might come (even though Denzell didnt have the bar). REO would then simply use sparks and MB them followed by another set to chip out Denzell and take the set 3-1 giving REO his first AKA win!
Congratulations to REO and thanks for all those who tuned in for the action.
Grand Finals Video
Make sure to tune in to EVO this week with pools happening on Saturday for Mortal Kombat. YOMI looks to have many of the favorites for Top 8 as the tournament is only a few days away.
Top 8
1-REO
2-DJT
3-MIT
4-Slayer
5-Forever King
5-Saltface
7-Forever King jr.
7-Zyphox
Full Results can be found at http://challonge.com/mkx71415
Youtube Playlist
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but real talk i am looking forward to ur breakdown about shinnok for sure.