HellblazerHawkman
Confused Thanagarian
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Combo Breaker is here and TYM has got you covered on everything you need to know. We're going to have results for all three NRS games and coverage for anything else that may go down that you need to know about. Kicking things off, we've got the MK9 Top 8 that just took place on Friday night, throwing everyone back into a time where a robot could take 70% of your life in one touch.
Our Top 8 was sort of a who's who of the old-school NRS scene, with some expected faces and a few names that you may not have expected:
Winners:
Dizzy vs. Curbolicous
Echo Fox Sonic Fox vs. GGA soonk
Losers:
CLN Dab vs. GGA Wafflez
Compbros vs. Biggs
While there may not have been enough GGA guys for my liking, you won't catch me saying that this wasn't a hype tourney to watch. If you couldn't catch the stream and want that quick play-by-play, go click that spoiler down below, results are in bold. Otherwise, we'll see you guys tomorrow for the MKX Top 8 at 3pm CST. THIS IS JUST DAY 1 PEOPLE, WE STILL HAVE ALL WEEKEND!
Up first was Dizzy vs. Curbolicous. Dizzy, who's been rocking Johnny Cage and delivering some unreal pressure all tourney, was facing the Cage mirror for the first time this tourney. Curbo opened up with a DOMINANT first game, going so far as to hit Dizzy with a Babality. He came in even stronger game 2 and finally closed things out 3-0 and sending Dizzy down to losers.
Next up was the NRS Godlord and former 13-year-old MK9 prodigy, Sonic Fox against GGA soonk. Sonic was rocking the full Fox outfit and Sonya Blade against soonk's Kabal. Game 1 was as dominant as you'd expect from Sonic, but soonk started putting up a stronger challenge once he got settled into game 2. However, it wasn't enough, and Sonic won 3-0, advancing to winners but losing the respect of the crowd after a failed fatality.
Down to losers, GGA Wafflez played CLN Dab. We got a bit more sneaky, seeing our first appearances from the MK Ninja clans in Wafflez's Smoke and Dab's Cyrax. In possibly the closest set we've had all night, Wafflez reset his way into a game 1 win. Once we got into game 2, Wafflez made some adjustments to turn their close set into a runaway Smoke train, winning with another 3-0 and knocking Dab out of the Top 8.
Finishing out round 1 of Losers was the representative for blonde NRS characters everywhere, Compbros, playing Biggs. Compbros went with Sonya, keeping to tradition, and Biggs brought out the true Empress of Outworld, Kitana. The battle of these two Mortal Kombat staples let to our first 3-2 of the night, with Compbros and Biggs going game for game the whole set. Unfortunately, one of them had to go home, and Biggs won the final game, sending Compbros home for the night.
Advancing into the next stage of our bracket, we had our GGA players, Wafflez and soonk, forced to kill each other to please Shao Kahn the the Combo Breaker crowd. Wafflez kept with Smoke and soonk kept with Kabal, with Wafflez picking up more and more steam (smoke?) as the set went on. Back to another 3-0, Wafflez knocked soonk out of the bracket and moved on through losers.
In our next match, Dizzy's Johnny Cage made a strong case for why he should be taken in for marital abuse against Biggs' Sonya. However, Sonya didn't look like she needed the courts to step in the further this set went on. Down 2-0, Dizzy made some crucial adjustments to stop things from running too far out of control, and was able to reverse 3-0 Biggs and advance into the next round in losers.
Moving into another mirror, Curbolicous challenged Sonic with his own Sonya. Without skipping a beat from his first set, he put Sonic to the test and matched him almost round for round. Once game 3 hit, Curbo decided to break from the mirror after Sonic finally figured out a fatality to drop on an opponent. Game 4 was now Curbo Kabal vs. Sonic Sonya, but it was not enough and Sonic clutched out game 5 and won the set 3-1.
Technically another GGA team kill, former GGA member and current NRS employee Dizzy was up against Wafflez, Johnny Cage vs Smoke. Finally answering the age old question, we learned whether stagger pressure was indeed superior over resets. Not really, as this was another game for game set, with the two former teammates not giving up too much ground to the other. Not quite satisfied with just one GGA head, Wafflez closed things out 3-1 over Dizzy.
On to Losers Finals, Wafflez got the runback against Curbolicous (Curbo beat Wafflez in pools), both playing for the shot at Sonic Fox in Grand finals. We opened up Smoke vs Kabal, Curbo giving Wafflez very little room to breathe. In spite of this, Wafflez kept his composure and took game 1 in a very close first round. Replicating game 1 almost to a T, we had another round for round match, this time in Curbo's favor. Game 3 also went to Curbo who seemed a different sort of player from the past 2 matches, making the reads necessary to prevent Wafflez from getting anything going. Unfortunately, Wafflez was unable to make the same adjustments himself, and Curbo advanced to Grand Finals winning 3-1.
In our Grand Finals, Curbo got his runback against Sonic Fox. Curbo opted to open up with Kabal against Sonic, using no games in the mirror like he did earlier in the Top 8. Losing game 1, Curbo changed up his strategy and stopped Sonic from running away with the set like he's prone to do. In game 3, Curbo came in hard, seemingly figuring out the formula needed to dethrone the Fox and making the score 2-1 over Sonic. From there, we had the rarely seen bracket reset against Sonic Fox, forcing him to switch from Sonya to Mileena.
His original main and the first Mileena this Top 8, Sonic appeared to have retained most of his knowledge from 4 years ago. Curbo wasn't fooled though, and maintained his win streak at 1-0 in the new set. Sonic was determined to stick it out, not giving away anything to suggest that Curbo had him shook. Barely winning game 2, Sonic tied things up 1-1. Curbo, obviously feeling good, stayed strong and took game 3, now at 2-1. Not even batting an eye, Curbo closed things out 3-1, defeating Sonic Fox and earning the title of MK9 Combo Breaker Champion.
Curbo put the call out on Twitter, and was able to do what few have. Proving himself as a legend in the MK9 community, he won what may possibly be the final Mortal Kombat 9 tournament we'll see on the big stage. You can catch the archive over here on Twitch, where you can also catch the other NRS games going on this weekend. There will be more surprises to come, so don't miss out!
Next up was the NRS Godlord and former 13-year-old MK9 prodigy, Sonic Fox against GGA soonk. Sonic was rocking the full Fox outfit and Sonya Blade against soonk's Kabal. Game 1 was as dominant as you'd expect from Sonic, but soonk started putting up a stronger challenge once he got settled into game 2. However, it wasn't enough, and Sonic won 3-0, advancing to winners but losing the respect of the crowd after a failed fatality.
Down to losers, GGA Wafflez played CLN Dab. We got a bit more sneaky, seeing our first appearances from the MK Ninja clans in Wafflez's Smoke and Dab's Cyrax. In possibly the closest set we've had all night, Wafflez reset his way into a game 1 win. Once we got into game 2, Wafflez made some adjustments to turn their close set into a runaway Smoke train, winning with another 3-0 and knocking Dab out of the Top 8.
Finishing out round 1 of Losers was the representative for blonde NRS characters everywhere, Compbros, playing Biggs. Compbros went with Sonya, keeping to tradition, and Biggs brought out the true Empress of Outworld, Kitana. The battle of these two Mortal Kombat staples let to our first 3-2 of the night, with Compbros and Biggs going game for game the whole set. Unfortunately, one of them had to go home, and Biggs won the final game, sending Compbros home for the night.
Advancing into the next stage of our bracket, we had our GGA players, Wafflez and soonk, forced to kill each other to please Shao Kahn the the Combo Breaker crowd. Wafflez kept with Smoke and soonk kept with Kabal, with Wafflez picking up more and more steam (smoke?) as the set went on. Back to another 3-0, Wafflez knocked soonk out of the bracket and moved on through losers.
In our next match, Dizzy's Johnny Cage made a strong case for why he should be taken in for marital abuse against Biggs' Sonya. However, Sonya didn't look like she needed the courts to step in the further this set went on. Down 2-0, Dizzy made some crucial adjustments to stop things from running too far out of control, and was able to reverse 3-0 Biggs and advance into the next round in losers.
Moving into another mirror, Curbolicous challenged Sonic with his own Sonya. Without skipping a beat from his first set, he put Sonic to the test and matched him almost round for round. Once game 3 hit, Curbo decided to break from the mirror after Sonic finally figured out a fatality to drop on an opponent. Game 4 was now Curbo Kabal vs. Sonic Sonya, but it was not enough and Sonic clutched out game 5 and won the set 3-1.
Technically another GGA team kill, former GGA member and current NRS employee Dizzy was up against Wafflez, Johnny Cage vs Smoke. Finally answering the age old question, we learned whether stagger pressure was indeed superior over resets. Not really, as this was another game for game set, with the two former teammates not giving up too much ground to the other. Not quite satisfied with just one GGA head, Wafflez closed things out 3-1 over Dizzy.
On to Losers Finals, Wafflez got the runback against Curbolicous (Curbo beat Wafflez in pools), both playing for the shot at Sonic Fox in Grand finals. We opened up Smoke vs Kabal, Curbo giving Wafflez very little room to breathe. In spite of this, Wafflez kept his composure and took game 1 in a very close first round. Replicating game 1 almost to a T, we had another round for round match, this time in Curbo's favor. Game 3 also went to Curbo who seemed a different sort of player from the past 2 matches, making the reads necessary to prevent Wafflez from getting anything going. Unfortunately, Wafflez was unable to make the same adjustments himself, and Curbo advanced to Grand Finals winning 3-1.
In our Grand Finals, Curbo got his runback against Sonic Fox. Curbo opted to open up with Kabal against Sonic, using no games in the mirror like he did earlier in the Top 8. Losing game 1, Curbo changed up his strategy and stopped Sonic from running away with the set like he's prone to do. In game 3, Curbo came in hard, seemingly figuring out the formula needed to dethrone the Fox and making the score 2-1 over Sonic. From there, we had the rarely seen bracket reset against Sonic Fox, forcing him to switch from Sonya to Mileena.
His original main and the first Mileena this Top 8, Sonic appeared to have retained most of his knowledge from 4 years ago. Curbo wasn't fooled though, and maintained his win streak at 1-0 in the new set. Sonic was determined to stick it out, not giving away anything to suggest that Curbo had him shook. Barely winning game 2, Sonic tied things up 1-1. Curbo, obviously feeling good, stayed strong and took game 3, now at 2-1. Not even batting an eye, Curbo closed things out 3-1, defeating Sonic Fox and earning the title of MK9 Combo Breaker Champion.
Curbo put the call out on Twitter, and was able to do what few have. Proving himself as a legend in the MK9 community, he won what may possibly be the final Mortal Kombat 9 tournament we'll see on the big stage. You can catch the archive over here on Twitch, where you can also catch the other NRS games going on this weekend. There will be more surprises to come, so don't miss out!
this tourney could be so much better with more classic players , not that it was bad but .... 
