At 39, Daigo has once again qualified for the Capcom Cup.

Most professional gamers are in their early to mid-20s. You get a few teenagers, but it’s rare to see a pro gamer in their 30s. Most have moved on to other careers by that point, convinced that their slowly decaying reflexes and mental acuity just make them physically inferior to younger players.

And that might be true, but that hasn’t stopped Daigo Umehara from teaching the younguns a thing or two about Street Fighter.

Last week, the Capcom Pro Tour finished its Asia East 1 tournament. The final bracket saw two Japanese players, Daigo and Fuudo, face off for the top spot and an invitation to the Capcom Cup, the highest tournament that pro Street Fighter players can aspire to. Daigo and Fuudo traded matches in a series of games that went back and forth, with many matches coming down to just a single hit.

And then in the final match, Daigo put on a masterclass Guile performance, overwhelming Fuudo’s defenses to secure his tournament victory.

To make it to the Capcom Cup at 39 is no mean feat, but it’s also something that Daigo has been doing for many years now. He’s qualified for every Capcom Cup since 2014 and won tournaments well into his late 30s. Daigo got started with Street Fighter back in the early days of Street Fighter II Turbo, and winning tournaments since 1998’s Street Fighter Alpha III.

Daigo is often considered to be the greatest Street Fighter player ever, with Guinness acknowledging his career and numerous tournaments wins by handing him an official world record as the most successful Street Fighter player to have ever lived.

Perhaps Daigo’s most famous moment came at EVO 2004, where in a match against Justin he managed to pull off a come-from-behind victory as Ken in the final seconds of the game.

The Capcom Cup still has yet to provide a specific date but is largely expected to take place early next year. Whether or not it’ll be an online tournament or an in-person one is an open question that will likely depend on the existence of a COVID-19 vaccine.

Source: Capcom Pro Tour, YouTube