The MIXUP 2025 has officially concluded, and it brought with it some of the most electrifying matches seen in the fighting game community this year. Held across multiple titles, the tournament crowned several champions, but two names stood above the rest. Alan ‘Nephew’ Sun and Jonathan ‘Tibetano’ Medina emerged as winners in Street Fighter 6 and Tekken 8 respectively, locking in their places at the prestigious Esports World Cup set to take place later this year in Riyadh.
Nephew, representing Team Liquid, delivered a flawless run in Street Fighter 6. His tournament performance was nothing short of commanding. He faced off against some of the strongest players in Europe, including MOUZ’s Samuel ‘EndingWalker’ Arm and Benjamin ‘Problem X’ Simon, defeating both in successive matches. In the grand finals, Nephew closed the tournament with a clean 3 0 win, asserting himself as a serious contender for the global stage. His share of the tournament prize pool reflected the magnitude of his victory, taking home forty four percent of the total rewards.
Although Nephew is still considered a rising star in the SF6 professional scene, his growth over the past year has been impressive. He made waves in 2024 by joining Team Liquid, and after a promising second place finish at Genesis X2, he’s continued climbing through the ranks. This MIXUP victory grants him direct qualification to the SF6 bracket at the Esports World Cup, where forty eight elite players from around the world will compete. His path to the main stage bypasses more grueling qualifiers such as EVO Japan or the Last Chance Qualifier, and instead puts him front and center in Riyadh.
On the Tekken side, it was Jonathan ‘Tibetano’ Medina of Gaimin Gladiators who stole the spotlight. He began his campaign by sweeping Virtus.pro’s Park ‘Mangja’ Geon ho in the semifinals and then went on to defeat Team Vitality’s Jeon ‘Jeondding’ Sang hyun not once, but twice. Both the upper bracket final and the grand final ended in Tibetano’s favor, with the final match concluding in a clean 3 0 victory. The win earned him over three thousand euros and further solidified his reputation as one of Tekken 8’s most formidable players.
Although Tibetano had already secured his Esports World Cup qualification through CEO 2025, his win at MIXUP reinforced that he remains in peak form heading into the summer's biggest fighting game event. The remaining Tekken 8 spots for the World Cup will be filled via the Last Chance Qualifier, which will award four more entries and fifty thousand dollars in prize money.
The success of both players signals an exciting road ahead for fans of the fighting game community. MIXUP 2025 was not just another tournament but a key battleground for world class talent. As more players earn their places in the Esports World Cup, the hype surrounding the event only continues to build. With top tier competitors like Nephew and Tibetano confirmed, expectations are high for explosive showdowns in Riyadh.
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