As things stand, it’s going to be a complete bloodbath at the Tekken World Tour 2022 Last Chance Qualifiers! What players actually have the best chances of coming out on top? Well, I’m going to break all of that down and come to the best conclusion I can.
Firstly, I’m going to start by listing some of the top players from each region who didn’t make it into this years’ finals – the most known and those who qualified in past editions. And because the list could get quite extensive, there are a lot of new players who certainly deserve coverage, but I won’t mention them simply because I don’t fully have the scouting report on them (I don’t have enough information).
So let’s dig in…
Potential Top LCQ Competitors by Region
Here are the current contenders, broken down by region:
North America
- Anakin
- Cuddle Core
- Shadow20z
- Joe Crush
- Ty
- PhiDX
- Komanda
Central America
- Rain_Edd
- Geese Joestar
- Roy_Tekken
- Energie_Marduk
- Anya
South America
- Sergie Mazter
- Abel del Maestro
- Sapito
West Europe
- Super AkOuma
- Danielmado
- Sephiblack
- Tetsu
- Fergus
- Gosain
- Ayorichie
- KiraKira
- DBP
- Kaneandtrench
Southeast Asia
Korea
- Jeondding
- Chanel
- Kkokkoma
- Meo-IL
- Ulsan
- PUMA
- JDCR
- DoToRing
- Breadman
- CBM
- K2RO
Japan
- Rangchu
- Gen
- Chikurin
- Pinya
- Take
- Pekos
Pakistan*
- BilaL
- Kashi Snake
- Khan
- Heera
- Qasim Meer
- ARC
- Dawood Sikander
* Pakistan is still up in the air due to visa/ticket issues, but these are some of the players that could potentially compete
Not all of those players will be in the LCQ, but I’m sure that if we need to look forward to the top 3 players to take the last spots for the finales, it will potentially be from this list.
The Akuma Factor
Before I continue, I want to open a big parenthesis. Neither K2RO (KOR), nor Super Akouma (FRA), nor Kashi Snake (PAK) are qualified. This means that in this years’ Tekken World Tour Finals we will not see an Akuma unless they attend the LCQ and get one of the three available spots. Mind you, I mentioned these three because they represent the longest running and strongest players in the competition using Akuma. Now we can continue with the main idea.
Dangerous Unknowns
In addition to the players on this list, there are more than 200 other players who have signed up for the LCQ. Many of them will be mid-level players who signed up to live the experience and be part of an event as big as the TWT. Others will be high-level but not well known, and that is where it gets interestingly dangerous. A high-level player who you know nothing about can be as dangerous as JDCR or Anakin. It is an first-to-two, after all.
“Making” the LCQ
There is something special in the rules this year, and that is that the third place of each of the following regions of North America, West Europe and Japan had a guaranteed pass to the Last Chance Qualifier. In other words, these players did not have to register or be aware of anything because the organization itself gave them a place in the LCQ. These are Anakin (USA), Tetsu (GER), and Pekos (JPN) respectively. The rest of the players had to try to register for the LCQ through with a first-come-first-serve ticket system that sold out the minute they went on sale. It seems that the hype for Tekken exceeded the expectations of the organization this year.
Top 24 Predictions
Anyway, can you imagine making it to the top 24 of the LCQ, only 10% of all participants (256), and the list being:
Anakin (USA), Cuddle_Core (USA), Energie_Marduk (DOM), Sergie Mazter (PER), Abel del Maestro (PER), Super Akouma (FRA), DanielMado (ITA), Sephiblack (GER), Tetsu (GER), Fergus (IRE), Gosain (UK), KiraKira (CHE), Book (THA), JeonDDingj (KOR), Kkokkoma (KOR), JDCR (KOR), Meo-IL (KOR), Ulsan (KOR), Chanel (KOR), K2RO (KOR), Rangchu (JPN), Chikurin (JPN), Take (JPN), Pekos (JPN)
Unless Pakistan has representation in the LCQ, this is more or less a possible list for the top 24. Imagine for a moment that it really is. Of all of these outstanding players, only three of them will be able to advance. Imagine cutting JDCR, Rangchu and Anakin, simply because the fight is even and they couldn’t close out the round. Or, Super Akouma, Kkokkoma and Chanel not making it because they made it to the quarterfinals, but couldn’t advance any further. It’s going to be really hard. What awaits these players once the mid-level players are gone and only the high level and pro players are left, is the fight of their lives for this season. There are no more chances, as this is truly the “last chance”.
For Now We Wait
Anyway, we will have to wait for the official bracket to be announced to know who is actually registered and able to attend. Also to see if these players will have a filter between them as the end of the bracket approaches. Remember that in the list I have not included players from all regions of Asia, or more players from Pakistan who by the way are having issues with the visa to travel to Amsterdam. Every small detail will add up to players being able to be in the LCQ and advance in their respective brackets.
Again, we will have to wait until closer to the date to know more and have a clearer idea. I am already nervous about what might happen. But for sure there will be many emotions that will make us enjoy this year in the LCQ.
Do you have a favorite player you would like to see take one of the three places in the LCQ? Who do you think will make it to the finals?
