Victor ‘Punk’ Woodley crashed onto the Avenue Fighter scene within the early days of SFV, rapidly rising within the ranks to develop into one of many sport’s most formidable gamers. Though he’d gained a complete of eight Premier occasions within the Capcom Professional Tour, EVO continued to elude him… till now.
Punk delivered top-of-the-line performances of EVO 2024 in opposition to Massive Chook, however he’s removed from completed dominating the competitors in Avenue Fighter 6. There was nary a dry eye within the room when he clutched out a heart-stopping victory in opposition to his pal and fellow competitor on the principle stage Sunday night time.
This marked a serious second in his profession seven years after he misplaced on that exact same stage in opposition to Tokido within the 2017 Grand Finals. Now, it’s Punk who has lastly cemented himself as an EVO champion. The belief introduced him to tears as hundreds of followers chanted from the stands: “You deserve it.”
We received the prospect to talk with Punk in a press convention after his explosive win over Massive Chook, the place he opened up about his future plans for the CPT and the way he managed to remain calm regardless of his opponent’s overwhelming strain and dealing with technical difficulties mid-match.
In truth, Punk’s headphones stopped working on the tail finish of sport three after Massive Chook’s bracket reset — one thing that may have thrown most gamers off of their psychological sport. We requested Punk about how he managed to bounce again from this second… however for him, it wasn’t an enormous deal in any respect.
“It was on the finish of the spherical. I had nearly just about gained, but it surely minimize out throughout my stage three, and I simply knew I needed to end the match,” he informed us. “I don’t really want sound after I play, however I wish to have it. So even when the sound will get minimize off, it’s okay for me to only preserve taking part in.”
“Generally unhealthy issues occur,” he added in one other remark. “You see, right now, Nemo had a controller problem. So, typically issues simply occur which are out of your management, and it might positively have an effect on you mentally, however I don’t need issues like that to have an effect on me anymore.”
That’s an enormous a part of Punk’s present sport plan with regards to aggressive preventing video games. When requested about how he managed to maintain a stage head throughout such an intense match, the EVO champ admitted that he’s allowed himself to get snug with dropping, one thing he began doing originally of this present aggressive season.
“The one factor I really feel like I modified is being okay with dropping,” he stated to the press. “I really feel like that’s been serving to me do higher these previous few months.”
EVO marked the primary Premier occasion on the 2024 CPT. Having taken dwelling the championship, Punk is now certified for a spot at Capcom Cup later this yr — however regardless of already having a seat on the desk, he needs extra.
“Capcom Cup and making an attempt to win EWC,” he answered when requested what’s subsequent for his sport plan. “These are our two large, essential tournaments, and I wish to win some huge cash.”
This victory is only one of many who Punk has loved all through his profession, but it surely’s little doubt the most important on his resume. Now, different younger gamers are making a splash within the competitors like 17-year-old EndingWalker, hearkening again to Punk’s personal origins as a proficient teenager breaking out onto the scene. This prompted the press to ask him about his ideas on his legacy as an EVO champion… however he’s not sure how he feels about it simply but.
“I’m probably not positive, to be sincere,” he admitted. “I solely actually care about myself. I simply wish to win for myself principally. I don’t actually know what I would like my legacy to be. I simply need individuals to know that I used to be a tremendous participant. That’s just about it.”
In the event that they didn’t earlier than, the world most actually is aware of about it now. Punk couldn’t even depart the venue with out being greeted by throngs of followers cheering him on as he exited the Las Vegas Conference Middle. His victory was an emotionally charged second that adopted seven years of exhausting work, giving him emotions that he wasn’t positive find out how to articulate to curious reporters.
“It’s actually exhausting to place it in phrases,” he laughed. “, I’m simply very joyful and relieved as a result of it began so unhealthy within the final spherical. I used to be getting very scared, after which I received just a little fortunate, and all the things simply circled for me. I used to be simply very relieved and simply excited, joyful. I don’t know. It’s so many feelings. It’s exhausting to explain it.”
Punk made positive to offer Massive Chook his flowers, saying that the 2 are good pals and sometimes practice collectively. Watching them duke it out in Grand Finals felt like watching Avenue Fighter V another time in one of the best ways.
Though they’re nonetheless of their mid-twenties, it’s clear that this duo are the brand new pillars of Avenue Fighter’s aggressive scene. Their nail-biting struggle to the end will eternally stay on within the hallowed annals of preventing sport historical past — a match that topped a well-deserved winner who’s nonetheless hungry for extra.