Riot’s 2v2 fighter 2XKO had the highlight at Evo Vegas 2026 as one of many video games on the Predominant Stage due to its spectacular variety of rivals. Out of these 1,080 fighters, Jo’siah “Hikari” Miller got here out on prime.
The Prime 8 for 2XKO was stacked. Dominique “SonicFox” McLean and Lenwood “Inzem” Arnold hadn’t dropped a single sport all weekend, nor had the twins, Toshi and Haru. Steve “Supernoon” Carbajal and Bleed had been additionally hungry for the win. However no one might sluggish Hikari down.
After the win, a journalist requested him if there was ever a second he didn’t suppose he’d win Evo Vegas 2026. His reply? “No.”
Hikari’s Unstoppable Evo Run and the Mindset That Obtained Him There
Hikari was a person of few phrases after his Evo win. However that appears to be how he normally is. Targeted. Purposeful. Unbothered. All through the Prime 8, Hikari appeared calm and affected person, ready for alternatives to leap in.
His Losers run was unimaginable. If I had been SonicFox and Inzem ready within the Winners Finals for Hikari, I’d be afraid. He was unstoppable. He faltered over Teemu right here and there, however even that wasn’t actually making him falter.
“After they’re within the lead, they decelerate the sport. It may be very tough,” he acknowledged. “However Teemu may be very simple to beat. Teemo has low HP and different weaknesses.”
And that’s the factor. Preventing video games are all psychological. I spoke with Saul Leonardo “MenaRD” Mena II earlier this weekend about his seemingly positive outlook. A very large a part of his consistency in Road Fighter 6 is his means to go away the saltiness within the sport and keep targeted, motivated, and unemotional.
Hikari clearly has this means. Nothing was actually tripping him up. Nothing was bothering him. His solely concern all through the Prime 8 was the twins, since they’d knocked him from the Winners’ facet. However he simply beat them, an final result I didn’t actually anticipate, after which continued to plow via all people.
He informed reporters it was his mindset that allowed him to alter up his playstyles all through Losers. He was in a position to regulate his technique for every opponent. Once more, unbothered.
As soon as he reached SonicFox and Inzem, he needed to beat the duo twice. As soon as to reset, as soon as extra to be topped Evo champion.
Is it more durable to take care of a duo? Have they got a bonus? Once more… You guessed it. Hikari was prepared for that. It wasn’t actually a priority.
“I undoubtedly watch their VODs and habits,” Hikari stated of his preparation for taking down duos. “They’re two completely different individuals, so two completely different mindsets. It’s actually tough.” On prime of that, Hikari had been coaching on the fitness center, spending time exterior, and practising together with his coaching companions: SonicFox and Inzem.
It labored. I admittedly felt that SonicFox and Inzem had the 2XKO match within the bag till I noticed Hikari’s Losers run. And he continued that momentum into the Grand Finals, simply getting a bracket reset. Even when SonicFox switched characters, Hikari barely faltered. He shortly reacted to his opponents’ playstyles.
Of SonicFox and Inzem, Hikari admitted SonicFox is essentially the most tough to face. That’s no shock. SonicFox is an eight-time Evo champion throughout a number of video games. Any combating sport they contact, they appear to dominate. 2XKO has been no completely different.
However that’s not a menace to Hikari. It’s a purpose.
“I need to be a big icon, like SonicFox,” he stated to me.
He’s effectively on his method. He has a number of 2XKO championships and beforehand dominated in Dragon Ball FighterZ. If that doesn’t sound like SonicFox, I don’t know what does.
And for Hikari, Evo Vegas remains to be a part of that journey to being an icon. There was significant controversy over Evo’s choice so as to add extra occasions after it was bought by Saudi Arabia. Fewer people attended Evo Vegas this year as a result of many didn’t really feel the necessity to pay for the costly flight and resort in Las Vegas. Why try this when there will probably be an Evo nearer to them anyway?
But it surely appears the highest gamers nonetheless worth Evo Vegas. Hikari stated to ESI: “To me, Evo nonetheless has that status, that very same feeling. It’s in Vegas. It’s the Tremendous Bowl of combating video games. It didn’t lose any status.”
Subsequent, Hikari will probably be heading to Evo France. Successful Evo Japan and Evo Vegas isn’t sufficient. Not if you wish to be the following SonicFox. He stated he’ll return and repair the errors he made forward of France. He gained’t make them once more. From the surface, what errors? Hikari appeared utterly in management. Utterly unstoppable.
Hikari believes that 2XKO has what it takes to be an even bigger title within the FGC. And he believes he would be the greatest identify in 2XKO. He already is.
