Hikari Claims Evo Vegas 2026 2XKO Title After Dominant Losers Bracket Run

Posted : 29 June 2026

Jo’siah "Hikari" Miller cemented his status as one of the Fighting Game Community's brightest stars by winning the 2XKO championship at Evo Vegas 2026. Riot Games' tag-team fighter made its Main Stage debut with a massive field of 1,080 competitors, and Hikari emerged as the tournament's champion after an outstanding performance throughout the weekend.

The tournament featured many of the game's top players, including eight-time Evo champion SonicFox, Lenwood "nzem" Arnold, twins Toshi and Haru, Steve "Supernoon" Carbajal, and Bleed. Despite the high level of competition, Hikari proved impossible to stop when the stakes were highest.

Following his victory, Hikari displayed the same confidence that had defined his tournament run. Asked whether he ever doubted his chances of winning Evo, the champion simply answered, "No."

That belief was backed up by his performances on the main stage. After being knocked into the losers bracket by Toshi and Haru, Hikari launched an impressive comeback, eliminating one opponent after another to earn another shot at the title. He later avenged his earlier defeat against the twins before advancing to the Grand Finals.

Throughout the tournament, Hikari remained composed regardless of the pressure. His calm approach allowed him to adjust his tactics against different opponents, a quality he credited as one of the biggest reasons behind his success.

One matchup that briefly challenged him involved opponents using Teemo, but Hikari explained he never viewed the character as a major obstacle. While acknowledging that Teemo could slow the pace of a match when holding a lead, he believed the character's low health and other weaknesses made the matchup manageable.

His adaptability became even more evident in the Grand Finals, where he faced the formidable duo of SonicFox and Inzem. Because they had reached the championship match from the winners bracket, Hikari needed to defeat them twice—once to reset the bracket and again to secure the title.

Preparation played a key role in that success. Hikari said he carefully studied recordings of his opponents, analyzing their habits and recognizing that each player brought a unique mindset into competition. Away from tournaments, he also focused on physical fitness and trained extensively alongside practice partners, including SonicFox and Inzem.

The strategy paid off. Hikari carried the momentum from his losers bracket run into the championship match, earning a bracket reset before comfortably closing out the tournament. Even when SonicFox switched characters in an attempt to change the momentum, Hikari adapted quickly and maintained control.

Although he described SonicFox as the toughest opponent in the game, Hikari also revealed that the legendary competitor serves as his greatest source of inspiration. Rather than viewing the multiple-time Evo champion as an obstacle, he sees him as the benchmark he hopes to reach.

Hikari said his ambition is to become one of the defining figures of the fighting game scene, much like SonicFox has been across several titles. His growing list of achievements—including multiple 2XKO championships and previous success in Dragon Ball FighterZ—suggests he is already building that legacy.

The new champion also defended Evo Vegas' status as the premier fighting game event despite concerns that attendance had declined following Evo's expansion into multiple international tournaments after its acquisition by Saudi-backed ownership.

According to Hikari, the Las Vegas tournament remains the most prestigious event in the Fighting Game Community, comparing it to the Super Bowl of fighting games and insisting it has not lost its importance.

His focus now shifts to Evo France, where he hopes to continue adding titles to his collection. Despite his commanding performance in Las Vegas, Hikari said he still identified areas for improvement and intends to correct those mistakes before returning to competition.

Confident in both his own future and the growth of Riot's new fighting game, Hikari believes 2XKO has the potential to become one of the Fighting Game Community's biggest titles—and he intends to be its biggest star.

Hikari Claims Evo Vegas 2026 2XKO Title After Dominant Losers Bracket Run

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