Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike returns in the Evo 2024 Throwback Tournament. Twenty-five years after the game’s release and twenty years after Evo Moment 37, we had the six final players to celebrate this foundational title in the FGC. ISSEI, CHI-RITHY, HAYAO, MOV, FRANKIEBFG, and RESOLVE battled through thousands of players to make their impact, but only one would be crowned Evo Champion.

Launching the final Top 6 of Evo 2024 Day 2 are ISSEI and CHI-RITHY, using Yun and Chun-Li, respectively. We start off with a very balanced fight. With the history of 3rd Strike, longtime payers have intimate knowledge of the strategies and how to beat them. All it takes is one slip to determine victory or defeat. 

It was clear that both ISSEI and CHI-RITHY had spent the time to grow incredibly familiar with the matchup. Yun and Chun-Li are among the the more popular characters used historically as well. The match went down to the wire with each player having two games and a round. Ultimately, ISSEI claimed the first win of the SF3 Top 6 and heads to winners finals.

HAYO and MOV took the stage next with Hugo and Elena, two Street Fighter III newcomers. An expertly timed parry from HAYAO led to an impressive command grab that got the crowd roaring. MOV was prepared and used their resources to heal Elena when on the brink of a round 2 defeat to take a win of their own. HAYO was on the ropes and pulled off another excellent parry to lead into a super, but whiffed it, leaving themselves wide open for MOV to dive in for an astounding Game 1 win. Game 2 was much less evenhanded, with MOV making quick work of both rounds.

Whenever HAYO closes the health gap, MOV would find an opportunity to bring their health up with their super. MOV used a consistent meter-building strategy where they would safely press a button. This kept HAYO at a distance and would rapidly increase their meter without being in harm’s way. Through this method, combined with their well-executed attacks, MOV took the next win in the Top 6 to follow ISSEI in the winners final.

CHI-RITHY and RESOLVE continued the Top 6 in the losers quarterfinal. CHI-RITHY maintained their Chun-Li while RESOLVE opted for Urien. The first game was incredibly close, with both players exhibiting clear mastery over their characters. At no point in the first two games did it feel like there was a gap in their skill level, and every round ended within slivers of health. When Game 3 started, it appeared that CHI-RITHY found their stride, definitively winning Game 3 and ending the match 3:0.

The successive loser quarterfinal featured HAYAO back with Hugo and FRANKIEBFG with Ken. HAYAO was determined to show they had what it took to make their way back up to the Grand Finals. FRANKIEBFG wasn’t going to just give away their ticket to the losers semifinals for free. To close the match, HAYAO magnificently air parries FRANKIEBFG’s attacks. Retaliating, FRANKIEBFG whiffs a super, and HAYAO comes right back with an EX command grab into victory. It was impossible to ignore HAYAO’s extravagant personality with each round of their performance.

After a short break, ISSEI and MOV faced off in the winners final, sticking to their YUN and ELENA choices. MOV opted for a different super instead of utilizing the healing ability. Watching them play, you could tell they didn’t need it. Two games went by in a blink of an eye. It must be noted that ISSEI made an unbelievable comeback in Game 3, Round 1, expertly maneuvering around MOV’s attacks. Still, ISSEI earned their way into the Grand Finals with a definitive 3:0.

HAYAO returned to the stage with boisterous energy and a clamorous crowd to compete against CHI-RITHY in the losers semifinal. While HAYAO started the match with confidence, CHI-RITHY matched their energy and brought the score 1:1. Shortly after, CHI-RITHY took the lead, falling into a rhythm and taking things 2:1. Game 3, Round 1 ended extraordinarily close, with each player reading their movements perfectly. Decisively, CHI-RITHY’s Chun-Li took down HAYAO’s giant Hugo. Ultimately, the two players completed the winners final with smiles, cheers, and camaraderie.

ISSEI and CHI-RITHY reunite in the losers final with Yun and Chun-Li. At the start, it feels like a familiar song. The two players know this matchup well and are familiar with their specific playstyles. Every round was incredibly close, and it was clear it could be anybody’s game. When it seemed like CHI-RITHY’s victory was within their grasp, ISSEI’s perfect reads broke through their offense, sending them to the Grand Finals to face off again with MOV.

The Grand Finals see the rematch between ISSEI and MOV, complete with Yun and Elena. Things started differently this time around. ISSEI came warmed up and ready to go, taking the fight directly to MOV. While MOV nearly came back in Round 2, ISSEI won Game 1. For Game 3, MOV chose to swap out their Elena for Chun-Li. This was a matchup we’d seen before, and it was one ISSEI was prepared to defeat, taking a swift Round 1 win. Although MOV won the next round, ISSEI earned their reset and their final opportunity at the Evo Championship title.

While it seemed too soon to tell, perhaps the character switch was just the thing MOV needed to stay in the running for the trophy. They took the first Game and established a new sense of pressure. ISSEI came too far to give up and evened the score 1:1 after a beautiful combination of reads and connections. MOV knew this was their final opportunity to become a Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike Evo Champion and gained the lead 2:1. After two successful supers in a row, MOV decides the tournament and earns the right to be among Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike and FGC legends as the next Evo Champion.

Evo 2024 Final Results:

1. MOV

2. ISSEI

3. CHI-RITHY

4. HAYAO

5. FRANKIEBFG

5. RESOLVE

Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike concluded Evo 2024 Day 2. Tomorrow, the last four tournaments will conclude, featuring Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising, Guilty Gear -Strive-, TEKKEN 8, and Street Fighter 6. The games begin at 10:00 AM PT and will stream live at twitch.tv/evo.