The inaugural Evo Awards, held on February 15, 2025, in Los Angeles, celebrated the outstanding achievements within the FGC over the past year. We honored players, commentators, TOs and community members who have significantly contributed to the growth and vibrancy of the FGC over the past year.

Evo Hall of Fame Class of 2025 We are proud to welcome Hajime "Tokido" Taniguchi, John “Choiboy” Choi, Alex “Calipower” Valle to the Evo Hall of Fame in the Class of 2025. All 3 have made an immeasurable impact on the FGC and contributed to the community in ways that have and will be felt for generations to come.

“It’s so surreal, because thinking back to when I first started playing, this wasn’t on the radar at all. I just wanted to play and have a good time. I never would have thought this in a million years and I feel so fortunate,” said Choiboy.

To honor this achievement, you can head over to shop.evo.gg to pick up limited Hall of Fame shirts featuring our inductees and the characters that helped them on their journeys.

“We hope players, fans, and everyone engaged with the fighting game community worldwide enjoyed the inaugural Evo Awards,” said Rick Thiher, General Manager of Evo. “Our community has a storied history rich with culture and competition, and the Evo Awards are a tribute to those who have built it and those who are carrying it forward.”

See the Complete List of Award Winners here:

Best On-Air Duo: IFCYipeS & Sajam

Best Pop Off: Hayao

Match of the Year Award: Hayao vs. FrankieBFG

Comeback of the Year: Hayao

Best Custom Hardware: Haute Pad T-Series

Marketing Campaign of the Year: Chipotle – Evo + SFG + TEKKEN 8

Tech of the Year: Pro KO Leverless by Victrix

Commentator of the Year: IFCYipeS

They’ve Got Next: Noah “NoahtheProdigy” Solis

Best Dressed: Steven “Tasty Steve” Scott

Best Online Series: TNS Online

Best FGC Local: Tatakai Tuesday

Best Button of the Year: Ken Crouching Medium Kick

Best Commentary: “That is a Worthless Button!” by Justin “JWong” Wong

FGC Content of the Year: Sajam Slam

FGC Meme of the Year: Attacks IRL

Best FGC Cosplay: Chonibu

Invitational of the Year: Sajam TEKKEN Slam

Fighting Game Release of the Year: TEKKEN 8

Content Creator of the Year: Sajam

Player of the Year: Victor “Punk” Woodley

Moment of the Year: Hayao “Moment 38”

You can see the full nominees and winning speeches HERE

Hayao and Sajam came out as the big winners, with 4 awards each. Heres what they each had to say on the night.

“I am so boosted by this and definitely gives me the energy to keep working towards everything I am doing as pro gamer,” said Hayao. “I am going to be taking this energy forward into the next year and doing my best.”

“It’s really incredible how many content creators are out there. I have been making content about the fighting game on the internet for 15 years now which is half my life which is a long time,” said Stephen “Sajam” Lyon. “I didn’t go to Evo for the first time until 2014 and I watched all the rest of them online, so creating these kinds of things are so important. There are so many incredible creators out there that are new that are really inspiring me, because anybody who talks about something that they are passionate about, whether its fighting games or anything, I am always inspired by them.”

Marvel vs. Capcom 2 Tournament of Champions We kicked off the pre-show with a special exhibition match of Marvel vs. Capcom 2, showcasing our Marvel vs Capcom 2 champions, Justin Wong, IFC Yipes, Sanford Kelly, and Ducvader. At the end, in a back and forth set that included a grand finals reset, IFC Yipes came out victorious and claimed the title.

FATAL FURY: City of the Wolves Exhibition What better way to welcome a new title to the FGC, than with an exhibition of first time matchups. Evo Champions Arslan Ash, Punkdagod, and Reynald took to the stage to face off in FATAL FURY: City of the Wolves! Arslan and Punk took to the stage first, marking the first ever time these 2 legends have ever faced off in a set. Arslan took the W and moved on to face 2013 KING OF FIGHTERS XIII Evo Champion, Reynald. Making it all the way to the final game, Arslan took the set and the exhibition.

The Evo Awards not only honored individual achievements but also reinforced the sense of community and shared passion that defines the FGC. As the FGC continues to evolve, we hope that the Evo Awards can continue to honor those who impact the community and push us forward into the future.

You can watch the official Evo Awards video below: Full VoD