\n<\/p>\n
If you haven\u2019t watched the Street Fighter League Americas 2026 Finals, you\u2019re missing out. It is \u2014 and I say this with complete sincerity \u2014 some of the best competitive Street Fighter I have ever seen in my life, mostly owing to a heart-stopping set between Derek \u2018Blaz\u2019 and Noah \u2018NoahTheProdigy\u2019 Solis.<\/p>\n
Blaz, a 17-year-old Chilean phenom, broke into the scene with a bang when he was just 14 years old. At 15, he got second place at Capcom Cup \u2014 the world\u2019s most competitive Street Fighter tournament \u2014 and at 16, he secured third place. During this time, Latin America as a region became extremely strong in Street Fighter 6, with figures like 15-year-old Chilean player Craime making Top 8 at Evo Las Vegas this year and winning the 2026 Esports World Cup for the game.<\/p>\n
LATAM\u2019s strength showed itself in spades at the Street Fighter League Americas Finals this year. Blaz and his team 2Game, made up of players from Mexico, Argentina, and Brazil, plowed through the competition, culminating in a breathtaking Grand Finals set that had viewers at the edge of their seats. Blaz, using Jamie (a wildly underrepresented character in competitive Street Fighter) and NoahTheProdigy, using Luke, duked it out in a thrilling back-and-forth brawl that saw Blaz perfect parry three times in a row on just a sliver of health against Luke\u2019s projectiles. <\/p>\n
\nThis set was something else \ud83d\udc40<\/p>\n
#SFLAMERICAS2026 | https:\/\/t.co\/QNfS4EB9gS https:\/\/t.co\/UdgkQtx0JH<\/p>\n
\u2014 Capcom Fighters (@CapcomFighters) November 9, 2026<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
It was nothing short of jaw-dropping, and Blaz \u2014 refusing to switch to Ryu or Sagat, his usual picks \u2014 clutched out the win. After a short break, Mexican player Lugabo secured the victory, giving 2Game the comeback they\u2019d been working so hard for after their 3rd place finish last year.<\/p>\n
I got the chance to speak with 2Game\u2019s talent backstage in the aftermath of their monumental achievement, where I asked the obvious question: Why is Latin America so good in Street Fighter right now?<\/p>\n
\u201cI mean, we don\u2019t take anything for granted,\u201d the team\u2019s coach told me. \u201cThat\u2019s why. We don\u2019t have as many opportunities as anyone else, and that’s why we\u2019ve got to do whatever we can in any possible way to make sure we play at the highest level, no matter what. That’s why we’re doing everything we can with any opportunity. Lugabo, for example \u2014 this is the third time he’s played offline, and he’s already that good. It shows we have a lot of hidden talent in Latin America since forever, at least for the past 15 years, but many of them don’t have the opportunity to travel. So what you’re seeing right now is what happens when we get the chance.\u201d<\/p>\n