Smash Bros legend Leffen goes undefeated in Guilty Gear Strive at EVO 2023

Though he put himself on the map as a Smash Bros player, Leffen has managed to take the EVO 2023 title for Guilty Gear Strive in decisive fashion.

William ‘Leffen’ Hjelte has been competing for a long, long time. Though much of his career saw him being a competitor in Smash Bros, he’s been able to transition over to Guilty Gear and, after a great deal of practice, managed to take home a win at EVO 2023.

Leffen’s been an incredibly strong Guilty Gear player since 2021 and managed to take the EVO 2021 online title. However, at in-person tournaments with international representatives, he’s always fallen just short.

With a third-place finish at both EVO 2022 and Combo Breaker 2023, he was hungry for a big international win. Not only did he get that win at EVO 2023: He dominated on his way to the trophy.

Leffen dominates Guilty Gear Strive at EVO 2023

Though Leffen made a name for himself across several Smash Bros. titles, his transfer to Guilty Gear Strive has been a successful one. These two games are completely different but Leffen’s wealth of stage experience with Smash seems to have served him well in getting to the top of Guilty Gear.

Cloud9’s Joseph ‘Mang0’ Marquez, a longtime rival of Leffen’s, was jokingly praying on Leffen’s downfall through the entire tournament, cursing him in an attempt to throw him off.

WILLIAM HJELTE CURSE OF RA 𓀀 𓀁 𓀂 𓀃 𓀄 𓀅 𓀆 𓀇 𓀈 𓀉 𓀊 𓀋 𓀌 𓀍 𓀎 𓀏 𓀐 𓀑 𓀒 𓀓 𓀔 𓀕 𓀖 𓀗 𓀘 𓀙 𓀚 𓀛 𓀜 𓀝 𓀞 𓀟 𓀠 𓀡 𓀢 𓀣 𓀤 𓀥 𓀦 𓀧 𓀨 𓀩 𓀪 𓀫 𓀬 𓀭 𓀮 𓀯 𓀰 𓀱 𓀲 𓀳 𓀴 𓀵 𓀶 𓀷 𓀸 𓀹 𓀺 𓀻 𓀼 𓀽 𓀾 𓀿 𓁀 𓁁 𓁂 𓁃 𓁄 𓁅 𓁆 𓁇 𓁈 𓁉 𓁊 𓁋 𓁌 𓁍 𓁎 𓁏 𓁐 𓁑 𓀄

— 🐐 🐐 🐐 🐐 🐐 🐐 🐐 (@C9Mang0) August 6, 2023

However, Mang0’s attempts to throw Leffen off of having an extremely dominant winner’s bracket run in Guilty Gear Strive weren’t successful. He didn’t drop a single set.

Two Evo titles for two very different games.Congratulations to your #Evo2023 Guilty Gear -Strive- Champion: @TSM_Leffen! pic.twitter.com/qAiSEEFl7d

— EVO (@EVO) August 7, 2023

This also makes Leffen one of few players to ever have taken an EVO title in two different games, making him a legendary competitor within the scene.

He had some choice words for Mang0 following his win.

Oh and fuck you mang0 😉

— TSM Leffen (@TSM_Leffen) August 7, 2023

With how dominant Leffen’s win was, it’ll take some serious practice for another competitor to come close to beating him if he maintains this form.