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Red Bull Kumite Japan 2019 viewer’s guide: Where to watch and line-up

Before 2019 ends, there’s still one last Street Fighter V tournament with Red Bull Kumite Japan. Here’s everything you need to know and what to expect.
Red Bull Kumite Japan 2019 viewer’s guide: Where to watch and line-up

Red Bull’s annual Street Fighter V tournament is heading to Japan for the first time this year, after being held in Paris since it began in 2015.  

The tournament sees 16 players compete for a prize pool and coveted trophy, with matches staged inside a unique cage-style setup. 

It also serves as another chance for players to prove themselves following the Capcom Cup, where Derek “iDom” Ruffin made a surprise ascent against the world’s best.  

When is Red Bull Kumite Japan 2019?  

Red Bull Kumite Japan
Red Bull Kumite takes place in Japan for the first time (Picture: Red Bull) 

The tournament takes place at Aichi Sky Expo in Tokoname, Japan, across Saturday 21 December and Sunday 22 December. The first day is dedicated to seeing who will secure the remaining place in the Last Chance Qualifier.  

Once the full line-up of 16 players is complete, the actual tournament will take place on Sunday to see who will come out on top.  

What is the format and prize pool?  

Red Bull has yet to announce the amount of this year’s prize pool, although 2018’s event in Paris saw player’s compete for €10,000 ($11,338).  

The format is a double elimination bracket on Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition.  

Who’s competing in Red Bull Kumite Japan 2019? 

You can check out the full list of players competing below. There will also be the winner of the Last Chance Qualifier. 

  • Masato “Bonchan” Takahashi - Japan 

  • Victor “Punk” Woodley – USA 

  • Houmaid “Takamura” Rabie – Belgium 

  • Atsushi “Fujimura” Fujimura – Japan 

  • Adel “Big Bird” Anouche – United Arab Emirates 

  • Gustavo “801 Strider” Romero – USA 

  • YHC-Mochi – Japan 

  • DC “Infexious” Coleman – United Kingdom 

  • Daigo “The Beast” Umehara – Japan 

  • Tomohiro “Gachikun” Kanamori – Japan 

  • Yasuyuki “Haku” Masuda – Japan 

  • Benjamin “Problem X” Simmons – United Kingdom 

  • Hajime “Tokido” Taniguchi – Japan 

  • Oliver “Luffy” Hay – France 

  • Yuki “Kichipa-mu” Asano – Japan 

Who will win Red Bull Kumite Japan 2019?  

Victor “Punk” Woodley is perhaps the favourite heading into the tournament. He’s the highest ranked player on the global leaderboard and has scored the highest total points in Capcom Pro Tour history.  

He also finished as runner-up in the Capcom Cup after losing out to iDom, who isn’t competing in Red Bull Kumite – giving him an even greater chance.  

There’s also Bonchan who won Evo earlier this year, while Fujimura managed to beat ProblemX in the Kumite 2018 finals. Could he score a repeat win?  

Where can I watch Red Bull Kumite Japan 2019?  

The event will be streamed on the official Red Bull Twitch and Japan’s Red Bull channels on Saturday 21 December and Sunday 22 December.

It starts at 11am in Japan, which is 2am GMT (Monday 22 December) and 9pm EST.