FATAL FURY: COTW at EWC 25 Champion: Goichi "GO1" Kishida's Defense Takes Control
Jul 12, 2025.
After a fierce bracket of high-stakes fights, Goichi "GO1" Kishida emerged as the first-ever FATAL FURY: COTW at EWC 25 champion, taking first in a 5-3 grand final inside the Amazon Esports Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The Japanese fighting game player cemented his place in Esports World Cup history and earned $300,000 in prize money. Congratulations to GO1 and his organization, DetonatioN FocusMe.
GO1 Crowned First FATAL FURY: COTW at EWC Champion
Heading into Fatal Fury: COTW at EWC 25, GO1 was considered a top contender but not the favorite to win. Yet GO1’s fight against Zeng "Xiaohai" Zhuojun in the grand final proved everyone wrong. As each golden key was crushed throughout the tournament, his momentum grew, and he pushed forward to become the first-ever Fatal Fury: COTW champion at EWC 25.
“It’s like a dream. Thank you so much. It’s amazing,” GO1 said amidst tears of pure emotion following his win. “I was given an opportunity to work in DetonatioN, and I would like to extend my gratitude to everyone who made it possible. Thank you so much indeed for everything.”
The Art of Defense and Instinct
GO1's road to the trophy at EWC 25 began a couple of months earlier with a powerful performance at Brussels Challenge Major Edition 2025 to secure his spot in Riyadh. Once on the main stage, he was among 16 seasoned players from across the globe, including legends like Lin "E.T." Chia-hung, Hiroaki "mok" Hashizume, and Xiaohai himself, across three days of nonstop action. From the opening rounds on July 10th to the final showdown on July 12th, GO1 had an impressive run, toppling Naoki "Nemo" Nemoto and Yosuke "Kindevu" Ito along the way.
This victory against Xiaohai added to GO1’s impressive legacy. He’s also a two-time Tougeki – Super Battle Opera champion in Japan and has found major success with Dragon Ball FighterZ throughout the years. Although FATAL FURY: COTW launched this April, GO1’s signature defensive style shone through when it mattered most at EWC 25.
“I used to have a different gaming style and used to rely on defense a lot,” GO1 said. “I’m making use of that skill that I acquired throughout, so I’d say that I used both instinct and also experience that I’ve cultivated over the years.”
The Future of FATAL FURY: COTW
Although FATAL FURY: COTW is a recent release, its impact is already being felt across the fighting game community. Players from Street Fighter 6, TEKKEN 8, and beyond are picking it up and bringing their own styles into the mix. Fighting game heavyweight talents including Justin Wong, Christopher "Hellpockets" Fields, and Ryan Hart have echoed the idea that SNK's fighter has already made an impact on the esports community.
You can relive each punch, round, and matchup by watching the entire playoff bracket for FATAL FURY: COTW at EWC on YouTube.
This victory is just one of many events taking place during an exciting weekend of action at the Esports World Cup. Teams in VALORANT at EWC 25 and Apex Legends at EWC 25 are still battling to crown their champions. The fighting game action continues later with TEKKEN 8 at EWC 25 in Week 6 and Street Fighter 6 at EWC 25 in Week 7.
