Hurt has become the first Japanese player to win a championship at Genesis X2 after his Super Smash Bros. Ultimate victory.
Ranked 12th in LumiRank 2024.2 and considered one of the best Snake players in the world, Hurt appeared dominant throughout his Genesis X2 run over the weekend, not dropping a single game in the Top 8.
Is Hurt The Best Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Player After Genesis X2?
Hurt met Takuma ‘Tea’ Hirooka in Winners Semis, who had been using Kazuya in the tournament up until that point. Commentators hoped for a sudden change to Pac-Man but it ended up being a Snake versus Kazuya match all the way through.
Hurt had a convincing win against Tea, taking all three games against the fan-favourite.
Up next was a match against another Japanese player, Mashita ‘acola’ Hayato. Considered to be one of the best Ultimate players in the world, fans wondered how Hurt would fare. And once again, Hurt won 3-0.
Acola then faced the final American left in the Top 8, Salvatore ‘Zomba’ DeSana. This Losers Finals match determined who would meet Hurt in the Grand Finals. A 3-0 saw acola coming face-to-face with Hurt once more.
After another clean victory, the Ultimate community rallied behind Hurt. During the event, fans called the Japanese player an “artist at work” and “an actual god,” with many wondering how he was ranked 12th.
Last year, he beat top players like Edgar ‘Sparg0’ Valdez and Team Liquid’s Michael ‘Riddles’ Kim. Hurt has become a real threat in the Ultimate scene thanks to his unpredictable plays and smart recoveries.
Hurt’s rank will likely climb significantly after his performance in late 2024 and now 2025.
