“That’s it for MK1 for me”: SonicFox left frustrated after Final Kombat 2025 tournament

Olivia Richman
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Final Kombat 2025 was so frustrating for Dominique ‘SonicFox’ McLean that they might quit playing Mortal Kombat 1 for good.

Over the weekend, fans were shocked to see top FGC player SonicFox place fifth at Final Kombat 2025 despite recently winning Evo 2025. On X, SonicFox expressed their frustrations with the event and how it may spell the end of their Mortal Kombat 1 career.

What Happened at Final Kombat 2025?

Final Kombat 2025 brought 19 invited top Mortal Kombat 1 pros to Mexico for an intense weekend of 1v1 fights. Day 3 was the Final Bracket with the best-of-the-best competitors. Fans were very excited when SonicFox and Mustafa ‘Kanimani’ Bicici met in the bracket.

Kanimani is another top player in the scene who took third at Evo 2025, so fans expected a pretty intense match. However, the first set was plagued with ongoing technical issues where the video and audio wasn’t showing up properly. Intead of waiting until the set was finished to fix the streaming problem, the production team stopped the pros mid-set, leaving them enraged.

Fighting games are a very technical and mental esport that often sees players using momentum to keep themselves pushing forward. Getting stopped mid-match is a real momentum killer. Said Sonic on X: “I think that’s the first time I’ve ever genuinely, GENUINELY, been p-ed at an event and it killed my momentum entirely.”

Fans fully supported SonicFox after they shared their thoughts on the situation. Many reassured them they’d bounce back and agreed that the tournament was not being run properly. Messing with the Top 8 bracket is definitely a sin in the FGC.

After the match, SonicFox told fans that they’d spoken with Kanimani about the situation and both admitted they were angry with how it went. Still, SonicFox agreed that Kani ‘kept his wit’ and ended up playing better in the Top 8. Kanimani ended up getting in second place at Final Kombat 2025.

“Heading back to the hotel and voiding the ceremony, since I can’t, in confidence, say I support how this event was handled,” SonicFox added.

‘The FGC seemed to have a change of heart at this point, calling them unprofessional and salty. One MK1 fan even told Sonic he should support Kanimani and attend the ceremony.

Is SonicFox Leaving Mortal Kombat 1?

It’s unclear if SonicFox is truly quitting professional Mortal Kombat 1. But they did say in their recent tweet “that is it for MK1 for me” after the disapointing event. This does hint at a possible exit from the scene, although it can’t be confirmed just yet.

SonicFox is known as one of the best fighting game players of all time. They’ve won tournaments in multiple fighting titles and could very likely switch to another game if they don’t feel like competing in Mortal Kombat 1 anymore.

Some fans are even asking them to switch to 2XKO.

Olivia Richman

Deputy Editor
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Olivia Richman is a seasoned esports journalist who has worked with Inven Global, Esports Illustrated, Esports.gg, and more. As an editor and writer at Esports Insider, she loves telling unique esports stories, especially within the FGC. When not working and gaming, Olivia loves collecting Kirby plush, eating sushi, and driving her cars at the track.
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