12 players from The Nationals Season 3 Tekken 7 Challenger and Academy Series tournaments are now one step closer to their Esports dream. Who will make it to the Pro League?
The Nationals, the Philippines first franchise-based Esports league is ready to welcome the new generation of Esports stars as it enters the Draft phase for its Season 3 Tekken 7 league. Set to happen this Monday, April 26, 2021, The Nationals Season 3 Tekken 7 Draft will decide which of the 12 qualified amateur players from the Challenger and Academy series tournaments will make it to the Pro League as members of the Franchise teams.
Getting to know the Hopefuls.
From amateur players to now one step closer from living their Esports dream. The journey was not easy for the 12 qualified players of The Nationals Season 3 Tekken 7 draft. Undergoing a series of qualification tournaments, these 12 players were hailed as the best of the best from the hundreds of aspiring amateurs from all over the Philippines.
Qualified Players – Challenger Series 1
- Kunicat
Daniel “Kunicat” De Leon had a very strong showing as he won the first The Nationals Season 3 Tekken 7 Challenger Series tournament. Kunicat’s first foray into Tekken was when he was first introduced into the game by his father back when he was still 13 years old and since then, he has never looked back. Now only one step away from making his Esports dreams a reality, Kunicat looks forward to being part of The Nationals pro league and perhaps even playing with or against some of the most fundamentally sound players of the game.
- Machinehead
Gearing up for a comeback, that is the story of Daniel “Machinehead” Eking, one of the qualified players for The Nationals Season 3 Tekken 7 Draft. A former The Nationals pro player under the Cignal Ultra Warriors, Machinehead’s approach to Tekken 7 made him one of the most surprising combatants of the league’s first season, reaching Top 3 in The Nationals Season 1 Tekken 7 Conference 1 playoffs.
- Don Argus
Another former Nationals pro player that looks to find another shot at being part of the Pro League, Jim “Don Argus” Casimiro is well known for his ultra-aggressive gameplay with the character, Eliza. A family man outside of Tekken 7, Don Argus has his daughter as his driving force behind his Esports career, and even has customized his gear to the design of her daughter’s favorite show just so she could watch him play.
- L
Levi “L” Liwag, also known as Levi, is one of the top 4 players from The Nationals Season 3 Tekken 7 Challenger Series 1. A tekken player since his high school days, L started his Tekken career competing against friends in arcades and then in tournaments hosted by local gaming lounges. Now, L will find himself one step closer to fulfilling that Esports dream as he becomes part of The Nationals Season 3 Tekken 7 Draft.
Qualified Players – Challenger Series 2
- JetMishima
Praise him or loathe him, Jet “JetMishima” Bustamante wears his love of Mishima characters in Tekken like a badge on his sleeve and showcases prowess on both praised and loathed category of fighters in the game like no other. Starting his Tekken experience by picking Jin Kazama on his first ever match, JetMishima has expanded his character expertise to also include new characters in the game. Just like some of his fellow draftees, JetMishima started Tekken by playing against his siblings before eventually moving to arcades and then onto tournaments.
- JSSN
Another former The Nationals pro that is looking to make his comeback. Jassen “JSSN” Capuyan is one of the first pro players in The Nationals when it started. Originally playing for team Smart Omega, JSSN will attempt to make it to the pro league once again, and perhaps achieve more than what he did before.
- SidestepLance
Some people get their nicknames because of the characters that they usually play, others get theirs because of a move that they love to do. The latter is the story of Lance Benedict “SidestepLance” Yulo, one of the qualified draftees from The Nationals Season 3 Tekken 7. Starting his Tekken experience playing against his older brother, SidestepLance then made his way into the competitive scene and competed not only in local tournaments but in international ones as well.
- Gold_Standard
From prodigy to future pro. Joachim “Gold_Standard” Fuentes started young with Tekken, playing his first game when he was just 3 years old. His taste of competitive play wouldn’t come until years later though, but it did not stop there as he continued to play and compete in the game. A player who always wants to take it to the limit and push himself forward, Gold_Standard will try and raise the bar of competitive Tekken play, should he be drafted, not just by showing what he can do but also by pushing his opponent to bring more than just their A game.
Qualified Players – Academy Series
- Typhoon
Thaddeus “Typhoon” Lipat had his first foray into Tekken when he was still 3 years old, playing casually with siblings and eventually against seasoned players and known veterans. A known tournament regular, Typhoon now joins the rest of The Nationals Season 3 Tekken 7 draft hopefuls, in a bid to make his Esports dream a reality.
- Endrax
While many local Tekken players started playing Tekken on the PlayStation 1, Andryx Dave “Endrax” Marasigan got into the game on the PlayStation 2 when his parents bought him a copy of Tekken 5. This late entry into the series compared to many did not stop Endrax from getting into the game’s highly competitive community, joining tournaments whenever he can, polishing his in-game skills and improving his playstyle enough to soon compete against some of the country’s best.
- Jic
Coming all the way from Legazpi City, Albay, is Joseph Jerico “Jic” Sayco, a The Nationals Season 3 Tekken 7 series draft hopeful qualified through the Academy Series. Jic’s love for Tekken stems partly from his love of martial arts, specifically Taekwondo. Although there are not a lot of tournaments to go around in Albay, that did not hinder Jic’s competitive nature as he continued to push himself forward and prove that he too can make his Esports dreams come true.
- Tomoriru
King mains are easily the most entertaining players to watch in a Tekken tournament and Carlos “Tomoriru” Gayoso aims to bring that and more in his bid to be part of The Nationals Season 3 Tekken 7 Pro League. Same with fellow Academy Series combatant Endrax, Tomoriru’s entry into Tekken was during the series’ later years, playing first in gaming lounges when he was 19. His fascination for the game quickly grew though, as he proceeded to play more and then compete more both in arcades and in local tournaments. Now that he is part of the Draft, Tomoriru is on his way to becoming a pro player, something that he initially didn’t thought of when he first started playing but is now everything that he’s looking forward to.
Teaming up with the nation’s best
Waiting at the pro leagues are the signed players by The Nationals franchise teams who are ready to welcome their new teammates for the Pro League. AK in LPE, Maru in BRE, Coffee_Prinz! In HFE, Jules for SMO, Vermilion for CUW and Hapon in SEO. These major reshuffles plus the high-level of skill that the draft hopefuls already have, this season is bound to become the most action packed so far, and fans can always expect high level of Esports action for each game day.
Tune in to the Draft!
Be part of Esports history and witness who can make their Esports dreams come true! Tune in to The Nationals Season 3 Tekken 7 Draft this coming Monday, April 26, 2021 starting at 4:00 PM live in fb.com/phnationals.
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