KARACHI: Pakistani eSpo­rts icon Arslan “Ash” Siddique on Monday captured his eighth Evolution Championship Series (Evo) title after defeating South Korean player Rangchu in the Tekken 8 final at Evo 2026 in Las Vegas.

Tekken is a world renowned video game with a massive following, and Arslan is perhaps its greatest exponent. After this, his fourth consecutive Evo Las Vegas title, Arsalan has become one of the most successful players in competitive Tekken history.

The tournament announced the result in a post on X, saying the Ash had won the Tekken 8 competition at Evo 2026 for the fourth year in a row. Arslan also confirmed the victory in a post on X. “8x EVO cha­m­pion. Alhamdulillah,” he wrote.

This year’s tournament was held from June 26 to June 28 at the West Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Centre. The event is considered as the world’s largest fighting game tournament.

Lahore-born Arslan has become one of Pakistan’s most prominent esports figures and one of the leading names in the global fighting game community. His latest win further strengthens his reputation as the greatest Tekken player of all time.

His rise to international prominence began in 2019, when he won the Tekken 7 tournament at Evo Japan and later claimed the Evo title in Las Vegas.

The victories introduced many international fans to Pakistan’s competitive fighting game scene and helped establish the country as a major force in Tekken.

Since then, he has remained a consistent presence at the top of the game. He returned to form in 2023, sweeping the year’s major Tekken 7 tournaments by winning in Japan before capturing the Las Vegas title in August.

Transitioning to the franchise’s newest installment, he claimed the Evo Las Vegas title for Tekken 8 in 2024 and successfully defended his championship there in 2025.

Published in Dawn, June 30th, 2026