This Dominican Gamer Just Won the Biggest Tournament Ever!
Credit: MenaRD Instagram
A popular gamer from the Dominican Republic has conquered one of the biggest international competitions. On May 11, MenaRD went undefeated when he won the Evolution (EVO) Championship Series: Japan 2025.
MenaRD, whose real name is Saul Leonardo Mena Segundo, hails from Santo Domingo. The 25-year-old started his first career in gaming in 2017. He specializes in playing the fighting game Street Fighter. Throughout his run as one of the Dominican Republic’s famous gamers, MenaRD has won championships like 2023’s Capcom Cup and last year’s Red Bull Kumite.
MenaRD also has a history with EVO Japan, which is one of the biggest fighting game tournaments. He first placed second in the event’s Street Fighter competition in 2023. A year later, MenaRD returned and clinched the championship. At this year’s EVO Japan, he kept his winning streak going. This past weekend, he remained undefeated in Street Fighter among 7,195 participants from around the world.
For the grand finals of EVO Japan 2025, MenaRD faced off against Japanese gamer Ryukichi. They competed in four sets of battles in Street Fighter. The final result was 3-1 with Mena RD winning the competition for the second time in a row. With tears of joy in his eyes, he said, “One thing I learned this year is that you can never stop believing in yourself.”
For winning EVO Japan 2025, MenaRD was awarded 1,750,000 yen. That’s about $12,037.63 in U.S. dollars. His two victories at the tournament represent a big win in gaming for the Latin American and Caribbean communities that he comes from.