Consistency is Key

If you fail, try again. And if you fail again, try again. The only true failure is when you stop trying. This lesson has been personified last week as eUnited | Ezra “Samsora” Morris climbed to the top of by winning Shine 2019, a S-tier Smash Brothers tournament and double eliminating FOX | Leonardo "MkLeo" Perez, Samsora -- the undisputed champion of Super Smash Brothers: Ultimate.

So many have gotten halfway up, gotten near the summit and stumbled, but the steady climb has placed him at the pinnacle of Super Smash Brothers: Ultimate.

One of the few players who stayed true to their main, Samora has seen it pay dividends. In a meta where it seems it is smart to have a secondary for uncomfortable or hard matchups, Samsora opted to solo Peach and learn all of her matchups. The staple of consistency since the game’s release, Samsora has persevered.

Head to Head

Leonardo “MkLeo” Perez has been the bane of many players dating back to Smash 4. Last time he and Samsora went head to head, MkLeo reset the bracket then, in dominant fashion, 3-0’d him to win the Grand Final. You could see the storm at bay on Samsora’s face once he made it to Winner's Finals. He was so close to the top. He could taste it. But a familiar face once again stood in his way.

MkLeo had become the equivalent to the unstoppable force. He was winning everything, and most times without dropping a set. If somehow, he miraculously lost a set, you knew, you KNEW he was coming back from losers’ side to win it all.

"This is what happens when an unstoppable force meets an immoveable object."

Something had to give.

Familiar Territory

The situation looked identical to their legendary bout at Super Smash Con 2019. MkLeo started fast and took a 2-0 lead in the first set. You could feel the anxiety from the crowd as it seemed someone turned on a replay. Were we watching Super Smash Con, or Shine?

With the early lead, it seemed MkLeo was well on his way to yet another S-tier win. Would Samsora be able to respond. The answer would be a resounding yes, and doing it in the only way he could: with a well-timed bomb pull. This would result in two consecutive wins in the set before MkLeo would reset the bracket.

A brief pause transitioned us from the interlude into the main chorus. The momentum seemed to be carrying over. MkLeo took game one. It seemed we had returned to a place we knew very well: the domain of MkLeo.

Championships

Samsora would then run off three consecutive wins, winning his first S-tier. Each win was like living on the edge. Adrenaline was flowing every second. The way he was able to punish Arsene, the ability to adapt to MkLeo's adaptations was simply brilliant. He began baiting out certain reactions from MkLeo. Every time he got an opening, it resulted in big damage, as in 50-70%. The momentum had shifted. It was like the candle that was his will and his chances to win the entire tournament was now a roaring bonfire, getting more fuel with every head nod, with every animated action in his seat. We were all one with Samsora. Each hit landed, each KO we all sat up straighter, every landed blow induced involuntary yelps and head nods. It's safe to say we all popped off harder for Samsora than he did for himself.

This is a monumental moment for Samsora. The win which eluded him so long, serves as a validation to all of his hard work and steady improvement. He already proved in Smash 4 he was a top player, but in Ultimate he’s taken it to a new level. He’s firmly in the conversation for the top 3 players in the world and looks to be making a push for number one. He’s a testament to hard work and grinding your way to the top. He’s a minority player in Smash who is achieving new heights.

It’s the true story of the underdog. It should serve as an inspiration to us all. That if you work hard enough dreams can come true. The long game is okay to play sometimes. It doesn't have to happen overnight. That steady climb, doing things the right way, it will pay off. And of course, in his interview afterwards he told "Momsora" that he loved her. A fitting ending for such a guy. This is only the start.

Alexa, play The Game’s “Hate it or Love it”, followed by Meek Mill "Championships."