Sixteen men stepped into the octagon for Red Bull Kumite 2024, but only one came out… as a champion. The other 15, in traditional Red Bull Kumite fashion, had to dramatically and ceremoniously resign after being eliminated from the event.
This year all players were given special cards that, upon losing, they had to toss in a trash can. To ensure that their pride also made it into said trash can, co-host Long Island Joe was there to add some hilarious insult to injury for all 15 eliminations. Continue on to see what he had to say to the likes of FLY|Punk, Rohto|Tokido, NASR|BigBird, and the other top players.
The more villainous hosting approach from hosts LI Joe and RobTV hit the mark for the fighting game community (a fandom that shares a ton of overlap with professional wrestling).
Both hosts played the role of heels as they took off gloves and hurled insults whenever possible.
Much fun was had by Rob and Joe, the audience, and perhaps even the players who all took their hits in stride. The reaction from the crowd (both virtual and on site) was enough to get Red Bull to post up a compilation of exit insults, some of which got hilariously personal.
When BigBird (who faithfully trains and very often travels with Evo 2023 champion NASR|AngryBird) fell to DRX|Leshar for a fifth place finish, for example, Joe hit him with a snub that we all know had to hurt a little.
Instead of taking BigBird’s card and tossing it in the trash, Joe handed it back and simply said, “Oh wait, you know what? Here take this home and give it to the better Bird.”
Anyone with regular training partner knows how intense such rivalries can be, and we’re talking about two of the best players on the planet giving everything they’ve got in front of the world… vicious.
Here’s the full compilation for you to relive or appreciate for the first time. Let us know your favorite zinger in the comments after you’ve had a chance to watch.
You asked for it
Here are all the roasts from @thisislijoe during Red Bull Kumite 2024 pic.twitter.com/IDRNyZJWIQ
— Red Bull Gaming (@redbullgaming) March 21, 2024