It has been two decades since the legendary Daigo Umehara executed an epic parry against Justin Wong at Evo 2004, which stands as one of the most electrifying moments in fighting game history.
On August 1, 2004, two of the top contenders in the world of Street Fighter clashed during the Losers Semifinals at the Evolution Championship Series.
Daigo Umehara, recognized as Japan’s first esports professional, squared off against American Street Fighter expert Justin Wong in a heated match of Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike, where Daigo chose Ken and Wong represented Chun-Li.
The intense battle reached its climax in the final round of the first match. Daigo was left with a sliver of health due to Justin Wong’s strategic gameplay. With just 26 seconds on the clock, Wong launched his Super Attack — Chun-Li’s Houyoku-sen, a flurry of powerful kicks.
Typically, a Super Attack inflicts chip damage, which affects the opponent even when blocked. Daigo could have opted to jump away from the attack, but instead, he made the daring choice to parry every hit.
This high-risk decision enabled Daigo to avoid any damage from Wong’s Super and mount a comeback, but it was an incredible gamble. To successfully parry each attack, Daigo had to predict Wong’s Super activation and push his joystick forward within sixty frames of Chun-Li’s animation — that’s just one-tenth of a second, and he managed to accomplish this for all 14 consecutive hits, astounding the audience.
After flawlessly parrying Wong’s Super, Daigo seized the opportunity presented by Chun-Li’s negative frames to retaliate with Ken’s own Super Art, ultimately winning the match.
This iconic moment, now known as ‘Evo Moment 37,’ is regarded as one of the most exhilarating victories in the realm of fighting games.
As we celebrate over 20 years since Moment 37, fighting game enthusiasts are sharing their thoughts across social media platforms. One player even created a video narrating a “bedtime story” for his baby about this famous match.
bedtime stories look a lil different in this house@JWonggg @daigothebeast pic.twitter.com/oJVaauZtT1
— fakebruno (@_fakebruno) September 2, 2024
On Reddit, fans are reminiscing about the golden era of fighting games, with comments reflecting on the significance of the moment: “This wasn’t just a landmark in ‘Street Fighter’ history; it was a significant ‘gaming’ milestone. Even for those not present, you can feel the energy of that room from the video alone.”
Others have pointed out that Justin Wong’s recent performance in the new Marvel vs. Capcom collection feels like a comeback for all the memes surrounding his loss at Evo 2004.
Justin Wong and the Wazzler/MVC2 saga is pure revenge for all the memes from Evo Moment 37. And we all deserve it. Daigo might be the only one that can stop it. 💀pic.twitter.com/99k25tT7Zz
— TheHattedGamer (@TheHattedGamer) September 16, 2024
Wong’s expertise extends beyond Street Fighter games; he is also a renowned Marvel vs. Capcom champion, having secured Evo championship titles in Marvel vs. Capcom 2 in years 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2008, and 2010. His continued success with the latest collection has led to players seeking refunds after being defeated by him in ranked matches.
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