Hungrybox Wins CEO 2025 After Borrowing Controller Following Explosion

In a surprising turn of events during the Grand Finals at CEO 2025, renowned Smash Bros professional Juan ‘Hungrybox’ Debiedma encountered an unexpected hurdle: his controller malfunctioned, leading him to borrow one from a spectator. Remarkably, this temporary replacement proved advantageous, allowing him to clinch victory.

In the world of esports, athletes often find their performance linked closely to the peripherals they use. The comfort and familiarity with their tools are essential for success. For instance, competitive players in games like Counter-Strike and Valorant typically secure endorsements with their preferred mouse and keyboard brands, underscoring the importance of the right equipment.

However, in the Smash community, the choice of gaming peripherals often veers into the unconventional. Competitors have been known to utilize a variety of odd controllers, including Guitar Hero guitars and Donkey Kong bongo drums, along with the traditional GameCube controllers and fight sticks.

Hungrybox Triumphs After Controller Challenge

Despite his usual preference for standard controllers, Hungrybox found himself in a challenging situation when his primary controller broke during the intense final match against Wizzrobe. Nevertheless, he secured a similar controller from the crowd to continue his match.

Hungrybox, the most successful Super Smash Bros Melee pro of all time, just won his 37th major. His controller broke during the CEO 2025 Grand Final and he had to borrow someone else’s to finish the match pic.twitter.com/yUT8msgHJ5

— dexerto (@dexerto) June 15, 2025

Hungrybox displayed remarkable resilience as he fought back from a 3-0 deficit to win the bracket reset against Wizzrobe, ultimately securing his 37th Major title and marking his first CEO victory since 2020 with a hard-fought 3-2 win in the second set.

Expressing his exhilaration on social media, he proclaimed, “THAT’S HOW YOU BOUNCE BACK. I AM YOUR (FINALLY ONCE AGAIN) YOUR CEO CHAMPION. RIP MY DUMBASS PHOB FOREVER.”

THATS HOW YOU BOUNCE THE FUCK BACK! I AM YOUR (FINALLY ONCE AGAIN) YOUR CEO CHAMPION! RIP MY DUMBASS PHOB FOREVER https://t.co/sa1GUhmtCp pic.twitter.com/TL2tUTuX7Q

— hungrybox (@LiquidHbox) June 15, 2025

In his reflections after the match, the Team Liquid player gave thanks to fellow competitor MOF for their sportsmanship, allowing him to switch controllers mid-game, which alleviated the challenges he faced from his malfunctioning device.“I only won because @Mast3rofFlavor1 is an incredible sport and allowed me to switch controllers mid-game. I don’t deserve that kindness, but she’s so incredible for doing that, ” he expressed.

Looking ahead, Debiedma indicated a return to official Nintendo controllers, though only time will tell if he sticks to this decision.

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