4 min read
Pakistani Tekken legend Arslan “Arslan Ash” Siddique has done it again. He claimed his seventh EVO championship title at EVO France 2025, cementing his place as the greatest Tekken player of all time.
Arslan outplayed more than 1,100 competitors at Evo France 2025, finishing with an incredible 15–1 set record. His victory marks another historic milestone, as he becomes the first player to win EVO titles across three regions: Japan, USA, and now France.
I may be the one holding the trophy, but this win belongs to everyone who believed.
7th EVO title. Alhamdulillah. 🇵🇰💚 pic.twitter.com/9zzDM56eFZ— Twis | Arslan Ash (@ArslanAsh95) October 12, 2025
A Gritty Top 8 Run By Arslan Ash
Arslan entered the Top 8 through the losers’ bracket after an early upset. He faced his first loss at the hands of KaneandTrench, a “Yoshimitsu” main, in an extremely close set. But Ash didn’t flinch. In his very next set, he 6-0-ed AK‘s “Claudio” and made his place in the Top 8 losers’ side of the bracket.
After that, Arslan went on a dominant streak, eliminating several top names with surgical precision. He showcased his trademark adaptation, clutch defense, and calculated offense. His first set of the Top 8, against Qudans‘ “Heihachi”, went to the wires. Qudans took an early lead, but Ash came back from the deficit and took the set.
In the next set, the Losers Quarter-Final (Match 1), Arslan faced KaneandTrench again. This time, Ash locked in “Anna”. Arslan’s “Anna” is historically weaker than his “Nina,” but he was confident enough to give her a try once more with a clear strategy in mind. He wanted to utilize Anna’s offensive tools to navigate around Yoshimitsu’s counter-hit-heavy playstyle. At the start of the set, it looked like KaneandTrench might end up eliminating Ash. However, Ash needed only 2 rounds to find his rhythm on “Anna Williams” and ran right through KaneandTrench by winning 6 rounds straight after losing the first two.
Arslan Ash keeps his Losers run alive with a runback win against Kaneandtrench! #EvoFrance2025 pic.twitter.com/zHVc4LPtm9
— Evo (@Evo) October 12, 2025
In the Losers Semi-Final, Arslan’s “Anna” faced KingReyJr’s “Asuka”. KingReyJr is a very strong player. However, he gave Arslan no real problems. He came quite close a couple of times, but that is never enough against the Arslan Ash. Ash took the set with a 3-1 victory.
Arslan faced Fergus, another “Asuka” main, in the Losers Finals. Arslan locked in “Anna” once again and absolutely dominated the matchup. Fergus’ “Asuka” got walked all around 3 different stages, yet he couldn’t find an answer to Arslan’s “Anna”. Arslan took a commanding 3-o win over Fergus and made his way to the Grand Finals.
Nina vs Eddy: A Grand Finals Classic
Match by match, Arslan climbed back to the grand finals, proving once again why he thrives under pressure. In the grand finals, Arslan locked in “Nina Williams”, while South Korea’s JeonDDing chose “Eddy Gordo”, his signature pick.
Arslan, coming from the losers’ side, needed to win 6 matches to take the trophy home. Meanwhile, JeonDDing was sitting comfortably on the winners’ side and only needed to win 3 matches to take the crown. But Arslan had other plans. Ash quickly took the first 2 matches and was looking for a quick reset. JeonDDing responded instantly and took the 3rd match. The crowd went wild. JeonDDing stared down Arslan. But Ash remained calm and didn’t lose his focus. Arslan adjusted and took the 4th match, his 3rd match win, to reset the bracket.
The atmosphere kept getting tense. Nerves were running wild, and everyone in the arena could feel them. Arslan had entered his flow state. He somehow started reading JeonDDing’s every move. He seemed like he was blocking every low and ducking every high. His spacing and whiff-punishment were so on point.
The momentum was on Ash’s side. But JeoDDing is no slouch either. He gave Arslan Ash a run for his money. Arslan won the first match after the reset, but JeonDDing immediately won 2 matches back-to-back. But Arslan came back. He used Nina’s rushdown and wall pressure to trap JeonDDing at close range. In the final match, Arslan closed the set with a low block and pushing JeonDDing to the corner, taking the series 3–2 and securing the title.
Arslan Ash with tears of joy as he makes Pakistan proud YET AGAIN!
WHAT A CHAMP! #TEKKEN8 #EvoFrance2025 @ArslanAsh95 pic.twitter.com/ScoSQk3ewB
— Muneeb Farrukh (@Muneeb313_) October 12, 2025
A Historic Achievement For Arslan Ash
This win pushes Arslan’s EVO title count to seven, making him the most decorated EVO champion in Tekken history. Fans and pros around the world are calling this one of his most impressive comebacks to date.
Arslan’s run at EVO France 2025 isn’t just another victory. It’s a statement, a reminder that he remains the undisputed king of Tekken.
