Daily Esports is proud to partner with the Wi-Fi Warrior Rank team once again to present the Wi-Fi Warrior Rank v6 (WWRv6)! The Wi-Fi Warrior Rank rates 50 Super Smash Bros. Ultimate players based on their performances at online tournaments. Check out the Wi-Fi Warrior Rank Discord to find out more about Smash Ultimate’s competitive online scene.
As we near the end of the rankings reveals, only the cream-of-the-crop remains. Notably, all of today’s players are returning WWR veterans. While some have similar placements as last season, others climbed all the way up from the 70s of the WWRv5.
WWRv6: 20-11
Anyone who’s sat in a Sunday school class knows the story: the small, unassuming David takes down the titanic Goliath with nothing but a slingshot. Those in the Wi-Fi scene could pick out a resemblance to our No. 20, Elam “Pokelam” Rosario. Except, in addition to the slingshot, he’s got a net, some turnips and oh so many bowling balls. Pokelam is one of the few top 20 WWRv6 players who has yet to be ranked in his state or local region. Nevertheless, he spent this season doing what he’s done all throughout his five-season WWR streak: taking down the big names, slingshot in hand.
Pokelam’s season started on a high note with a top 8 finish at the S-tier Super Smash Galaxy. He picked up victories on Epic_Gabriel and Selkie along the way. Two weeks later he made top 8 again, this time with a 5th place finish at A-tier Zinc Tank #3. However, wins against WWR players eluded him this time around. Rather, it was at late season B-tiers where he made his biggest impacts.
First came Zenith’s High End Theory. After taking out Angel in Winners Quarters, Pokelam traded sets with ShinyMark all the way into the Grands reset, but got the last laugh and the tournament win. And though he didn’t win it as well, HABBY Birthday 2020 saw arguably his best collection of wins. He took out BestNess early and rode the momentum to oust Sharp and Yez. BestNess ultimately got his revenge in Grands, but Pokelam got massive value from that run all the same.
While the quarantine WWRs are dominated largely by offline titans, Pokelam is one of only three in the top 20 who’s been on every iteration of the ranking in Ultimate. He’s one of countless players who will be chomping at the bit when it’s safe to return to offline events. And many would argue he’s got the most to prove. But if his record against the big names here is any indication, he’s got it in him to take Tristate by storm as soon as this year. We hear New York’s looking for a new mayor anyway. Who better for that role than the best Villager in the region?
Written by: Liam “Cloudhead” Estes
With a massive leap upwards in placements from last season, Angel Nunez soars up to No. 19 on the WWRv6. As the only Robin main ranked this season, Angel was able to prove for a second season in a row just how dominant this tactician can be in the right hands. Two of his strongest performances were 1st place finishes at the C-tier events Battle of the Kōhai’s 2 and The Harmony 4. Angel took wins on Sogoodpop, Sharp, and WebbJP throughout these bracket runs. In addition, he double-eliminated SKITTLES!! to win The Harmony, while he swiftly defeated Chag in Grand Finals at Battle of The Kōhai’s 2.
Angel racked up even more wins by making top 8 at four B-tier events. These placements included 2nd at M-Kolosseum #4, 5th at the first and third Galaxy Gambits, and 5th at Jingle Jairs. There are almost too many wins to list from these events. But the most notable among them were Yez, BestNess, varun, LeoN, IcyMist, Kiyarash, and Atomsk (twice). At the S-tier Ultimate 32, Angel thrived in the spotlight. He took wins over Riddles and Ned before falling to Sharp for 13th place.
A monumental jump of 51 spots up since last season shows just how capable Angel was with more attendance. His resume of wins and his performances at tournaments, large and small, show just how consistent he is at taking on the best of the best. Angel’s peaks were plentiful and he only rarely ever dipped below finishing in top 8. It would certainly be no shock to see this swordsman back near the top next season. Angel is bound to prove how strong his Robin is yet again.
Written by: Sean “GME” Wilkinson
Yet another player whose ranking rose from last season, Nicholas “Ned” Dovel utilized his Pokémon trio to land at No. 18. Ned remained remarkably consistent this season, rarely ever finishing below top 8 at any given WWRv6 event. Opting to use primarily Pokémon Trainer this season in place of Cloud, this titan of offline play continued his streak of great tournament showings in another season full of challenging events. His first solid performance of the season was a 3rd place finish at Mashfest #2 in September. There, he defeated Sharp, KirbyKid, and Aaron while only losing to Sparg0 and Maister. Ned held his ground at the massive S-tier Ultimate 32 as well. At this event, he finished in 17th place and took a set off of SuperGirlKels before being eliminated.
Ned has also finished in the top 4 of multiple B-tier events. He took 3rd place at Gaming For Tots, where he eliminated Sharp and Epic_Gabriel. In addition, Ned placed 4th at Galaxy Gambit 3 over Angel and ShinyMark, and defeated Sharp once again. His peak performance was at October’s Legion Smash Ultimate Cup. There, he took a silver medal and a set off of BestNess. Ned also scored two additional wins on Sharp, giving him an overall record of 5-1 against Sharp.
Ned’s performances at events were hardly ever hurt by unranked losses. In fact, hisoka96 was his only sub-top 50 loss all season. His consistency at events of all sizes throughout the past six months allowed him to climb up sixteen spots from the previous season. As this Pokémon master heads into 2021, expect him to continue taking names left and right.
Written by: Sean “GME” Wilkinson
Returning to the rankings in the No. 17 spot is the Bowser menace, David “LeoN” Leon. With a much more filled out tournament resume, LeoN climbed up the rankings on the WWRv6. Now, he far outranks his previous placement of 73rd on the WWRv5. Representing his home region of New Jersey, where he’s ranked third, LeoN showed exactly what he was capable of over the course of his season.
He’s earned a list of impressive wins, defeating players like Sonix, Sparg0, and Kola. LeoN also boasts two wins on Epic_Gabriel. In addition to his wins, he also had great placements. Such placements include 2nd at L4st’s Box, 9th at Ultimate 32, 3rd at Frame Perfect Series 2, and 5th at Lunchbox #2, showing remarkable consistency at highly tiered events. LeoN had an impressive 18-17 record against the top 50, and lost to only seven unranked opponents this season. Considering how active LeoN was this season, these impressive feats showcase not only his peaks, but also his consistency. LeoN remains the top Bowser in this version of the WWR, and retains that title in the world at large as well. Come the return of offline, he’ll be right back to taking souls with the Koopa King.
Written by: Kyle “Grayola” Gray
This veteran of the scene is known for his galaxy-sized brain, his dominance as a top 10 player across two Smash titles, and now, his second appearance on the WWR. Samuel “Dabuz” Buzby lands at No. 16 on the WWRv6. Dabuz utilized primarily Min Min, in addition to occasional appearances from his Olimar, Rosalina & Luma, and even Pit and Dark Pit.
Dabuz performed consistently well at every event he attended. Notably, he made top 8 at two of the three S-tier events that he attended this season. He placed 13th at Get On My Line, 3rd at Smash Out Breast Cancer, and 7th at Ultimate 32. Along the way, he found wins on 8BitMan, Chag, Yez, Sharp, Joker, and many more. Elympics #1 in August also marked another excellent performance for the New Yorker. Dabuz took 4th place as he conquered Myran, Cosmos, and SKITTLES!!, in addition to earning another win on Sharp.
While he was not as dominant in the online scene as he was last season, when he made top 3 at multiple colossal S-tiers, Dabuz was still able to find his footing amidst the challenging competition. This was thanks in part to his use of multiple characters throughout the season. The brand-new Min Min gave him a new way to take sets from the best at the WWRv6 season’s most challenging events. Viewers will always be starstruck by Dabuz and his gameplay at whatever events he enters. Using his noodle, he’ll be sure to keep the competition fierce as we head into whatever events 2021 can offer.
Written by: Sean “GME” Wilkinson
The best gamer himself, Michael “Riddles” Kim lands at the No. 15 spot of the WWRv6! EMG’s very own Terry extraordinaire made himself quite known over the course of the season, be it for his amazing Terry gameplay or for being one of the leading influences behind the growth of Yuzu. Despite his gripes with Ultimate’s online, he has won two large events, The Cosmic Kerfuffle and PRYDE + HONOR. Riddles also placed 3rd at Epic_Tournament and 9th at Get On My Line 2020. Throughout his runs, he’s bested players like BestNess and Sonix, and earned two wins each over Epic_Gabriel, Sharp, and Sparg0.
On top of that, Riddles holds a positive record over the top 50, and only has two unranked losses to his name. Riddles’ overall attendance has severely dropped in the last few months, which prevented him from climbing any higher. Even so, his resume is still impressive enough to land him within the top 15 of this season’s rankings. With his skills on the sticks rivaled only by his way with words regarding Ultimate’s netcode, you can be sure to find Riddles taking names in whatever bracket he decides to enter.
Written by: Cyrus “Cagt” Gharakhanian
No one in the Smash community has a heart whose pureness matches that of Yezre’el “Yez” Askew. It’s impossible to find this man not radiating with wholesome, loving energy. Not only that, but it’s also extremely rare to see him perform any less than exceptionally in bracket. With wins over players of such caliber as MkLeo, Maister, Sparg0, and Epic_Gabriel, as well as multiple wins on BestNess and Sonix, it’s no wonder he was able to land at the No. 14 spot on the WWRv6. Yez also won the B-tier Lunch Box #6, and placed 3rd at M-Kolosseum #2. On top of that, he placed 5th at both L4st’s Box and Frame Perfect Series 3: Online.
Yez’ stellar track record against top-level players is somewhat held back by the rest of his data. Most notably, he has a 27-40 record against the top 50, and a moderate amount of unranked losses. Nonetheless, he maintains one of the best mentalities this scene holds, and continues to be one of the most liked personalities in the community. With his v7 season already off to a strong start, big things are sure to come for Yez in the future. We cannot wait to see more of Missouri’s own Ike player as he makes his way through more major events!
Written by: Cyrus “Cagt” Gharakhanian
Sixty-four WWRv6 wins this season, among the highest number of any player. Eleven different characters with WWR wins, by far the most. Six consecutive seasons on the WWR, one of only two players to make it on every iteration. Five consecutive seasons in the top 20. True to all these impressive numbers, a strong season from Noah “Sharp” McCulley is something you can always count on. Sharp rides those stats all the way to No. 13 on this season’s rankings.
It didn’t take long for Sharp’s season to pick up steam. He placed 2nd at the B-tier Canada Cup Minor and 5th at Get On My Line 2020, a strong all-Canadian one-two punch. Sharp added wins against Epic_Gabriel, ESAM, 8BitMan, and Lights to his resumé along the way. More standout events quickly followed. He placed 5th at another S-tier in Lockhart Series, and earned wins on BestNess and Chag at Elympics. Sharp also secured the bronze medal at Flat Realm #8, with wins over Epic_Gabriel and Sonix. The crown jewel of his remarkable season came at Ultimate 32, arguably the most stacked event of the season. One of sixteen invitees to the final stage, Sharp proved why he was there by defeating KirbyKid, Angel, LeoN, and Mr. E. He ultimately finished in 5th place after a close 2-3 loss to MkLeo.
Prior to the pandemic, Sharp never had an issue balancing offline success with online fiending. He was ranked in Rhode Island and New England while making every WWR effortlessly. So even when things open back up again, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him extend that appearance streak even further. Wherever he enters, though, you’d be wise to place your bets on his success. With the deepest pockets in the scene and among the highest potential, Sharp is a player to watch now and for as long as he keeps competing.
Written by: Liam “Cloudhead” Estes
Making his mark on the WWRv6 in the No. 12 spot is Tanner “SKITTLES!!” Jordan. Hailing from Nebraska, where he holds the top spot on the rankings, SKITTLES!! returns to the WWR with a one-spot improvement from the last, in a very competitive season. He started this season off with a bang, with strong placements like 3rd at both Super Smash Galaxy and Lunchbox #2. His pace slowed somewhat in the midseason, but he was able to return to peak form by the end. SKITTLES!! took 1st place at Jingle Jairs, as well as 4th place at Lunch Box #6.
The most impressive part of his resume this season was his ability to take on any player in his path. This can be seen through his set records with some of the most prolific players on these rankings. SKITTLES!! boasts two wins each over Maister, Sparg0, and BestNess, and has a whopping five over Sonix. He achieved a respectable 34-43 record against the top 50, which speaks to how active he was throughout this season. And despite an average number of unranked losses, when he was playing his best this season, he was a threat to take home the gold at any event.
Take SKITTLES!! lightly, and you’ll be tasting not only the rainbow, but also the sting of defeat. He should be a contender for top 20 and even top 10 any season he plays, as he keeps making a name for himself as one of the best Young Links in the nation.
Written by: Kyle “Grayola” Gray
If you’ve been in the Smash scene for any amount of time, you know Santiago “Chag” Perez, and you know he’s good. From a Smash 4 Bayo on the cusp of the PGR, to a killer Ultimate Palutena at the very top of Mexico’s rankings, he’s been making a name for himself for years. So it should come as no surprise to see Chag rounding out the first half of the WWRv6’s top 20. He did so in a season that saw him taking sets from the very highest echelon of players. Chag rose 45 spots from last season, among the most of any player, and slots in comfortably at No. 11 on the WWRv6.
A series of high finishes at early-season C-tiers was a sign of things to come for Chag. He placed 2nd, 1st, and 3rd at three in a row, defeating BestNess, Lights, and Joker along the way. He kept up such impressive performances throughout the season. Chag took 9th place at Super Smash Galaxy, reached top 8 at both of the first two M-Kolosseums, and had a strong 4th place finish at the S-tier Smash Out Breast Cancer. The latter tournament featured wins over 8BitMan, Mr. E, SKITTLES!!, and Sharp. Chag ended the year on one final high note, taking 2nd place at Lunch Box #7. Atomsk, ShinyMark, BestNess, and Maister all fell to him on his way to Grands.
At just 20 years of age, Chag is a veteran of two Smash games, with a career spanning over three years. He had momentum coming into the Wi-Fi age and will have just as much coming out of it. When offline play resumes, he’ll be looking for his first appearance on the PGR. Though it’s sure to be a competitive season when that time comes, he’s got as good a chance as any to stake his claim to the only ranking left for him to conquer.
Written by: Liam “Cloudhead” Estes
Make sure to check back on Thursday, January 28, as the rankings conclude with the Wi-Fi Warrior Rank v6: 10-1!
Published: Jan 26, 2021 04:00 pm