Tekken star Alexandre 'AK' Laverez cops 1st US tournament title

MANILA, Philippines – Filipino Tekken star Alexandre "AK" Laverez took home his first US Tekken tournament championship after outlasting reigning Tekken World Tour titlist Arslan Ash, 3-2, in the grand finals match of Combo Breaker 2024.

Laverez previously missed out on many tournaments as being denied travel visas. He acquired his US visa just last year as he participated in the Tekken World Tour 2023 Last Chance Qualifiers.

In the Combo Breaker 2024, Laverez had a spectacular run, going undefeated as he reached the Top 24 and winning against top competitors like South Korea's Jeong "Rangchu" Hyeon-ho and Pakistan's Muhammad "Farzeen" Farzeen to reach the grand finals.

His opponent, Pakistan's Arslan Ash, is the reigning Tekken World Tour champion and a four-time EVO (Evolution Championship Series) champion. He had survived four matches in the losers' bracket to reach the grand finals.

Laverez and Ash traded rounds, which boiled down to a decider with Laverez' successfully initiating a deadly combo with his Shaheen to defeat Ash's Nina, 3-2, to secure his first US tournament win.

Laverez took home $9,300 (approximately P69,000) and secured 560 points for the Tekken World Tour 2024, propelling him to thi7rd place in the current standings with 860 points.