How Many EVOs Has SonicFox Won? A Brief History


by in Fighting Games | May, 16th 2021

A Promising Start


Dominique McLean, also known by his online handle “SonicFox,” started his career in fighting games at the age of 13, when he joined some Mortal Kombat tournaments. From his start, many noticed his aggressive fighting style, being that he was a force to reckon with when he took up arms playing as Sonya and Mileena, although SonicFox would not get the attention of the fighting game community when he fought in Final Round 17 in 2014. During this event, SonicFox played in two tournaments, one for Mortal Kombat and one for Injustice: Gods Among Us, in which he beat out two of the game’s best players, “16-bit” and “Waffles”. This marked SonicFox as the winner of two NetherRealms fighter tournaments at the same event. This helped make him known as a promising fighter in the community. With his name now known to the masses, it was time for SonicFox to move onto the big leagues.

EVO 2014


During Evo 2014, SonicFox made his debut, being noticed by the masses as a potential contender for the EVO title in Injustice. Being his first time at EVO, he made it all the way to the winner’s finals, where he lost playing Bat Girl to a veteran of the NetherRealm Studios fighter “Pig of the Hut”. However, this didn’t deter SonicFox. He was set on a rematch against Hut and worked his way back to the top spot, destroying everyone in the proceedings, eventually making it to the rematch for the EVO title. Without hesitation, SonicFox destroyed and outmatched Hut in both sets, 3-0. This granted SonicFox his first EVO title, although there was plenty more to come for this now well-known fighting game star. As many more games would release, testing the limits of SonicFox.

Mortal Kombat X and EVO 2015/2016


With the release of Mortal Kombat X, SonicFox took up playing the game between EVO 2014 and EVO 2015. Picking up a sponsorship from Critical Reaction, SonicFox participated in ESL Fatal 8 and the MKX Pro League, taking the crown from both tournaments and making it clear that the year between EVO’s did not deteriorate SonicFox’s skills. When EVO 2015 rolled around, everyone looked to SonicFox as he returned to hold his position as the EVO title holder for NetherRealm fighting games. This time, his opponent would be a British player by the name of “A F0xy Grampa.” After losing in the winner’s bracket, SonicFox managed to pull through the loser’s bracket again to face off against Grampa and retain his title, winning the EVO title for the second time in a row.

However, the next year proved to be more difficult than expected. Although Sonicfox would pull through and win multiple ESL Pro League seasons, one player gave him a run for his money at EVO 2016. A relatively unknown player known as “TekkenMaster” was playing in the Mortal Kombat X tournament, which SonicFox won against in the winner’s bracket. However, it seemed like SonicFox’s ways were coming back to haunt him as Tekken Master returned to reset the bracket and face him a second time.

After getting too close to comfort to losing, SonicFox put his all in a deciding match, switching up his characters and eventually beating TekkenMaster, retaining his crown as the best Mortal Kombat X Player in the world, but also winning his third EVO in a row. However, while things were looking good for SonicFox, it seemed like sooner or later, his luck would run out.

Injustice 2, DragonBall FighterZ & EVO 2017/2018


SonicFox returned to Injustice with the release of Injustice 2. The Injustice Pro Series circuit was in full swing, and SonicFox took advantage, winning multiple Premier events under a new esports organization named Echo Fox. This culminated in the Las Angeles Grand Finals, where SonicFox would win the largest amount in his career, being a whopping $120,000 USD. With that, SonicFox returned to EVO 2017, ready to reclaim his title for the 4th time in a row, although things didn’t go as planned.

When arriving at Evo 2017, something was different. As SonicFox found himself now facing against the same opponent, he beat at the LA Grand Finals. This time, however, he lost and would lose again, having to give back the EVO title in 2017. However, this stroke of bad luck would only continue as SonicFox would enter the ELEAUGE World Championship and lose again, being placed at around 6th place.

SonicFox would not take this lying down, however. SonicFox jumped ship from Injustice 2 and would take up a new game, DragonBall FighterZ. This time, things would be different. SonicFox focused 100% on DBFZ and would play Injustice 2 only on the side. With the losses from EVO 2017 and the ELEAGUE World Championship, SonicFox knew he had to win next year, but not at Injustice. This time, he had his eyes dead set on the DBFZ EVO title.

Just like clockwork, the winning streaks came back. SonicFox would take on opponents at Combo Breaker and DreakHack Austin, taking the 1st place spot. But he still had much to learn as he placed second at Final Round and Summit of Power. He also placed 2nd at the SAGA event at VSFighting2018, which meant he was going to the World Finals in 2019. He had the skill, and his determination was all the evidence anyone needed. The fire raging inside of SonicFox would continue onto EVO 2018 with his debut for DBFZ. This time, he wasn’t taking losing as an option. SonicFox fought another promising DBFZ player, “GO1,” and would defeat him in the winner’s finals. But just like SonicFox, GO1 wasn’t going down without a fight. He managed to reset the bracket and faced SonicFox again for the grand title.

This time SonicFox asked to change sides in compliance with tournament rules. And then would defeat GO1 a second time, 3-0, winning himself the DBFZ EVO title. And his 4th EVO championship overall. SonicFox also managed to place 3rd in the Injustice 2 tournament at EVO, even though he was playing the game on the side. But an old friend would come knocking to SonicFox’s door that December of 2018, and just as expected, he would welcome it with open arms.

MK11 and EVO 2019


It’s the Beginning of 2019, and SonicFox has already set his sights on a new game. Mortal Kombat 11, which came out the previous month. With that, SonicFox put all hands on deck and started focusing on Mortal Kombat 11, facing off against other players at the game’s first major event, Summit of Time. In this, SonicFox only lost one game in the elimination bracket and still managed to win the event as a whole. It was clear that things were starting to come Full circle for SonicFox. He kept playing MK11 taking home the title at CEO 2019. SonicFox knew that he was going back to the NetherRealm stage for EVO 2019. But little did anyone know that SonicFox would be making a major achievement in his career. After arriving at EVO 2019, SonicFox worked his way up the brackets for Mortal Kombat 11 and DBFZ. With this, he had managed to find himself sitting upon two grand final stages at EVO. For DBFZ, the matchup was a repeat of last year; GO1 was there against him, ready to enact his revenge against SonicFox, and so he did, beating SonicFox leaving him with just 2nd place for the event. However, there was one more tournament SonicFox had to finish, and that was Mortal Kombat 11. SonicFox managed to take the win for MK11 and thus win his 5th EVO title ever, as well as retain his place as a legendary Mortal Kombat player.

SonicFox has managed to retain his name as a premier fighting game player for the ages and even has been awarded the Best Esports Player of the Year award in 2018 at Geoff Keighley’s Game Awards. SonicFox approached the stage there not with a fur hat he always wore during matches, but in a fursuit resembling his character that he portrays himself as online. during the speech, he mentioned his motivations behind playing fighting games. “I’ve never really done it for the fame. I just enjoy the rush of beating people up, y’know?” With that, SonicFox has managed to win himself 5 EVO titles and plenty of other tournaments, making him one of the best fighting game players in the history of the scene.

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