Pakistan’s e-sports star Arslan Siddique, commonly known as Arslan Ash, added another feather in his cap when he won his sixth Evolution Championship Series (EVO) title at EVO 2025 in Las Vegas.
Representing Twisted Minds, Ash defeated his fellow Pakistani player Atif Butt to clinch the Tekken 8 Grand Final.
Ash hails from Lahore and has won international Tekken competitions after learning to play as an eight-year-old in gaming arcades in the country.
During his interaction with journalists, Ash said: “We both work so hard, we have to face each other.”
“That’s the thing, I don’t want to face him. I know he’s so strong. We play each other every day and know each other’s weaknesses. We can’t hide from each other. It’s 50/50,” Ash added.
He maintained: “He’s one of the best players in the world.”
Despite Ash having only one more chance to take home his sixth Evo victory, he stuck with Anna going into the next match.
Responding to a question about his decision to switch, Ash said: “This time, [the match] was a bit different. I usually hide my gameplay by covering my stick. But I had nothing to hide my stick with. I was thinking constantly about him watching me. I copied Anna because of him.
“But he was winning with her. And when Anna didn’t work out, my last resort was to play Nina and do my best. […] I know how to take on difficult situations with Nina more.”
