Pakistan’s e-sports star Arslan Siddique, widely known as Arslan Ash, has added another major achievement to his career by winning his sixth Evolution Championship Series (EVO) title at EVO 2025 in Las Vegas.
Representing the team “Twisted Minds,” Ash defeated his fellow Pakistani player Atif Butt in the Tekken 8 Grand Final to secure the championship. Hailing from Lahore, Ash has risen to international prominence in Tekken competitions, having first learned the game as a child in local gaming arcades.
In an interaction with journalists, Ash acknowledged the tough competition, stating, “We both work so hard, we have to face each other.” He continued, “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,” and called Butt “one of the best players in the world.”
Despite having only one more chance to secure his sixth Evo victory, Ash chose to stick with the character Anna for the final match. When asked about this decision, he explained, “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.”
