By James Sablan
[email protected]
Variety News Staff
FOR most people, a trip to Tokyo, Las Vegas, or the French Riviera is the vacation of a lifetime. For Joshua Santos, these iconic cities are merely the backdrop for some of the most intense mental and physical tests of his life.
Santos, a 26-year-old communications specialist for the local government, has spent the last two years establishing himself as a pioneer in the NMI fighting game community.
Having recently returned from EVO France 2025 in Nice, Santos reflected on a journey that has seen him compete in four Evolution Championship Series events — the “Olympics” of fighting games — and endure the demanding emotional landscape of competitive Tekken.
Since his debut on the international stage in 2024, Santos has become a fixture at major tournaments, consistently placing in the top third of thousands of entrants.
The evolution of a competitor is often measured not just in execution and reactions, but in expectations. During his first trip to Tokyo in early 2024, Santos’ goals were modest: meet his heroes and avoid the dreaded “0-2” — being eliminated without winning a set.
“I succeeded at both,” Santos said with a smile. But as the stamps in his passport multiplied, so did the pressure he placed on himself. The goal shifted from survival to “making it out of pools,” surviving the Day 1 bracket to reach the elite Day 2 stage.
“At majors like EVO, if you survive Day 1, you start running into the pros and the world’s best amateurs,” Santos explained. “I have a lot of work to do before I can comfortably and consistently make those deep Day 2 runs.”
His most recent performance at EVO France delivered both his highest highs and most crushing lows. Santos found himself one victory away from a dream scenario — a scheduled match against Arslan Ash, widely regarded as the “Greatest of All Time” in Tekken.
“Though I’m 99.999% sure he would’ve smoked me, that would’ve been my chance to be on an EVO livestream and put our small island and community on the map,” Santos said.
The opportunity slipped away after a second-round loss sent him into the losers bracket. His run ended shortly after in a “mirror match” — a bout in which both players use the same character. The narrow defeat triggered a moment of frustration and self-doubt.
“This trip was a waste of money,” he admitted. “All this time and effort and I still suck.”
Despite the sting of defeat, the Saipan native has returned with a sharpened mindset. Drawing inspiration from Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, Santos realized his biggest opponent was not the person across from him, but his own hesitation.
“I was so scared of losing I wasn’t willing to take up space,” Santos said. “If I’m going to lose in the future, it won’t be because I was too in my head to take risks.”
Ultimately, Santos views his journey as a privilege. Balancing the high-pressure world of international esports with his professional life on Saipan, he finds meaning in the struggle itself.
Quoting Olympic gold medalist Alysa Liu, Santos said, “I connect with everything, but I’m not attached to anything. I like struggling, actually. It makes me feel alive.”
As the NMI continues to expand its presence in the global esports arena, Santos remains at the forefront — not just as a competitor, but as a student of the game — proving that for a dedicated player, every loss is simply another lesson for the next round.
Santos has competed in four EVO tournaments: EVO Japan 2024 (April 27–29), EVO 2024 in Las Vegas (July 20–23), EVO Japan 2025 (May 9–12), and EVO France 2025 (Oct. 10–12).
James Sablan has been a sports reporter for Variety since 2013. He was a liberal arts student of Northern Marianas College and covers all local sports.
