Nobody would be surprised to see Saul Leonardo “MenaRD” Mena II win the Street Fighter 6 tournament at Evo Vegas 2026. He’s considered one of the best SF6 players in the world right now. However, his journey to Evo this year was totally out of the ordinary for him.

Luckily, MenaRD has the right mindset to still win it all. At Evo Vegas 2026, MenaRD spoke with Esports Insider ahead of the tournament to discuss his unorthodox journey and what it has taken to overcome the obstacles in his path.

MenaRD didn’t have a very successful Evo Japan this year, which was quite shocking when taken at face value. He won Evo Japan 2025 after all. Not to mention he’d just won a first-to-10 exhibition match against Daigo Umehara, often referred to as the GOAT of Street Fighter.

However, that was part of the problem.

Instead of focusing on upcoming tournaments, MenaRD decided to put his all into the Kemonomichi Legends LIVE. It was something he had been looking forward to for years. He first asked Daigo for the honor last year, clearly taking the idea of an exhibition match very seriously.

“It would be the greatest honor of my career if I had the opportunity to fight you in a first-to-10,” MenaRD wrote on X to the legend last year. “Since I was young, I have dedicated myself to preparation, and I wonder how far we could take it if we decided to focus on a single set between us for months.”

While speaking with ESI, MenaRD said it was the “biggest privilege” in the Street Fighter community to have Daigo accept his proposal. It’s not something to be taken lightly. Not by MenaRD. Not by anybody. He only asked because he knew he was at a point in his career where he could give Daigo a good challenge.

Once the exhibition match was accepted and the date was set in stone, MenaRD started preparing. He totally focused on the Daigo match for an entire month, a team from Japan and one from his home, the Dominican Republic, by his side.

“It’s one of the most challenging things I’ve ever done,” he said. “At the end of the day, it was really important because I wanted to be at a level that would challenge him and be worth his time. He was also preparing. It made me really happy that it was worth it.”

In the end, MenaRD won 6-10. But it wasn’t about winning for MenaRD. It was about the match itself. He wanted it to be entertaining for Daigo. He wanted the two of them to have a great, worthwhile match.

It was a proud moment, but unfortunately, it was shrouded in controversy at the time. The Japanese FGC felt the Evo broadcast didn’t take the “Beast Path” seriously. This was more important than winning a tournament or gaining a title. For many, the loser was considered “dead.” Despite this, the stream had forced hype moments, taking away from the intensity and authenticity of the moment.

Someone on X wrote: “I’ll never forget how you used the Beast Path as a tool for making money and then discarded it.”

Despite the controversy, MenaRD remained positive about the experience.

“Honestly, I felt like the production tried their best. Just like competition, some days are not your best day. When I don’t have the performance I want, I just learn from it and do better next time. That’s what will happen. The Evo team has always given some of the best shows. They can do it again. It’s a learning experience. It’s unfortunate. But I had to do my job, and we achieved that. I know next time will be better.”

And that’s really been the theme for MenaRD all year. After winning against Daigo, he landed in 9th place at Evo Japan. But he didn’t let it get to him. In fact, he sort of expected it. Preparing for a grueling weekend of matches against a wide range of fighters is much different than focusing on beating a single person.

MenaRD was able to overcome a finish that may crush other top players due to his mindset. And that helped him lock in at other events during the year as well.

MenaRD often mentions his “amazing team,” which consists of friends, colleagues, and coaches. They not only help him improve at Street Fighter but also provide mental support, which is ultimately even more important. It’s often a mental state – not skill – that holds top players back.

He isn’t superhuman. MenaRD has moments where he gets in his head and starts to feel salty, mad, frustrated… Sometimes just too competitive. He told me it can be tough for players to leave that kind of thinking on the stage, especially after a loss. But “when I step off that stage and the game is over, I see all these people working on making this happen and making me have the best environment possible.

“That saltiness and anger are always there, but it stays with the game.”

If you stay in that failure mindset, MenaRD said, that can get in the way of a competitive mindset. That’s when players start to spiral and fumble.

Luckily, this support has gotten him some very big and special W’s. It was huge when MenaRD won Blink Respawn, his first win in the Dominican Republic. He’s been trying to win it for a while now, but the local crowd has been a huge challenge. Red Bull and his team came in clutch, allowing him a private area to practice away from the fans before he got on stage. They also had a day focused on fan service, so the competition day could feel more focused.

It’s no surprise that fans go crazy in the Dominican Republic. Even though MenaRD has moved to Japan for work, he never forgets about where he came from. The DR has often been his motivation to win, allowing him to give back to the local scene. He will be opening the Bandits Dojo later this year, providing training and a practice space for young Street Fighter players.

Now, MenaRD has to put all the craziness and drama behind him and focus on Evo Vegas 2026. Despite the added locations and Saudi Arabia purchase, Evo is still a special event for Mena and many other players.

“It’s all about legacy and all the players that have done this before, all the players that I’m trying to pursue. Arslan Ash and Justin Wong, they have won so many Evo events. It’s a testament to longevity,” MenaRD said. “I’m trying to get that consistency at Evo tournaments. Evo is the peak of fighting game tournaments. If you have multiple Evo championships, you’re in that conversation with the greats.

“It takes discipline to always be the best even after you have won. It’s tougher than getting that first win, in my opinion.”

Now, MenaRD has been pivoting from focusing on Daigo and working on his stamina. Evo is a stacked and exhasting weekend with tons of matches ahead of the Grand Finals. Leading up to Vegas, MenaRD focused on himself and his own mechanics, attempting to stay as sharp as possible.

Luckily, MenaRD has his team to support him. Everything will be okay. He’s prepared for all of the intense matches ahead.

His biggest challenge? Keita “Fuudo” Ai, a legendary and consistent player from Japan. He has become one of the biggest obstacles for MenaRD. But – of course – this isn’t something that has him stressed out. That’s not MenaRD.

“I feel I got something for him,” he said with a laugh. “I wanna try it out this tournament.”