PGstats is proud to present the latest Melee ranking, #MPGR2019 , in concert with Red Bull! The #MPGR2019 ranking season spans the end of 2018 (after Don’t Park on the Grass 2018) to December 8, 2019 (Mang0’s Birthday Bash).

PGstats has asked 45 top players, community leaders, tournament organizers, and analysts to rate the quality of play for each qualifying player during the 2018 ranking season. They were prompted with the following statement:

“Based on quality and quantity of results in 2019, rate each player on a scale of 1 to 10. A tournament is held every weekend during the ranking period, and all players on the list are able to attend every event. Over the course of the season, who performs the best? You may give the benefit of the doubt to players who attended more events during the ranking period if you so choose.”

Each panelist gives each player a score from 1 to 10, and the ratings are compiled into one overall average after suppressing the effect of outliers. Finally, scores were rescaled to a 1-100 rating, which is displayed under each player’s graphic.

New this year: We’ve tried to interview every player in the Top 100! Players in the Top 50 will still have blurbs, but the focus on the first 50 will be their interviews.

#MPGR2019 No. 40: Rishi © Phil Nolan (@nilpholan)

Rating: 67.3 | #MPGR2018 Rank: 26

With the recent release of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Rishi “Rishi” Malhotra split his focus between two Smash titles in 2019. Of course, having been power ranked in both Smash for Wii U and Project M, Rishi is no stranger to juggling multiple games -- he clocks in as a top 40 player in Melee once again.

Rishi’s strongest performance of 2019 was his 13th place finish at Genesis 6, where the world’s best green Marth took wins over moky and Westballz. He also finished 7th at Full Bloom V, where he made a losers bracket run through NMW, Boyd, Bladewise, and Kels before being eliminated by Duck.

Perhaps more notably than even his tournament results, this year Rishi also invented “Rishi’s Jungle Jam,” a new ruleset that’s been held as a side event at a number of tournaments including Shine 2019. It’s worth checking it out, no matter your thoughts on the staleness of the current metagame.

Written by: Matt "Bitts" Bittle | Edited by: Rui "Rui" Yang Xu

MPGR: What was your proudest achievement of 2019?

Rishi: 2019 was, in many ways, the most difficult and most rewarding year of my life. I went through a lot of real-life shakeups that often made me question my relationship with smash and competing. But I also experimented with different ways to express myself and engage with the Smash community... so with that in mind, I would say my proudest achievement is revolutionizing the landscape of competitive Smash by introducing Rishi's Jungle Jam.

MPGR: Currently, what motivates you to compete in Melee?

Rishi: A couple years ago I was extremely motivated to improve and compete in Melee, but that drive dwindled quite a bit last year with Ultimate and other responsibilities. As a result, I often didn't feel like myself at tournaments. Lately I've realized that the process of study and improvement in Melee is what was missing for me this past year. I still entered tournaments, but I was missing a key component: the drive to actually improve. With NYC's local scene revitalized, I've been finding myself more and more excited to study, practice, and compete.

MPGR: What's your favorite button on the GameCube controller, and why?

Rishi: Not a button, but the analog stick. I'm an exclusive tap-jumper, so I can't live without my gray stick. That's also why I burn through several sticks on my controllers per year.

#MPGR2019 No. 39: FatGoku © Chime Photography (alonelychime)

Rating: 67.8 | #MPGR2018 Rank: 69

Steven “FatGoku” Callopy made his debut in the top 50 less than a year ago, and yet he’s already quickly established that he won’t be going anywhere any time soon. His Genesis 6 run served as a catalyst for a fantastic rest of the year, giving the world a chance to see his Fox at work. With wins over Azel, NMW, and Eddy Mexico, and with 17th and 9th placings at Mainstage and The Kid, the Goat, and the Mango respectively in the second half of the year, FatGoku demonstrated his talent in one of the world’s strongest regions. Meanwhile, with wins over Ka-Master and Bladewise at home, he’s solidified his title as the best player in the Pacific Northwest -- as further proven by his unchallenged victory at Bridgetown Blitz 4. With such radical growth and stunning results over the course of so little time, the new year burns bright with possibilities for him and his Fox.

Written by: Bekah "Chime" Wong | Edited by: Darren "Krakhead" Lynch

MPGR: What was your proudest achievement of 2019?

FatGoku: Getting 9th at Genesis 6 was my proudest achievement of 2019. It was the first time I ever got top 32 at a super major, so getting top 12 was extremely unexpected. It's the best I've ever played, if I had to have 1 "breakout" tournament of my career I think this would be it. Also got 4 top 50 wins at that tourney alone.

MPGR: Where do you think you'll be ranked? Do you think that'll be different from where you'd rank yourself?

FatGoku: I think I'll be in the 40-45 range, which is where I put myself. I don't think I really "deserve" to be top 50 right now but I think I the amount of people who deserve it more than me is currently only ~40, so I'll take it.

MPGR: If the tier list was flipped, which character would you play, and why?

FatGoku: Probably Pichu. He's already my favorite low tier by far because I think he's the closest to Fox. He is the only low tier with any mobility, his nair is a better character than Bowser, and his up smash actually kills people. Pichu is also very cute.

#MPGR2019 No. 38: Spud © Benjamin Loh (@peahnuts)

Rating: 68.7 | #MPGR2018 Rank: 47

Everyone’s favorite Marth main from New Zealand was able to make waves in the United States again this year. Te-Tuhi “Spud” Kelly became the first player from Oceania to compete at a Smash Summit -- in pools at Smash Summit 8, he lost to Mang0 and Wizzrobe but bested iBDW, a Fox considered to be very proficient at the Marth matchup, in a close 3-2. He lost to n0ne and Zain later in bracket, but his appearance provided valuable experience in both Melee and showbiz, as he also proved to be quite a talented actor.

On his home turf, Spud took down top Foxes Professor Pro and SFAT when the two made trips to Australia for Battle Arena Melbourne 11. Though his run at The Kid, the Goat, and the Mang0 ended at 33rd, it’s clear that he’ll be a force for years to come.

Unfortunately for Fox mains, Spud is registered for Genesis 7. Their misfortune, however, is a gain for the rest of us.

Written by: Matt "Bitts" Bittle | Edited by: Rui "Rui" Yang Xu

MPGR: What's your favorite tournament series, and why?

Spud: BAM, it’s where it all started for me

MPGR: What's your least favorite matchup, and why?

Spud: Sheik, I suck at it

MPGR: Why do you main who you main?

Spud: I saw the Ken combo and I was like hooh OOH

#MPGR2019 No. 37: Albert © Tram Tram (@TramTramPhotos)

Rating: 69.8 | #MPGR2018 Rank: N/A

In July, Albert “Albert” Luu stunned the Melee scene when he crawled out of the woodwork to defeat Hungrybox in an off-stream set at Low Tier City 7. This titanic upset was Hungrybox’s first loss to an unranked player in recent memory, and only his second loss to a Falco main since PPMD began his hiatus from competitive play.

For good reason, the last-game nailbiter immediately became Albert’s signature win. But he didn’t stop there—the Texan posted six top-100 victories in 2019, rounding out his resume with wins over Lucky, Ginger, and Bladewise.

No matter what happens next year, Albert has made a place for himself in Melee history. But if he continues his rise up the ranks, there may soon be another top-level Falco in the mix.

Written by: Alexander "Quality Steve" Lee | Edited by: Dylan "Dilly-Jo" Tate

MPGR: What are your priorities for 2020?

Albert: I'm about to graduate from my university. I want to maintain a full time job while still being at least a top 20 player. It is my hope to never turn Melee into a job and still continue to enjoy the game at a high level.

MPGR: At this stage in your Melee career, who would you consider your rival?

Albert: Although he is almost retired, Tirno is still my rival. He has pushed me to constantly rethink how I play Falco, and he continues to share with me so much knowledge and understanding of the game. I hope to one day play a set with him and afterwards be told I have crafted a complete Falco.

MPGR: What's your favorite tournament series, and why?

Albert: I love Smash Camp because it isn't just a tournament. It's a gathering of friends, all there to have a great time. One part of most tournaments I don't enjoy is that they are much too serious. Competition is great, but the community and the game itself are why we have tournaments in the first place.

#MPGR2019 No. 36: Gahtzu © Aaron Dolgos (@batteryazid)

Rating: 71.3 | #MPGR2018 Rank: 27

It's been a relatively quiet year for Jason "Gahtzu" Diehl, the Captain Falcon main who rules Central Florida. Though he rarely traveled outside his own region, he has nonetheless racked up a resume of impressive wins, including a victory over Wizzrobe at CEO 2019. His most prominent tournament of the year is certainly Pound 2019, where he beat Kalvar, La Luna, and PewPewU before falling to Axe for a respectable 9th place.

While Gahtzu hasn’t been to a major tournament since CEO in June, Florida needs no reminder of his explosive skill. Watch out for Gahtzu to pick up some big wins when he makes his return to the national stage at Genesis 7 in 2020.

Written by: Cagan "Cagan" Hawthorne | Edited by: Christopher "SomeonesPC" Matis

MPGR: What about the year do you feel satisfied with?

Gahtzu: Falcon winning a major

MPGR: Why do you main who you main?

Gahtzu: Best character

MPGR: Say something you want to share with your fans.

Gahtzu: You can instant uair oos by tapping up with the c-stick twice

#MPGR2019 No. 35: 2saint © Evan Johnson (@EvanJPhoto)

Rating: 72.5 | #MPGR2018 Rank: 49

After grabbing a top 50 spot on the Melee rankings for the first time in 2018, Toussaint "2saint" Turnier had a bit of a quiet year in 2019. But ‘quiet’ is not to be confused with ‘lackluster’; one of the most creative and exciting new Jigglypuff players on the scene has continued to show his skill at major tournaments, placing 13th, 13th, and 25th at Genesis 6, Shine 2019, and Smash'N'Splash 5 respectively.

2saint has also proven that he can compete both at home and on the road. In his heavily talented local region of Tristate, he’s gained wins over the likes of Rishi, Hax$, and Slox, while at majors he’s triumphed over highly skilled out-of-region players such as Captain Faceroll, KJH, and PewPewU. 2saint continues to show just why he’s a threat at any tournament he shows up to.

Written by: Jack "Kezzup" McDonald | Edited by: Sean "STOC$" O'Connor

MPGR: What was your proudest achievement of 2019?

2saint: My proudest achievement this year was finding a good work life balance.

MPGR: How do you feel Melee changed in 2019?

2saint: Melee changed extrinsically. Sponsors have mostly left the scene. So getting to majors has been difficult for most. However the streaming game seems very much alive. This is the year where people besides Mang0 were able to brand themselves adequately and organically. Soon there will be many "Mang0's". Smash, (melee in particular) will be something like a FaZe clan in itself. We're all on the road of becoming influencers, which in turn will make smash the most profitable esport without even needing sponsors.

MPGR: Where do you think you'll be ranked? Do you think that'll be different from where you'd rank yourself?

2saint: I think I would be ranked 35 or something like that. If I were to rank myself I'd put myself as a top 25 player.

#MPGR2019 No. 34: Professor Pro © Marie "Whim" Notot (@MarieNotot)

Rating: 72.5 | #MPGR2018 Rank: 56

A regular face in Melee’s year-end top 50, Aaron “Professor Pro” Thomas fell to a career-low ranking of 56 on last year’s MPGR. But this was precisely the motivation the Englishman needed to return to form: Professor Pro resurged in 2019, maintaining an iron grip on his No. 1 ranking in the United Kingdom while scoring big wins abroad.

At DreamHack Rotterdam 2019, Professor Pro schooled S2J in a somewhat dominant 3-1, on top of victories over Setchi, Overtriforce, and Amsah. A week later, he outplaced many of Europe’s finest with a tournament victory at Syndicate 2019. Additional wins over players such as Fiction, Trif, and Spud helped round out Professor Pro’s resume.

This Professor has tenure — and he’s returned from his sabbatical. For the rest of Europe, class is in session.

Written by: Alexander "Quality Steve" Lee | Edited by: Dylan "Dilly-Jo" Tate

#MPGR2019 No. 33: MikeHaze © Brandon Brady (@EveryDamnDay__)

Rating: 73.4 | #MPGR2018 Rank: 43

Maintaining consistency as a veteran player can be difficult in Melee, but in 2019 Michael “MikeHaze” Pulido was up to the task. In fact, he even managed to put up a solid record against fellow Smash Bros. veteran Fiction, whom he double-eliminated at Fight For SoCal V. Though he suffered the occasional upset to players like Arc and 42nd, he still scored a plethora of wins over players like Captain Faceroll, Lucky, Kalamazhu, ARMY, and 2Saint throughout the year.

MikeHaze managed to put up a good fight vs bracket demons like SFAT and S2J, but during his travels he uncovered a new rival in the form of Northeast Ohio Marth Jakenshaken, who defeated him twice in 2019. He also split his time between music and Melee, which seemed to be just the formula the SoCal Fox needed to put himself back on the map after a substandard 2018.

Written by: Sean "STOC$" O'Connor | Edited by: Jack "Kezzup" McDonald

MPGR: What was your proudest achievement of 2019?

MikeHaze: The thing i'm most proud of is actually not gaming related at all. I released a full length album in November titled "Opaque" and i'm just happy to finally be able to share it with everyone. I've gotten a lot of support for the project and am looking forward to releasing more in the near future.

MPGR: Currently, what motivates you to compete in Melee?

MikeHaze: The main thing i've been enjoying about competition recently is that it forces me to push myself past my limits both physically and mentally. I'm constantly finding new ways to improve my focus and mental game while still maintaining high levels of execution which always keeps the game fresh.

MPGR: Say something you want to share with your fans.

MikeHaze: Just want to say I'm thankful to have such a dope fan base. I'm lucky to be in a position where people support what i'm working on, whether that's melee or music. Here's to a sick 2020. Thank you!

#MPGR2019 No. 32: Medz © Jorge Lozano and La Gema (@notagain_ and @lagemaeslacrema)

Rating: 74.1 | #MPGR2018 Rank: N/A

After 2018 saw Juan “Medz” Garcia ineligible for the top 100, the Arizona veteran has made quite a name for himself in Melee’s 2019 season. Having attended more west coast and local events, Medz proved himself against Melee’s best throughout the year and triumphantly returns to MPGR.

Medz snagged 25th at the newly launched Melee major Mainstage, scored a top 8 finish at The Kid, The Goat, and The Mang0, and placed 2nd at Smash Factor 8, all while racking up set wins over PewPewU, ARMY, and KJH. He’s also been strong at home, climbing to the top of the Arizona power rankings. If his 2019 is any indication for the future, Medz has proven that he’s still a force to be reckoned with.

Written by: Christopher "SomeonesPC" Matis | Edited by: Cagan "Cagan" Hawthorne

MPGR: What was your proudest achievement of 2019?

Medz: Getting top 8 at the Kid The Goat The Mango. It really showed me i have what it takes to compete at top level.

MPGR: Currently, what motivates you to compete in Melee?

Medz: All the homies in AZ/Mexico that support me.

MPGR: What's your favorite tournament series, and why?

Medz: Genesis, the hype of the top 8 theatre is something to behold.

#MPGR2019 No. 31: Westballz © Addy Lai (@kittycataddy)

Rating: 74.9 | #MPGR2018 Rank: 22

Weston "Westballz" Dennis has once again established himself as one of Socal’s top threats this year. He and his Falco have placed first at a number of regionals, most impressively taking three of the last four Fight for Socal tournaments. His records versus fellow California players are thus as impressive as one would expect; he boasts positive records on Captain Faceroll, ARMY, S2J and many more.

Westballz’s national results are also solid, if less consistent. His excellent losers run at Smash'N'Splash 5, which saw him defeat Jakenshaken and Fiction for a 13th place finish, prove that he still has the ability to make waves at majors. He and his bird still have a lot to prove in the coming year, but if anyone is equal to the task, it’s Westballz.

Written by: Cagan "Cagan" Hawthorne | Edited by: Christopher "SomeonesPC" Matis

MPGR: Currently, what motivates you to compete in Melee?

Westballz: Beating lame players and making top 8’s way more fun

MPGR: What are your priorities for 2020?

Westballz: Beat Zain and Fiction

MPGR: What's your favorite tournament series, and why?

Westballz: At the moment it's GOML. They took care of me when I didn’t have a sponsor and gave me one of the best weekends of my life.

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Head Editor and Statistician: Andrew “PracticalTAS” Nestico

Graphics: Nick “DarkDragoon” Konstantino

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