Two weeks after Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3's long announced death sentence was commuted to PS4, Northeast Championship looks to bring the year to a close with one of the most dynamic and varied Top 8s Marvel has ever had.

Zero(x2), Captain America, Trish, Nova, Magneto, Morrigan, Wesker

These are the point characters you can most likely expect to see as the finalists face off on Sunday, and though proven high class characters are represented throughout the bracket (you will definitely hear about how Doctor Doom does NOT like this matchup), the history and future of Marvel are on grand display.

In a bookend that is only fitting because Marvel never ends, former top tiers of Marvel’s yesteryear will figure massively into the battleground, as Jahi "Unkn0wn" Skerritt’s Wesker, fresh off of several high profile victories (and an absolutely one-sided thrashing of Justin Wong during pools) looks to put the sole MorriDoom (Amir "Cosmos" Adorno) team out in 7th place. This is no basic task, and Jahi may not elect to play his signature team, he can claim the power of yet another hallmark of Marvel 3’s history, Phoenix, as his own, but Cosmos is familiar against nearly the entire cast, and has shown a casual confidence that, during his moments of activity, the New York scene has yet to disrupt. The much maligned Cosmos is almost always a major factor, if he establishes the pressure the team, codified and made famous by Christopher "ChrisG" Gonzales, is most famous for, Cosmos might make short work of the glory days of Marvel 3’s former elite.

Prediction: Cosmos 3-2 over Unkn0wn (finishing 7th)

Expect Sentinel too to impact the proceedings, as both Unkn0wn and Panda Global's Raynel "RayRay" Hildalgo pilot the massive character through difficult matchups.

For RayRay, all parts of Joey D’Alessandro’s Zero/Doom(Hidden Missiles)/Vergil shell will be a familiar sight, but the New York native must navigate the familiarity with caution, as Joey has repeatedly demonstrated a tremendous ability to fight from advantage and seize momentum with courage verging on restlessness. RayRay prefers Marvel to be a dance of geniuses, Joey just wants contact and combos, their clash of styles and angles may yet set the tone for the day’s matches. RayRay looks to defend his victory from last year’s NEC, an increasingly more rare feat in UMVC3, while Joey (himself repeating a Top 8 finish at the annual event) looks to finally claim a Top 8 victory. An upset here would certainly bring more notoriety to the Frosty Faustings event happening in Joey’s native Chicagoland early next year.

Prediction: Panda Global|RayRay 3-1 over Joey D (finishing 7th)

As we move from the lower bracket to Winners, some very familiar faces re-emerge, as well as Philadelphia's only hope to win the major so deeply associated with their scene.

Jesse Tucker, the great hope of Philadelphia (and fellow Captain America player) who staunchly prefers to be known only as just "Jesse", faces one of UMVC3’s youngest and strongest players, Circa e-sports' Gabriel "Jibrill" Lam, the fresh faced Seattle player has had an amazing 2016, winning multiple events and claiming dominating victories over multiple Evo champions. Jibrill will likely look back at 2016 with bittersweet satisfaction, as his victories must also be counted with a harrowing ninth placed finish at Evo, but a win on East Coast territory would definitely sweeten the flight back home. For Jesse, this Sunday brings an opportunity to represent the city he loves with aplomb. This isn’t Jesse’s first Top 8, and it certainly won’t be his last, but there’s no place like home, and certainly nowhere he would rather stake his claim as "The Captain." But Jesse faces a set of uphill battles which perhaps not even Steve Rogers or Rocky Balboa could climb, as his MCU-approved Captain America/Doctor Strange/Rocket Racoon team will clash with Jibrill’s infamous Zero/Vergil/Dante (ZMC) team. Zero May Cry has long been one of the best teams in high level play, and Jibrill has demonstrated a clinical ability to pick apart teams that cannot match the speed, power, and reach of his own. Jesse’s measured, nuanced approach to the game is his greatest strength, but against the wealth of leverage Jibrill loves to apply, Jesse might find that strength turned to weakness.

Regardless, the young players can look forward to their shared Street Fighter V main, Vega, to see much needed buffs in the coming year. Santa loves the kids, indeed.

Prediction: Circa|Jibrill 3-0 over Jesse

In the final initial match of Sunday’s UMVC3 matches, two long-time FGC torchbearers clash. Evil Genius' Kenneth "Kbrad" Bradley and Panda Global’s Steven "Coach Steve" Delgado-Mendoza will once again prove that skill knows no exclusivity, the two have been notable and tremendous players across the 2D FGC, from Evo Top 8 to Major victories, the two have combined to do just about anything a player could imagine, but both would look to claim their first major UMVC3 victory, a feather in cap the two have long coveted. KBrad’s team, featuring only Devil May Cry characters, plays with a mobility and freeform defense to offense that befits his standout SF Cammy play, while Coach Steve’s signature Nova/Spencer/Doom team looks to literally hook and gut the demon family’s movement. Steve’s ferocious combos rarely leave survivors, if he’s able to make the elusive DMC squad close to blows, KBrad will be in a dangerous series of defensive decisions. Though EG’s own would much rather pick and pop from afar, the much beloved Maryland native has on more than one occasion risen to the top of a scramble as the victor, and he would love for their clash here to be no different.

Prediction: EG|KBrad 3-2 over PG|Coach Steve

From these four matches, I could easily see my every prediction being wrong, and the possible matchups afterwards are too many to breakdown here, I would be lying if I said I thought my picks were sure (I would personally love to see Jesse prove me wrong and claim one for Cap and Philly), but I am certain that today’s Top 8 will cap a 2016 filled with upsets and triumph with all the excitement, joy, and Morton’s Salt inspired passion we have come to expect from five full years of Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3. You can catch it all at 6PM EST on Twitch.tv at twitch.tv/funkyp

Complete Predictions:

Jesse 3-1 over PG|RayRay (finishing 5th)

Cosmos 3-2 over PG|Coach Steve (finishing 5th)

Jesse 3-0 over Cosmos (finishing 4th)

Circa|Jibrill 3-1 over EG|KBrad

Jesse 3-2 over EG|KBrad (finishing 3rd)

Circa|Jibrill 3-0 over Jesse (finishing 2nd)

Grand Champion: Circa E-sports' Gabriel "Jibrill" Lam