The Japanese Contingency

Hometown Heroes

The 2016 season has been a renaissance for internationalWhereas 2015 was admittedly United States-centric, this year has seen stacked events in both expected and unexpected locales. From Australia’s Battle Arena Melbourne to France’s Smashdown World, theworld has become a smaller place.This weekend, the United Arab Emirates’ community will be ending their 2016 with a bang in the form of Dubai Dojo. While any tournament in the region would be worth covering on its own thanks to the its array of talented players, Dubai Dojo brings something new to the table:"I went to Japan earlier in April and spent a lot of time playing with 9B and Ranai at the former's house," says UAE event organizer Saif "" Al-Suwaidi. "I asked 9B if he would like to attend a tournament in the UAE, and he agreed." This invitation, Al-Suwaidi said, caused a ripple effect and brought four Japanese representatives to his home region.Leading the Japanese invasion is headliner guest Yuya "" Araki. Despite his status as alegend, hisjourney has been anything but consistent. While initially a Shulk main, he transitioned into becoming a Ryu main before settling on Bayonetta. This very turbulence shows in his results at majors throughout the year, which range from 129th to 1st. A first place finish for the iconic 'Kyubii' is very much possible should he play on point.Accompanying him areand, both known for being masters of their respective characters. The former, currently the best Toon Link in the world given Hyuga's hiatus, placed 13th at The Big House 6, taking out names like Kelsy "" Medeiros and Larry "" Holland. Kie finished 17th at the same event and parked conversations about Peach's place on the tier list with his legendary comeback during the Midwest vs Japan crew battle. Both are expected to make it far, should they play as they expected to.veteranwill also attending the event to serve as a translator. One of Japan's most traveled players, he has been to Zero Challenge, EVO and several MLG events in the past. He is still expected to place respectably, despite not being a player of the highest echelon.The local community of course, won't be going down without a fight. Many of the UAE's top players are attending the event with the intent of defending their region's pride. The likes ofandwill be present, ready to stop the Japanese Smashers in their tracks.It remains to be seen whether or not the UAE’s hometown heroes can take the event over their guests, but one thing is for certain: Dubai Dojo is a must-watch for anyfan.Author's Note: Dubai Dojo’s top 32 phase is already underway. Should you be interested in viewing the event, its Twitch stream can be found here . One can also follow the organizing team's social media account for more information about the event and the UAE scene as a whole.