Dayton “Wheels” Jones has qualified for two Killer Instinct World Cups (a 32-player finale to the Killer Instinct Ultra Tour similar to Capcom Cup and the Capcom Pro Tour) and has finished in numerous top 8s at major tournaments, including a dramatic second place finish at Combo Breaker 2017. It hasn’t been easy, but his confidence and determination have served him well thus far. He has a bright competitive fighting game career ahead of him.

A 22-year-old from Milwaukee, Wisconsin Wheels found his calling in competitive fighting games. Wheels loves sports, but with a condition that prevents him from competing in physical activities, he couldn’t throw a football, dunk a basketball, or hit a home run like other kids.

Instead, he learned to throw fireballs and Dragon Punches. And that became his competitive outlet.

Growing up with SMA Type 2

Wheels was born with a genetic disease called Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type 2 (SMA.) SMA affects the “part of the nervous system that controls voluntary muscle movement,” according to the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Muscles don’t receive signals from the nerve cells, which are located in the spine. As a result, the muscles atrophy due to inactivity.

The severity of SMA Type 2 has left Wheels bound to a wheelchair; hence the nickname. His arms and legs aren’t as developed as the average adult his age. His hands aren’t strong enough to hold his Xbox One controller. He has to play with it on a hard surface sitting on his lap.

“My muscles are very weak. I’ll be honest, I’m pretty well off considering how bad people usually get. I could be a lot worse right now. I need a lot of physical assistance when it comes to moving around,” Wheels told Yahoo Esports.

Wheels said he’s always been confident and maintained a positive attitude, despite his severe physical disabilities. He’s never felt out of place asking to play games, whether it was with the neighborhood kids when he was younger or with other players in PandaXGaming’s 24 hour Street Fighter IV lobbies.

“I never felt like I had to be accepted in my life. I just kind of did things. Either you want to hang out with me or you don’t. I never felt like people avoided me or thought about things like that. We’re going to play or we’re not going to play,” Wheels said.

Killer Instinct competitive spark

His introduction to competition came back in 2010 when he saw Evolution Championship Series on the now defunct G4TV. Wheels admits he dabbled in competitive Street Fighter IV but wasn’t very good at it. But Killer Instinct’s reveal at Evo 2013 planted the seed for Wheels to become a serious competitive player.

“I knew about Killer Instinct because my stepfather loved it. I followed tournaments for it because I planned on picking the game up,” Wheels said.

“I had more fun with Killer Instinct. It was a breath of fresh air to play something different. KI still has one of the best netcodes. Playing and practicing wasn’t easy in Street Fighter IV and it’s not easy in Street Fighter V either. A good netcode is a determining factor if I’m going to put time in a game or not.”

Wheels’ first major tournament ever was Ultimate Fighting Game Tournament 10 in 2014, its final year. Coincidentally, UFGT was the tournament organized by Adam “Keits” Heart before he moved on to work as a designer at Iron Galaxy on Killer Instinct. Since then, Wheels has been to various Midwest tournaments, including Combo Breaker (which is the spiritual successor to UFGT) and Frosty Faustings.

As he’s competed in more tournaments, Wheels has risen up the ranks in Killer Instinct. He qualified for Killer Instinct World Cup, which took place in January 2016. It was the first world championship for the game organized by Ultra Arcade owner Brandon “Xbox Viking” Alexander, who also helps sponsor players like Wheels and top Killer Instinct player Ken “Bass” Armas to events. Unfortunately, Wheels couldn’t travel to the event in San Antonio and he had to forfeit his spot in the tournament.

“I was bummed out that year. A month before it, I got really sick so I wasn’t able to go,” Wheels said.

“I had to redeem myself from last year. I thought I would’ve done really well. At the time, I felt I was better than a lot of players and I was really upset I couldn’t make it. I felt like it was a waste and I had to sit at home and watch.”

Story continues