(Photo: Maruo Kono/Red Bull Content Pool)

Daigo “The Beast” Umehara has joined Red Bull, the legendary Street Fighter player announced on his live stream late Friday.

Red Bull has updated its Japanese website with Daigo’s new profile, and his management has confirmed Daigo’s new deal in a statement with Yahoo Esports.

In addition, Daigo will no longer be sponsored by Mad Catz, but he remains in an “alliance partnership” with the peripheral manufacturer.

Daigo’s first act as a Red Bull Athlete will be to localize his first book, titled “The Will to Keep Winning,” for the West. The best-seller will include a new preface focusing on his experiences since its 2012 release in Japan.

The book will go on sale at Evo, which takes place July 15-17 in Las Vegas. No price has been revealed yet.

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(Photo: Michael Martin)

Daigo was the last remaining member of Mad Catz after the struggling video game peripheral manufacturer did not re-sign veteran Street Fighter players Hajime “Tokido” Taniguchi and Kenryo “Mago” Hayashi.

In addition to Daigo, Red Bull eSports also sponsors some heavy hitters in Smash and Street Fighter competition, including William “Leffen” Hjelte; Evo champions Darryl “Snake Eyez” Lewis and Olivier “Luffy” Hay; and Evo 2014 runner-up Masato “Bonchan” Takahashi.

In related news, Daigo will make his long-awaited return to the Capcom Pro Tour at StunFest in Rennes, France, on May 20-22.

His first appearance in North America since his exhibition with Lupe Fiasco will take place at CEO 2016 in Orlando on June 24-26.



Michael Martin covers all things related to Street Fighter V and the FGC. Follow him on Twitter @Bizarro_Mike.