Notable FGC content creator BornFree sat down with FUDOH | Fujimura at Evo 2018 to get an insight on the player’s top spot in the CPT.

BornFree is known for his in-depth interviews of FGC players, organizers, personalities, and other notable figures in the fighting game community. At Evo 2018, he was able to swing a session with the number one player in the Capcom Pro Tour: FUDOH | Fujimura, known for his accomplished history within the FGC and his killer Ibuki, sat down with a translator to answer some of the community’s most pressing questions.

BornFree began the session by asking Fujimura about his recent name change. Formerly, Fujimura was known as Yukadon — however, by the beginning of Street Fighter V’s 3rd season, he had changed his handle to his legal name. “Nobody told me I had to change my name,” Fujimura said through his translator, Bill. “When you tell people you do video games and esports and stuff like that, people have a tendency to not take it seriously. I wanted to personally, rather than use a weird nickname, would rather use my real name, and try to feel legitimate in what I’m doing.” Although his previous name was considered a bit rude by Japanese standards, it wasn’t the rudeness that caused him to make the switch — rather, it was a desire to be seen as legitimate by those outside the esports bubble.

Fujimura is known for his optimal play — so much so that the Korean community gave him the nickname, “The Machine.” His training regimen is anything but human: Fujimura trains for hours on end, taking little time to eat and rest before going back at it. “When there’s players around and a setup to play on, it would be a waste not to play on it. I feel bad if I don’t take advantage of that opportunity and use that chance to better myself.”

Fujimura likewise appears to have a rival in Daigo “The Beast” Umehara. Having beaten him at ELEAGUE and StunFest France, it seemed as though Fujimura had the Guile matchup figured out — until Daigo took it over Fujimura twice at the UK’s VSFighting, winning his first Premier and proving his strength against SFV’s top competitor. BornFree pressed Fujimura about this rivalry, and his response was careful and deliberate: “It’s tough, and it’s always been a tough match. I play a lot with him, not just at tournaments, but at casuals and things. I’m trying to do everything that I can do get better. Sometimes, that’s just how it goes.”

Ibuki is Fujimura’s character of choice, after Nash was nerfed into the floor. “At first, I was playing around with a lot of different characters,” he began. “But I wanted to try a character that a lot of other pros weren’t playing. I kind of settled on Ibuki, and as I played her, I felt the possibilities with her, and thought, ‘I could probably do really well with this.’” Fujimura’s decision paid off: he is now sitting in the number one spot in the Capcom Pro Tour, and has multiple top placements under his belt alongside two Premier victories.

Fans can watch the full interview here, as well as check out more of BornFree’s fighting game content.

Source: BornFree’s YouTube Channel