Three months ago, MMA traveled to Anaheim with only two goals in mind. 1) Get out of the hell known as Code B by receiving the automatic Code S spot given away at MLG, and 2) Defend the title that he had won at MLG Columbus in dramatic fashion against Losira. The Son of Boxer completed the first goal, getting past teammate Ganzi and even the Emperor himself, showing great skill in TvT and making it to his second straight MLG finals. With the Code S spot secured, all that was left was to defend the crown that he had won in Ohio.

The man standing in his way was none other than the former GSL champion, Incredible Miracle's MVP. In the end, after splitting the first two games, MMA wasn't able to take down the Terran champion, and back-to-back MLG championships slipped out of his reach. MMA played well, but it wasn't enough against MVP, who had quietly dominated the entire weekend and added another title to his collection.

History is repeating itself. MMA is traveling back to Anaheim, trying to capture his and Slayers' first GSL championship. Once more, it is none other than the current and three time GSL champion, MVP, who is the behemoth in MMA's way to a championship. The stakes have been raised since MLG, and this best-of-seven series will pit these two top Terrans against each other to see who truly is the best between them.



Since busting onto the scene with his incredible run in the GSTL, MMA has been the de facto leader of Slayers. As captain, he has led his team to two GSTL championships and earned one of the best records in GSTL history. Whenever his team has needed him, MMA has come through. This was most apparent when Slayers won their first championship in a miraculous run during GSTL March.

MMA, who had been the team's workhorse during the tournament, was faced with his biggest test in his career in the finals. The score was tied four to four, and MMA was called upon to be his team's fifth and final runner. If he won in the critical Ace Match, Slayers would be champions. Everything rested upon his shoulders.

The person he had to play? MVP, of course. In one of the best games in GSTL history, MMA pulled off a massive upset, defeating MVP and somehow bringing Slayers from the worst team in the GSTL to the best in just one season. MMA had become the Legend Killer, a player who could beat anyone at any given time and should never be underestimated, even when massively behind in games.

With his knack for theatrics and talent for coming from behind for victories, MMA rode his momentum from the GSTL finals to one of the best one month performances in SC II history. MMA went to his first foreign event in Columbus and didn't drop a match, winning it all with the Columbus fans chanting his name when he lifted his trophy in the air. Then, he led Slayers to a second GSTL title, again winning in a nerve-wracking ace match – this time against the GSTL monster DongRaeGu. Finally, he made it to the finals of the biggest tournament in Starcraft history, the GSL Super Tournament, beating MarineKing in the semifinals after falling behind 0-2 and cementing himself as one of the best players in the world.

Everything was going MMA's way. With a win in the GSL finals, a new legend was sure to be born. The crown prince would have his first title with prospects of many more to come in the future. With his entire road to the final filled with Terrans, it looked like the circumstances couldn't be any better for MMA. He had to face Polt, a micro-intensive Terran who was better known for his brilliant play against Protoss than his ability in his mirror match-up.



On the biggest stage of his career, with $100,000 in the balance and the chance to truly become a legend instead of a legend killer, MMA, the player who took America and Korea by storm, got trounced in a clean sweep and left by the wayside while Polt celebrated his championship. One second the world is perfect. The next second everything is crashing around you, snuffing out your dreams.

The slide continued for MMA, who lost in the first round of Code A against eventual champion Puzzle – knocking him out of the GSL entirely. In ten short days, MMA went from being four games away from winning $100,000 and being the GSL champion to being knocked out of a tournament played for less than 3% of that sum.



Was MMA all hype after all? He got destroyed in the GSL finals, had never gotten into Code S and had just been beat in the first round of Code A. After being anointed by many as one of the best players in the world after his dominance in GSTL, the win at Columbus and the run to the GSL finals, MMA had fallen from the top of the e-sports mountain to the bottom in the fastest time humanly possible.



This led to MMA's trip to Anaheim, where he won his Code S slot after beating his mentor. Though he ultimately lost to MVP in the finals, Anaheim gave MMA something he desperately needed: a second chance at greatness. A second chance to prove that he was not just hype. That the MLG success wasn't just a fluke. That he was truly a player who could stand atop the GSL mountain as champion.

MMA would make good on his second chance at life, beating Happy in his first game of Code S August, and then shocked many by beating Nestea, the defending, undefeated champion at the time. By a beating the defending champion and ending a lengthy undefeated streak, it looked like MMA was showing he was back for good, ready to make a deep run in the tournament. Sadly, he met his old friend Polt and lost in a thrilling three game series, cutting MMA's first season in Code S short.

After losing to Polt for a second time, MMA gathered himself for the next tournament, going 10-5 in the October edition of Code S tournament, bulldozing his way to his second finals, booking the first flight to Anaheim, the place where his career had received a valuable lifeline.





Looking back at his first trip to the finals during the GSL Super Tournament, there are three main reasons why MMA lost:

1. Polt was head and shoulders above MMA in terms of planning. Polt had the better builds planned out and was able to use his strategies to the best of his ability. MMA didn't have terrible builds or use the same one four straight times (I'm looking at you, Inca), but Polt was three many steps ahead of MMA at every turn in the four games they played
   
   
2. MMA was worn out. While Polt didn't have GSTL or any foreigner tournaments to prepare for, MMA was flying to Columbus, carrying his team to a team league title, and making his run through the Super Tournament. When it came down to the final moments, Polt was more well rested and had the advantage in having had more time to prepare extensively for MMA.
   
   
3. Even though MMA had won at Columbus and was able to win a final on a big stage with loads of fans in attendance, he showed lots of nerves. While his opponent played with confidence of a champion and went for attacks that could have spelled death if they didn't go perfect, MMA had shaky control of his units and couldn't keep up with the micro of Polt in key situations.

For MMA to beat MVP, he will need to be mentally prepared, have specific builds tailored to MVP's playstyle, and maybe most importantly of all, have the confidence of a champion. MVP has been on the GSL final stage three times before, and he has walked off the final stage as champion three times. MVP has proven time and time again, that he has supreme confidence in his talents and will do whatever it takes to win.

MMA has the talent to beat MVP, no question. He's beaten him before in high-stakes matches, and has the skill, practice partners and mentor to take MVP down if he plays to the best of his abilities. However, beating MVP in the GSTL or an online tournament is not the same as beating MVP in the GSL. Bomber had beaten MVP countless times, but when they finally faced off in the elimination round of Code S this season, MVP shoved him aside for getting in the way of his money. The same goes for MMA. He might be able to beat MVP on the ladder or in an online tournament, but does he have what it takes to do something no one has ever done and beat MVP on a final stage? MarineKing tried twice and failed. TOP gave it his best shot, but failed in the end.

Saturday night will be a career defining for MMA. He will either defeat MVP, winning his first championship at Blizzcon, stop MVP from becoming the first player with four titles, and become a true legend. Or he will lose and join MarineKing in an infamous clique that is simply called Kong.





Long before MMA apprenticed under Boxer, the Emperor had a young Terran protégé in Brood War named Fantasy. Just like MMA, Fantasy showed amazing promise and was able to make it to a final in his first OSL tournament. Also like MMA, Fantasy lost against his opponent Stork and gained the silver medal. Fantasy made it to his second OSL final only five months later (MMA made it to his second final in four months) and faced Jaedong for the championship. After going up 2-0 and only needing one more win to gain the title, Fantasy faltered and lost three games in a row, in one of the most spectacular collapses in pro-gaming history. Though Fantasy would finally earn his champion ship a year and a half later, it was only after considerable suffering that made him a considerable wiser, hardened player.
So, what will it be, MMA? Will you join the ranks of MarineKing as a player sent to the Kong Line by MVP? Will you be known for being a player who gets to the GSL finals and then falls apart, or will you rise above, show confidence of a true GSL champion and stop the Terran King from his fourth title?

This is your chance, MMA. It's time to stop being called the Son of the Emperor and become simply known as one thing: GSL champion.

He is first in ELO and holds the highest peak. He was the first to claim a GSL regular series trophy. He is first in the hearts of thousands. He is without rival and without competitors to give him pause. He cannot be beaten. He will not be stopped. He is IMMVP.



In October, one year ago, a 19 year old Jeong Jong Hyeon (정종현) stole two matches away from Sound in a rudimentary, low economy slug fest. In his next set, MVP would fall out of the Open Season and suffer the humiliation of defeat. I can not tell you what that awoke in him. All I have are the results. And they are astonishing.

Gainward SC2 Tournament? Check. First Korean to reach 3000 ladder points? Check. GSL Code S Champion? January, August AND the World Championship- CHECK. SAGAcity Invitation, first place money in the bank. Oh, and I forgot. He went undefeated in some small thing called MLG Anaheim.

GSL January: Contact. MVP takes the first regular season of GSL with a shocking 4-0 victory over MKP. Not only did he pocket his first major check and take his first SC2 crown that month, but he began his legacy of unbridled TvT domination. January was years ago in terms of the quickly evolving game but MVP is still – after so many patch changes – sitting at the top.

MVP rocked MLG. After not dropping a single set, MVP beat MMA. To get there he beat Kiwikaki (MLG Raleigh Finalist), SeleCT (NA Battle.net Invitation Winner), DRG (The fright of every other Terran), Boxer (The Emperor) and others. It was no easy road to get to the top and it was no simple thing once he arrived. But MVP left as sure as he arrived with the title of Champion at Anaheim, leaving MMA and a list of toppled champions in his wake.

GSL August, the most recent of his accomplishments, was no different. He only managed to kill MC, Polt, Nestea, Huk, July and for the trophy, Top. Count that out. Six champions who's accolades stand prestigious enough not to require listing. All laid low by MVP. As Artosis put it, all of his opponents were either GSL champions, foreign tournament champions or a Golden Mouse winner. And he tore through these guys like a fist through paper.

The competition in GSL October was hardly any easier, at least on paper. Early opposition from Ensnare and Clide was forgettable but by the Round of 32, MVP was already faced against one of the most formidable TvTers in Korea.

Bomber, one of the few TvT experts that can challenge MVP, was dismissed in a clean sweep. MVP didn't fall for Bombers unpredictable ghost/gold base rush, and proved his macro was invincible in the game. MVP did not win through supreme patience in tank on tank action or lucky hellion drops. Though he tried dynamic and unpredictable plays, Bomber was crushed by MVPs consistent but fluid defense. To his fans it was a magnanimous victory. To his opponent, it was a stone wall that could not be chipped.

MVP once lost a game to MMA, when situation was most dire and everything was on the line. That was back in March, during final set of the final match of the GSTL finals. A repeat performance is the biggest worry a MVP fan has for this final. Take his win over Nestea into account though. He was down 1-2 after an incredible turn around. At the darkest time in the tournament, under the most pressure, one game away from being dismissed, MVP out shined the greatest Zerg in SC2. In danger of losing a set for the first time against Nestea, MVP turned events around and out played and defeated the professor through and through.

With half as much time to prepare for a TvT against his next opponent, GanZi, MVP proved his power again with a brilliant comeback sweep where his mech-inations were supreme. In game one a failed all in strategy suggested by a team mate lead to an early 0-1 but the proceeding matches MVP found and exacted his revenge for a Super Tournament loss by dominating GanZi at every turn. There's simply nothing more to say than GanZi was defeated by better macro and positioning at every turn, over and over. Dominant positioning. Dominant macro. Unmatched execution.

That brings us to Saturday and the trophy.



MVP isn't just competing for the top spot in the GSL while at Blizzcon. He is also a representative of Korea in the Blizzcon Invitational. The work is piled high. His opponents are very talented and as eager as he is. Fortunately for him, he will have his less daunting Blizzcon matches first. After warming up on finalists, MVP will be in excellent shape to play against MMA.. However if he loses games, there is risk of his confidence being shaken. We've seen him come back against Nestea this month. Would he be able to do it again if his morning goes against him? Could he pull a comeback against one of the greatest GSL TvT players?

His schedule is tough. So is his finalist opponent. But opponents can be accounted for. Fatigue and yet to be played matches can not. MVP will be playing against a rested and 100% prepared MMA. Let's call it 'environmental factor'. It could fall either way. But in terms of skill, if not record, there is no competition.

Some believe it's possible for the Game Genie to taste defeat at the hands of MMA once more. Sure, MMA beat him in a critical GSTL match. Yes, it was a massive upset. MMA deserves unquestioned praise for his accomplishment there and the wound it left was immeasurable and to an IM fan, lasting.

But this isn't the GSTL. MMA is a natural leader, and he gains strength when he is representing things bigger than himself; his teammates, his mentor, and the e-Sports icon that is SlayerS. But when there's no one else to play for but himself, nothing to gain but personal glory, he has fallen apart. At Blizzcon, there will be no team bench to be the wind beneath his wings. It could very well be the crushing hopes of his fans bearing down on his shoulders, and cheers for the three time champ that ring in his ears. Nor is this a well-paying, yet ultimately meaningless online tournament like GeForce Pro/Am tournament where MMA again foiled MVPs triumph. This is the GSL.

This is where MVP will affirm that he is the Terran Elite. With a terrifying 75% win rate, MVP is easily in the highest echelon of mirror match experts. In over a hundred games, MVP has consistently proven his expertise, all while innovating and adapting to cunning opponents and patch changes.


MVP will not break. MVP will not fold. MVP will not lose. Ask yourself this question. When MVP finishes first in GSL October, what will he be? The greatest Terran in the game? Holder of the most GSL trophies? The current-best StarCraft 2 player on Earth?



Ask yourself this question Saturday night: Who is the MVP?