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ABOUT US
TEKKEN 254 is a venture seeking to grow the Tekken community and establish a competitive Tekken scene in Kenya. Founded on 20 August 2017 by Davy Kamanzi, it was initially started as a Facebook group to gather fellow Tekken fans and share knowledge and ideas on the game, including through TEKKEN 254’s weekly tutorial series Defensive Tuesdays.
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In October 2017, TEKKEN 254 began a partnership with Ace Pro Gaming, an eSports management firm equally as enthusiastic about growing the gaming scene in Kenya. On 4 November 2017, the two joined forces to hold TEKKEN 254's first tournament at the Tric Gaming Café on Moi Avenue with a total prize pool of Ksh. 20,000, attracting 46 registrations and ultimately 24 confirmed participants.
Played in the double-elimination format, players were split into two pools of 12, with 4 players advancing to the top 8 from each pool: 2 in the winners’ bracket and 2 in the losers’ bracket. After hours of intense competition, Mickey emerged the winner, taking the Ksh. 10,000 first prize after finishing the tournament unbeaten on sets and having suffered only one match loss, which came in the Grand Final against runner-up Tiz who went home with Ksh. 7,000.
Kamanzi finished third but, having taken part in the organisation of the tournament, decided to make himself ineligible for any prize money. The Ksh. 3,000 third prize was forfeited to fourth-placed Shoryuken, who lost to Kamanzi in the winners’ semi-final and later to Tiz in the losers’ semi-final after beating Dice1533 in losers’ round 2.
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Following the November championship, community members took part in the Tekken 7 tournament at MJX (the Movie Jabber Expo) on 19 November 2017 and a casual bragging rights tournament on 2 December 2017, the results of which were used to seed players for Season One of the TEKKEN 254 Circuit in
November 2017 tournament Top 4 (left to right): Davy Kamanzi (3rd; ineligible for prize money), Shoryuken (4th; claimed prize money for 3rd), Mickey (winner) and Tiz (2nd)
January 2018. TEKKEN 254 became a registered business under the name "TEKKEN Two-Five-Four Gaming" on 15 December 2017.
BEHIND THE SCENES
DAVY KAMANZI / DVK
FOUNDER AND MANAGING DIRECTOR
After spending 2 years living in the UK, Davy returned to Kenya 2 months after the release of Tekken 7 to find a virtually non-existent Tekken community. With no one else organising Tekken tournaments, he took it upon himself to rally the local community and find other Tekken enthusiasts he could not only share information and level up with, but also compete against on a regular basis.
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Davy's first experience with the series involved mashing 3 and 4 with Christie on the Tekken 4 demo. He picked up Jin in Tekken 5 and has played him as his main ever since.
CHARLES "PAYNE" WAMBUGU
DIRECTOR, ACE PRO GAMING
With over 5 years’ experience in the events and sports industry, Charles has been at the core of some of the biggest sporting events in the country. He brings this experience in the running of the TEKKEN 254 tournaments, providing vital insight on current trends in events and sports in the country. His contribution has been a key factor in making the TEKKEN 254 tournaments the success that they are gradually becoming.
Charles is a keen follower of sports, especially athletics, basketball, soccer and eSports. As a principal co-founder of Ace Pro Gaming, he was and remains a key figure in establishing the TEKKEN 254 Circuit as part of the company’s aim to be pioneers of eSports in Kenya and beyond.
DANIEL JUMA
CEO, JD PHOTOGRAPHY
Juma is an all-round photographer with a bias towards event photography. Freezing moments forever is his specialty in the world we live in; people say art is everywhere and a photographer is only a witness.
Juma became interested in covering eSports to capture moments that tell gaming stories to the world: the rewards, the accomplishment and the fun times.
NATHAN AMBA / LORD VEGA
TEKKEN TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR
Surrounded by fighting games from a young age, Vega grew up around his uncle who would play a lot of games, especially Tekken, and began button-mashing at the age of 7. In 2017, Vega took the game more seriously and started playing it more regularly, rising rapidly from a first-round elimination in the November tournament to second place in Season One of the TEKKEN 254 Circuit.
With Davy's then-impending departure to the USA for football (soccer) and study, Vega opted to join the organisation to ensure continuity of competitions in the community, carrying on TEKKEN 254's work in contributing to the growth of Kenyan eSports.
FANUEL OPIYO
DIRECTOR, ACE PRO GAMING
Fanuel gained an interest in competitive gaming in 2013 and saw to it himself to grow the scene in his country. With a growing interest in and understanding of competitive gaming, he and his partners Charles and Jairus looked to form Ace Pro Gaming to help grow the gaming communities that already existed in Kenya.
JAIRUS OGEMBO
DIRECTOR, ACE PRO GAMING
Jairus is a long-time lover of video games. It was during the conception of Ace Pro Gaming that he and his partners came across the TEKKEN 254 community, seeing an opportunity to ensure more people get to understand that gaming is much more than a pastime.
Together, the two would work to get eSports to the highest level in a society that does not think much of games or gamers.
EMMANUEL BATTE
GRAPHIC DESIGNER, B4D (ACE PRO GAMING)
Emmanuel is a graphic designer who, in his own words, "creates thoughtful experiences and propels brands with soul and substance." Gaming has been a great part of his life for as long as he can remember, playing Super Mario, Prince of Persia and many other titles through the years on most consoles, though he primarily plays on PC.
Emmanuel is a fan of shooters and Pro Evolution Soccer (PES).
YUNUS BARAZA
MORTAL KOMBAT TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR
Baraza is a fighting game enthusiast, having played Mortal Kombat from a young age. His first games were Mortal Kombat 4 and Tekken 3, which nurtured his interest in fighting games. He is also one of the founders of Rampage Corps (RMP), an esports/gaming team with a keen eye on expanding the Mortal Kombat scene in Kenya and Africa in general.
Baraza is also a medical student and an upcoming neurosurgeon in Kenya.
PAT NJERI
DIRECTOR OF EVENT MANAGEMENT
Pat has over 5 years' experience in everything planning and events coordination. She has a keen eye on sports and lately esports, with much interest in sports psychology, remuneration and the financial prosperity of the sports ecosystem.
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Pat has interacted with the Kenyan gaming community since early 2019 and looks forward to investing more towards local talent.