Tekken 8: Manounou finishes fifth in Abidjan as three Africans reach top eight
A look back at Paradise Game Battle on 17–18 October: Madagascar’s Manounou placed joint fifth, with BVTCH and Zlatan Ash also reaching the top eight.
Sport News Africa · Author profile · · Updated 24/10/2026 10:09 UTC
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Three African players reached the top eight at Paradise Game Battle in Abidjan on 17–18 October 2026. Madagascar’s Manoa “Manounou” Rasolonjatoarivony finished joint fifth at the Tekken World Tour Master event. Côte d’Ivoire’s BVTCH and Cameroon’s Zlatan Ash placed joint seventh.
Manounou meets two eventual podium finishers
Representing SLY, Manounou entered the final eight on the winners’ side of the bracket, where players had yet to lose a match. He faced South Korea’s EDGE, who beat him three games to one.
That defeat did not end his tournament. The double-elimination format gives players a second route through the losers’ bracket, with a second defeat knocking them out. Manounou then lost 3–0 to kkokkoma, leaving him joint fifth and one match win short of the final four.
Both opponents went on to finish on the podium. EDGE won the tournament ahead of Tetsu, while kkokkoma took third place. EDGE beat Tetsu 3–1 in the grand final.
An African stop on the world circuit
BVTCH and Zlatan Ash also competed in the final eight. BVTCH was eliminated by CBM, losing 3–1, while Zlatan Ash lost 3–0 to kkokkoma. Alongside Manounou’s fifth place, their joint seventh-place finishes put players from Côte d’Ivoire, Cameroon and Madagascar among the last contenders at an international event held on African soil.
Watch the final eight again
Bandai Namco Esports’ official replay includes Manounou against EDGE from 41:56, followed by Manounou against kkokkoma at 2:22:29. The embedded video covers the top eight on 18 October.