Mortal Kombat 1 player wins $565 at tournament, smashes $3,000 light

After a tense match, one thing lead to another and a light got smashed. Who will pay?

It was a wonderful weekend full of fighting game action thanks to CEO 2024, which was live in the USA. However, amidst many a tense match in Street Fighter 6, Tekken 8, and more, it was a Mortal Kombat 1 player that shattered expectations with an over-eager pop off.

Dyloch, one of the best General Shao players in the world and multiple major tournament winner, managed to take home the first place belt at CEO for Mortal Kombat 1 as well as a tasty $565 in prize money. However, a few matches prior, in the winner's final, he celebrated his victory by picking up his chair and throwing it over the wrestling ring ropes surrounding the console set up. This chair, airborne and clearly in a juggle state, crashed down onto an Elation Chorus Line 16 LED light. You can buy one right now for the low, low price of $2,992.

In response, tournament organizer Alex Jebailey posted several tweets, including one where he (perhaps jokingly) asks for Dyloch's Paypal because "somebody’s paying for that broken light fixture and it’s not me" and following this up with a declaration that: "If one more person pops off throwing anything you will be banned from any event I ever do. This is a final warning to anyone in the future. Do not throw things". Back in 2021, Jebailey took similar action against an attendee who pulled a fire alarm at the event, forcing a mass evacuation and huge rock paper scissors exhibition.

It's unclear whether Dyloch will actually end up having to pay for a new light, leaving Daytona Beach with a net -$2,427, or whether his sponsor will foot the bill, or even insurance for the light will cover it. Neither Dyloch or Jebaliey has elaborated on the matter further since it happened.

This isn't actually the first time a chair has caused some controversy in the fighting game space in recent weeks. It was only back in May that Hungrybox, legendary Smash Bros competitor and anti-crab advocate, threw and broke a hotel chair during a match at Get On My Level. The player has a legacy of throwing furniture, (see two more examples here), but with thankfully no history of major equipment damage.

These actions, often defended as hype or part of the energy of a clutch win, are all well and good if you don't have to pay for 'em. But with this latest example of chair-on-lighting violence putting a rather large dollar sign next to the act, perhaps we can go back to the good old days of calling your opponent a bum, giving them the finger, or high-fiving all your friends in the crowd instead.

Let us know what you think of this below. Should things be left as is, with responsibility left in the hands on professional video game players, or should certain players be on a list and have their seats bolted down prior to tournament matches? Either way, think of the tournament organizers, who often have to clean up after such messes.