One of the best competitive players Mortal Kombat 11 may have been shy about claiming the title of champion in a recent tournament, but that didn’t stop them from causing fear and awe in all opponents by defeating some of the most lethal players. The thrilling victory would pass to another player, but for now, Arena Is Free’s teasing turbo teabags and dance moves will certainly remain fresh in the memories of those he pummeled in a bloody mess.
Rip’s Arenaa European organization Mortal Kombat 11 series of competitive tournaments, just wrapped up its biggest season yet. In the end, Takkinada emerged as the champion in a final match against Arnkratos, but one of the most exciting highlights was a series of impressive performances from a mysterious challenger known only by the name Arena Is Free. Gaining notoriety for demolishing their opposition with wild and stunning displays of technical mastery, they added yet another insult to fate by offending their defeated foes. With a username that almost seems to mock how easy the game is for them, Arena Is Free’s identity was a mystery until the end of the tournament, when it was revealed that they were, in fact, a returning champion.
According to Rip’s Arena, Arena is simply free came out of nowhere. Easily impressing pitchers, fellow players, and fans in the qualifiers and finals, they apparently signed up and told the tournament, “You can send me the prize now. I will destroy every single one of those players anyway.” Once things started, it wasn’t too hard to believe it would be true:
During the tournament, Arena Is Free would go through various characters, but always seemed to do his best as the Joker… which was probably a huge revelation for members of the Rip community. But whether they were behind the Joker’s scarred face, or executing decisive strikes with the mechanically lethal Robocop, they always seemed to display a broad knowledge of different characters’ strengths and weaknesses, making them an entertaining and respectable opponent. Of course, stunning performances like this and the allure of a mysterious stranger wrecking everything would not go unnoticed.
G/O Media may receive a commission
10% off
The Last of Us Part 1 (PC Steam Key)
Watch the show, play the game
If you’re intrigued by the new show starring Pedro Pascal as Joel and Bella Ramsey as Ellie, consider picking up the source. The 2013 survival horror game recently received a full remake for PS5 with The Last of Us Part 1 and is now coming to PC as well. You can pre-order the Steam version of the game for 10% off at most Green Man Gaming, which launches on March 28th.
Though their tournament victory seemed to have been ordained by the gods, Arena Is Free suffered defeat at the hands of Makoran, who following the reveal of Arena Is Free’s identity must be enjoying the comeback: it wasn’t the first time the two squared off.
As revealed in the chat before the conclusion of season 11 final match, Arena Is Free was a pseudonym for the great champion of the ninth season: Schoolman, who sent Makoran to the losers’ bracket in the quarterfinals in 2022. Although Makoran would suffer a 0-2 loss to the future-champion Takkinda in the Finals this season, I’m sure they’re feeling pretty good about getting revenge on Schoolman.
Prior to the reveal of Arena’s identity, some had grown suspicious of Schoolman, perhaps due to his playing style and proper preference for playing the Joker, but nothing was certain until the final moments. After finally revealing his identity, he said that he was “really happy with all the praise about (his) gameplay”. The reveal was a satisfying “I knew it” moment for many other participants and was a great follow-up to the grand finals, where Takkinada walked away with Rip’s Arena’s biggest tournament championship and biggest prize pool yet, a grand total of $3,750
Rip’s Arena is hosting its start of season 12 today. Whether or not Arena Is Free/Schoolman should appear remains to be seen.