Day 63/1000 Player: TheSWOOPER Mains: Samus Region: NJ / Dominican Republic Years active: 2016–24 Peak Global Rank: 33rd, 2022 Best Wins: Cody Schwab, SluG, SFAT, Aklo, Hax$ Summary: TheSWOOOPER, Originally from the Dominican Republic and competing out of New Jersey, he helped revive Samus’s presence at the highest level following Duck’s departure from the character. His aggressive punish game and creative combo routes made him a standout among Samus specialists, culminating in a career-best 33rd in the world in 2022. His defining performances came in 2022, including a 9th-place finish at Pound and a remarkable tournament run at The Nightclub VIP, where he defeated both Cody Schwab and SluG. Those victories demonstrated that Samus could still challenge the game’s elite during an era increasingly dominated by top-tier characters. Alongside Morsecode762, TheSWOOPER helped usher in a new generation of Samus players and proved the character still had plenty of untapped potential.

Day 62/1000 Player: SFOP Mains: Fox Region: TX Years active: 2015–25 Peak Global Rank: 26th, 2022 Best Wins: Mew2King, KoDoRiN, S2J, SFAT, Joshman Summary: SFOP was one of Texas’s premier Fox players and a standout competitor during Melee’s post-Slippi era. Known for his incredibly technical Fox and consistent execution, he emerged as a national threat in 2022, earning his first global ranking at 26th in the world. His breakout season featured victories over KoDoRiN, Joshman, Krudo, and SFAT, establishing him as one of the strongest new Fox players in the country. SFOP followed his breakout with consecutive top-35 global rankings in 2023 and 2024, proving his success was no fluke. Competing out of Dallas, he helped maintain Texas’s reputation as one of Melee’s strongest regions while building an impressive résumé against established veterans and rising stars alike. His retirement in July 2025 closed the book on a bright career that checked every box any competitor would kill to have.