The pop-off is really in Super Smash Bros.
Super Smash Bros. Melee champion Juan “Hungrybox” DeBiedma is known for his excessive celebration after a particularly intense match. Seriously, is there a more memorable Smash moment than EVO 2016, when Hungrybox was on the ground in tears after defeating Adam “Armada” Lindgren?
Well, Hungrybox may have outdone itself this time around. Last night, Hungrybox jumped out so hard that he fainted for about 10 seconds. It was such a shocking and worrying moment captured on the webcam that it could become one of the most discussed pop-offs of all time.
Hungrybox shared the moment on Twitter and told his followers that he is going to the doctor to see if he is not well. Even though the internet has experienced a field day with such a meme-possible moment, fainting is no laughing matter.
Hungrybox released a video the following evening discussing the incident in question. He tells of the intense stream of six hours he climbed to the grand final of Eastcoast Fridays, a weekly online Melee tournament with some big names.
“I’m sweating, I’m tired. But I’m also hyper-focused. I’d decided at that point I wanted more than anything else in my life,” Hungrybox recalled. “I started playing some of the best online Melee I’ve ever had.”
Hungrybox has admitted that he often screams pretty loud when he wins. “It’s just who I am,” he says, noting that he wears his heart on his sleeve. But the screams always make him a little light-headed.
This time, however, was a little different. His vision and his head ‘became light’. He said there was a cloud in his head and he became really dizzy, similar to a serious motion sickness. It was stronger than any other time he turned up, leading to him fainting for the first time ever.
“It was a bizarre experience,” Hungrybox said.
Hungrybox also added that he is completely fine. It was most likely a lack of food and hydration rather than a serious health condition. Maybe it’s not the best decision to start so excited after more than eight hours. Yet it is a relief to his fans.
This is not the first time that Hungrybox has experienced a health problem.
Ahead of EVO 2018, Hungrybox announced a serious wrist injury on Twitter. After taking second place with a local, Hungrybox experienced a sharp pain in his wrist that shot down his arm.
“First the broken finger, then food poisoning, then the flu, whatever it is,” Hungrybox tweeted.
Some reactions to Hungrybox’s wrist injury are part of the reason the Smash community has been considered toxic for so many years. Many people celebrated the health care of the Melee God, seemingly satisfied that he would not be able to compete to his full potential.
The bullying became too much for Hungrybox at the time. He tweeted that he had been shitting through the community for twelve years. This included being mocked every day by his “peers, competitors” and even “community members”.
“As the point is more,” Hungrybox wondered at the time.
While the Smash community has been cleaning up lately, it hasn’t stopped people from mocking Hungrybox for its latest health episode. Many people joked that Hungrybox showed up ‘with a fight’, referring to one of his links to Jigglypuff. Remixes of the video are also starting to appear on Twitter.
Joseph “Mang0” Marquez even replied, “What is it with you?”
Although Hungrybox has welcomed the entertainment for the time being, its fans hope that everything is in order in terms of health with the leading Melee competitor. The Smash community is currently awaiting an update on Hungrybox’s doctor visit.