Hundreds of thousands of people play Super Smash Bros. for Wii U around the world. And this weekend in Las Vegas, more than 2,600 of them will gather for a chance at a $25,000 prize pool and world-class bragging rights if they win the trophy Saturday night. Many have a shot, but none have had quite the meteoric rise that 19-year-old James VoiD Makekau-Tyson has.VoiD began his competitive career in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U. At his first national event, Apex 2015, he tied for 33rd. Roughly a year and a half since then, hes been on one of the biggest competitive ascents in Smash history.I thought [after Apex] I could become really good at this game if I put the time into it, he told ESPN. The only thing limiting me would be that I live in Hawaii, but I still have great training partners there.Following his big win last year, he began to compete more and more. Before Evo 2015 one year ago, he lived for a while in Southern California, practicing against the likes of YouTuber Sky Williams, Smash legend Gonzalo ZeRo Barrios, Eric Tyrant Legesse, Matt Xzax Liberatore, and more who lived and stayed in Williams home. This made VoiD improve significantly, and he took 49th at Evo 2015, a much larger event than Apex.Like many top competitors in esports, however, tournaments took VoiD to the brink of a major life decision: attend college and sacrifice esports, or commit to esports and let his education take a backseat. VoiD says his family encouraged the former, but, bucking the trend, VoiD chose the latter.[My dad would] say, Youre really intelligent, you have a long road ahead of you, and we dont want to see you fall because you just want to play games, he said. I made the decision because I felt I could become really successful with games. Even though a lot of people didnt support me, I went through with it.The next step was moving to California permanently, and making Williams fabled esports and gaming house his permanent residence. VoiD, who is currently 19, made the jump from his home in Hawaii to Southern California.There are a lot of people who are successful [who live there], he said about his adopted home. I used that to motivate me. Then I got the chance to practice against them and I made sure I didnt get too upset when I was playing, because you always want to make sure youre practicing efficiently and in the right mindset. I feel like, just living there, both the location and the people there helped so much in my growth. I dont think I could be there without them.VoiD said that the move, which he says took him out of his comfort zone, came with one mission: to be successful in esports.Since moving, VoiDs road to success has become infinitely more achievable. He took fourth at Genesis 3, Smashs largest tournament to date prior to Evo 2016, and second at PAX Arena, only behind ZeRo. And, most recently, he took second at Apex 2016 and ninth at CEO 2016.His success over the past few months earned him the reputation of a rising star, which led one of esports best known teams, Counter Logic Gaming, to pick him up for their roster. He now lives half-and-half, he says, switching between Williams home and the Counter Logic Gaming house, where fellow Smashers and teammates Tyrell NAKAT Coleman and Richard Keitaro King Jr. live.At the CLG house, I can get a lot done, but I cant get as much done in terms of practicing, VoiD said. I always want to have an outlet where I can go and say, Im here to practice Smash. The CLG house cant provide that, but they can provide a lot more, which is why Im gonna be living at both.But despite his newfound resources, VoiD is a part of a much bigger trend in Smash for Wii U: inconsistency. Nearly every top player, aside from Rosalina & Luma main Samuel Dabuz Buzby, suffers from inconsistent play, placing at various different spots in events. Even players like ZeRo and fellow legend Nairoby Nairo Quezada have this issue. VoiD says he thinks this issue will smooth out as the competitive scene develops more experience over time.I think time [will fix the inconsistencies,] he said. Because one of the main reasons of the inconsistencies is matchup inexperience, and over time, people will get better at matchups. People will understand what these other characters do at a higher level, so that way, theyre more consistent.At Evo, he said that his focus is on the Japanese players, like Yuta Abadango Kawamura, Ryuto Ranai Hayashi, Rei Komorikiri Furukawa, and others who dont regularly attend other events.He still has faith in the American players in the event though, particularly CEO 2016 champion Jason ANTi Bates and runner-up Julian Zinoto Carrington. But specifically, VoiD thinks Nairo, of all the players, has the best shot to take home the gold at Evo come Saturday night.Somebody winning? He pauses to think and then begins to speak. I think Nairo, to be honest. I have a lot of faith in Nairo. Nairo has inconsistencies, but he has really high highs and I think losing is one of the best ways to stay motivated, and I think Nairo can come out on top here at Evo, as long as he has the support he needs. Tyreek Hill Jersey . Galatasaray said in a statement on its website Monday that Mancini signed a three-year contract and will be paid 3.5 million euros for the upcoming season, with his salary upped to 4. 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MINNEAPOLIS -- Coming off a disappointing homestand, and on the edge of the AL wild-card race, the Kansas City Royals cant afford to let too many more opportunities slip away.The defending World Series champions regained their winning touch Monday, despite Brian Dozier hitting three home runs for Minnesota. The Royals got homers from Kendrys Morales and Eric Hosmer to pull away from the Twins 11-5.Jarrod Dyson had three hits and scored three times for Kansas City, which won for the second time in six games.We put ourselves in a tough position, but we still believe that we can pull this thing off, Hosmer said.Kansas City started the day four games out of the second wild-card spot.The Royals went 2-4 in their last six games with New York and Detroit, with each of the losses a close one.We could be talking about a major run right here. We quite possibly could have been 6-0 at home, manager Ned Yost said. We still feel that were not out of this thing by any stretch of the imagination.Dozier homered on the first pitch from Ian Kennedy (10-9), then hit a two-run shot in the third and a solo drive into the upper deck in the eighth. Dozier became the sixth Minnesota player to hit three home runs in a game, and the first to do it at home.Dozier has eight home runs in seven games and 38 this season, the most by a Twins player since Harmon Killebrew hit 41 in 1970. Doziers 10 home runs against Kansas City this year are the most ever by a Royals opponent.It would be better to be on the winning side of it, Dozier said.Kennedy struggled with command, allowing four earned runs in 5 1/3 innings but is 4-0 in his past five starts.Morales hit a three-run drive off Jose Berrios (2-5) in the fifth for a 5-4 lead.dddddddddddd Hosmer, who had four RBI, hit a three-run homer in the eighth.Berrios was called up from Triple-A to start. The Royals tagged him for five earned runs on nine hits in five innings.Considered the Twins top pitching prospect, Berrios allowed 21 earned runs in 22 innings over five August starts before being sent down.Dozier has hit a majors-most 24 home runs since the All-Star break. Hes connected 36 times as a second baseman and twice as a designated hitter. The AL record for homers in a season by a second baseman is 39 by Alfonso Soriano in 2002 for the Yankees.The best way to (get him out) is dont throw fastballs down the middle and thats what we did, Yost said.Dozier became the second Twins player with a three-homer game this year. Rookie Max Kepler did it at Cleveland.TRAINERS ROOMRoyals: OF Lorenzo Cain missed his fifth straight game because of left wrist inflammation. He was allowed to swing a bat Monday and remains day to day.Twins: Kepler got the day off. Kepler, who leads AL rookies in home runs (16), RBI (59) and walks (37), has played in all but one game since July 28. He struck out five times Sunday. We talk about young players and the challenge of playing September baseball for the first time, said manager Paul Molitor. Well try to keep them fresh as we can.UP NEXTDillon Gee (6-7, 4.33) is scheduled to start for Kansas City on Tuesday against Ervin Santana (7-10, 3.54). Gee was 2-2 with a 3.94 ERA in five August starts and pitched an inning of relief Friday. Santana is 3-1 in his last five starts with a 3.09 ERA. ' ' '