Combo Breaker 2026 Recap
I almost didn’t make it out to Combo Breaker this year. It’s an expensive event to attend, being on Memorial Day weekend, and the flight was looking to be $400-$450 by itself. But after losing to TomTom at Slashback due in part to a series of bad drops, I was salty enough that I didn’t want that run to be my last for the year. I got home, found a cheap flight round trip ticket with terrible departure times, and registered for Combo Breaker.
The Xrd Bracket
Match 1 - For Fun (2-0)
I think For Fun was pretty new and I don’t remember this match much. I do think I played it too safe against flashkick Eisensturm and should have just let mix rip. But a 2-0’s a 2-0 and I’d have to be a petty bitch to complain that I didn’t 2-0 faster.
Speaking of trying not to be a petty bitch, the other thought I had when playing For Fun was that I should shut up more in bracket. I have a tendency to try to chat and joke around while playing the early games when I’m not yet taking things seriously, but I’m realizing it might come across as disrespectful when it’s someone I don’t know1. I don’t think this is that much of a deal, but I’d rather someone’s first experience in the Xrd bracket be “yeah some I-no player ran me over while trying to ask how my Combo Breaker’s going.”
Match 2 - sWiggn (2-0)
I was pretty nervous going into my match against sWiggn since Takeahnase had washed me at both the most recent Caliburst and at Slashback, and I was feeling pretty wobbly on the Venom matchup. I made a point of getting games with Cole as much as possible the day before and warming up with Takeahanase before my poools and it definitely helped a ton when it came to remembering the pace I should be playing at. sWiggn was also pretty rusty vs I-no so the first game felt almost free, and I closed out the second game before he could really get his bearings. Definitely a match where I benefited from I-no being a relatively rare character these days.
Match 3 - ElvenShadow (0-2)
Elven is my bracket demon: he’s knocked me out of winner’s side at multiple events. I honestly don’t have too much to say about this match: I did drop several conversions that might have let me get started with the I-No vortex but at the end of the day, I just don’t know how to play into Faust, much less Mr. Bozac. I watched back the replay afterward and I think it’s pretty clear I have no idea what I’m doing. The real lesson is to hit up Elven and get some games, and to actually study the matchup at all instead of just shrugging and accepting a match loss.
Match 4 - Rapunzel (2-0)
Rapunzel took out Ukyo to get out of pools, which ended up being pretty nice for me since she’s pretty soft in the I-No matchup. I was able to abuse HCL pretty well, though I think she almost ran it back in a couple games. This match wasn’t streamed so I don’t remember it too well.
Match 5 - Rude+E (1-2)
The real heartbreaker match for me, but at the end of the day, that’s every second loss. We had played a few games the night before so I was ready for Metsudo on note, but I didn’t have the punish. I also really didn’t like that I dropped the Fortissimo into SM combo at the end of game 2. Rudy’s gold burst still whiffed but it was far too scrambly for my liking. This is a recurring theme in this match, and in my broader play: I’ve gotten too comfortable being lazy with my confirms and routing when playing in casuals, and need to work on tightening things up more.
There were also a host of other things that I noted after reviewing the tapes. I have a tendency to press f.S too much and 2S too little, and Rude-E used Baiken’s 2H to low profile my f.S clean. I also need to work in the anti-backdash/azami OS that I’ve seen Daru do at least once; I’m pretty soft to backdash-happy players in general. Finally, I need to hold space and react more. I noticed over the weekend that I was eating IAD buttons a lot because I start backdashing at midscreen to try to make space.
Overall
I have more feelings about tournament performance than I tend to admit, but I was much saltier about my losses before I reviewed my play. In the moment, it’s frustrating to not advance in bracket2, but part of the value of tournaments is that they shine a light on how you’re playing when there’s real stakes. It feels good having found more specific things to work on, and to have some salt to fuel said work.
2025 was a pretty rough year for me, work-wise, and I’d certainly felt it in my motivation. It’s hard to want to put meaningful practice into Xrd when I’m exhausted most of the week; and I was having a blast hopping on Nightreign most nights. It ended up being the closest to a break I’d had since I started playing: 2025 was the first year since 2021 that Xrd wasn’t my most played game on Steam. Midway through 2026 though, my job has eased up (and is supposedly laying me off any day now) and I had an unexpectedly good performance at Frosty’s, so I’m back on the grind. I even have specific players I want to beat, and that’s always been the easiest burning fuel for me. How clean it is varies by the player, but it’s certainly not all spiteful.
The +R Bracket
I went 1-2, I don’t play this game, etc etc. Watching the Mr. Noah Summer Breeze’s run was great though. He’s been hungry for a top 8 placement for a while and he finally got it, and even made it to grand finals. You can read his recap here.
The Outfits
I actually didn’t take outfit photos this time, so mostly what I’ve got are stream matches. I was definitely very on my bullshit the whole time.
Day 0:
Day 1:
Day 3:
I definitely need to being 1-2 comfier outfits to change into in the evenings. I’m fine with some discomfort in a fit but I do get tired of wearing a corset or a more restrictive dress after I’m in it for 12+ hours. The late night games were where I really felt it—I wished I could change into something more cozy and casual but not be fully in my pajamas.
The Rest
Because the flight was a lot cheaper, I ended up flying in a full day early and staying with Noah for a day. It ended up being a great decision since I went into Thursday well rested and even had a chance to see some of the city. I’ll be trying to fly out early to more events so I have time to chill.
On the food front, I managed to have a full breakfast pretty much every day I was there, and gigantic breakfast before pools that holds me over to dinner is how I’m going to try to handle event food in the future. I don’t normally eat breakfast at home so a full plate of eggs, bacon, pancakes, and hash is a nice treat.
I had planned on CB being my last trip for the year but the vibes were so good that I want to get a couple more trips before Frosty’s. Definitely Cabinet in the Woods, maybe CEO, and maybe a random monthly or two. But we’ll see what I can afford when I’m actually unemployed.
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