Zain’s Top 8 streak ends at Nouns Bowl 2025 after shocking upset

Top Super Smash Bros. Melee player Zain recorded an underwhelming performance at Nouns Bowl 2025, ending an incredible five-year Top 8 streak.

Zain Naghmi is currently considered the top Super Smash Bros. Melee player in the world following an insanely consistent 2024. The Marth main is a massive threat to Melee Gods Juan ‘Hungrybox’ DeBiedma and Joseph ‘Mang0’ Marquez as well as newer top contenders like Cody Schwab.

Nouns Bowl 2025 had all the usual suspects competing for the $1,176 grand prize, glory and rank placement. The Top 8 had names like Cody Schwab in first place, as well as Jake ‘Jmook” DiRado, Aklo and Kurtis ‘moky’ Pratt. However, one name was missing — Zain.

That’s because Zain ended his Nouns Bowl run at 9th place after a surprise loss to underdog Arjun ‘Junebug’ Rao, a Donkey Kong main from Virginia. It became one of the stand-out sets from Nouns Bowl, with the Melee community celebrating a resurgence of DK, a character not often seen at pro level.

The upset not only stopped Zain’s Nouns Bowl run short, but also ended a crazy Top 8 streak that had been going on for nearly six years. Melee content creator Andrew Nestico pointed out on X (formerly Twitter) that Zain had been placing in Top 8 with Marth for five years and 11 months.

This included a first place at Battle of BC 2025, second at Nounsvitational 2024, first place at Wavelength 2024, first at Get On My Level 2024, third at Genesis X and so on, dating back to 2019.

This is surprisingly not the longest Top 8 streak in Melee history. That belongs to Hungrybox, who placed in Top 8 as Jigglypuff for nine years and eight months. His streak ended back in 2014 after placing Top 8 in over 100 Majors. Melee icon Armada Lindgren never placed below 5th at a Major for his entire career (11 years and seven months) except a tournament he dropped in 2016, but that included around 50 Majors.

Despite his 9th place at Nouns Bowl 2025, Zain is still one of the best to have ever done it and fans are expecting more big things throughout 2025.