One of Street Fighter 2’s most enduring myths has finally been proven true 30 years after it began.
The myth is that Street Fighter 2: World Warrior, which launched in 1991, contains a 10-0 matchup between Zangief and E. Honda.
The 10-0 matchup phrase is used by some within the fighting game community to describe a fight between two specific characters where one is so dominant that it always wins in a best of 10 match – no matter what the opponent with the weaker character tries to do.
The phrase has come to be used to describe any heavily-favourable matchup, but this myth relates to an actual 10-0 matchup, where Honda is literally powerless to avoid defeat by Zangief.
Here’s what the myth describes: at the beginning of a round, Zangief immediately performs his famous Spinning Piledriver throw. Its reach in Street Fighter 2: World Warrior – so the myth goes – is such that Zangief is able to grab Honda and perform the move from round start positions. So, round one, fight! SPD, slam! Nothing Honda can do to escape.