Tokido's victory at CEO 2026 was more than another major title for one of Street Fighter's greatest competitors. It may also have been the clearest evidence yet of how much his partnership with Kakeru has transformed his JP.
Tokido defeated Booce_Lee in a dramatic Grand Final to capture the Street Fighter 6 championship in Orlando, completing the run after being sent to the losers bracket by Booce_Lee in Winners Final. Tokido ultimately fought his way back and won two consecutive 3-2 sets in Grand Finals to take the title.
Behind that performance was another familiar name from the Japanese Street Fighter scene: Kakeru.
The JP specialist has been working with Tokido as a coach, helping the veteran develop a character choice that initially attracted plenty of skepticism.
Tokido's move to JP did not immediately produce the level of play many expected from him. His early performances with the character led to questions over whether the switch was the right decision, particularly as other top players found success more quickly with characters such as Mai, Ryu and Sagat.
Instead of abandoning the project, Tokido continued working on JP.
Kakeru's involvement appears to have played an important role in that process.
Few players are better positioned to help. Kakeru established himself as one of the world's leading JP specialists during Street Fighter 6's competitive life, finishing second at Evo Japan 2024 and Evo 2025 while also becoming a Capcom Cup champion. Capcom officially lists Kakeru as the winner of Capcom Cup 11.
At CEO, the progress was difficult to ignore.
Tokido looked increasingly comfortable controlling space with JP, converting opportunities and managing situations that had previously appeared less polished during his transition to the character. His run through one of the year's largest Street Fighter 6 brackets ended with the strongest possible result: a championship.
The improvement has not gone unnoticed by the community either.
Following CEO, discussion around Tokido's JP quickly turned toward Kakeru's coaching. Players and fans highlighted the visible improvement in Tokido's situational awareness and overall command of the character, with several pointing directly toward the work between the two Japanese veterans.
For Tokido, the victory is another reminder of the adaptability that has defined his career.
Even after competing at the highest level across multiple generations of Street Fighter, the 41-year-old continues to rebuild parts of his game, learn new characters and seek help from specialists when necessary.
CEO 2026 suggests that gamble is beginning to pay off.
Tokido may have been the player holding the championship belt in Orlando, but Kakeru's influence was clearly part of the story behind it.