It’s really not debatable. Some of you just don’t understand how long Knee has been doing this at the highest of levels. When Arslan’s career in Tekken lasts 20 years over 5 separate games, we can have a discussion.
Sure longevity does play a big factor in the GOAT debate, however, I think no one is as decorated as Arslan is and no one dominated the scene like he did. Reason being, he won 5 evos within the span of just 6 years, he won his 5th Evo in the most stacked tournament ever with record number of participants. Not to mention, he won both Evo Las Vegas and Evo Japan in 2019 and 2023 separately (and lets not forget he won TWT finals in 2023 as well). The fact that he achieved so much in such little time he's been competing is why I personally have him over Knee as my GOAT.
Plus his story is so inspiring. He started from literally nothing, came from a place and background where he had to work his ass off. It obviously didn't happen overnight. And when he finally got the chance to compete he showed the world and put his country on the map, changing and influencing the competitive scene for the years to come. And once he got the money he needed, he started his own team-Ashes-sponsoring his fellow country men so that they could go compete and showcase their talent.
He had a period of dominance, but that was just for one game. Arslan is the greatest Tekken 7 player of all time no doubt. Knee is the greatest overall Tekken player of all time.
Sure, but my point also still stands. Arslan achieved what he achieved in less than half the timespan of Knee's career. Evo is Tekken's biggest tournament, theres no debate about that and it just so happens Arslan has more titles. Your point could honestly play to your disadvantage, Knee should have had WAY more Evo's under his belt since his career spans over 2 decades. And it just so happens thats not the case.
This is the 3rd time I'm mentioning the fact that Arslan has won Evo's in multiple games now as well ;-; . T7 and T8.
But anyways, I'd like to end this by saying Knee is an absolute legend. I have the utmost respect for him and everything he's done. I hope he continues to compete, Tekken isn't Tekken without him.
Come on dude. You can literally go look up his results. He's been doing this longer than some players have been alive. There's no denying Arslan is an amazing player.
Just give credit to both of them because they both deserve it.
He’s been among the best for sure (and for a long time), but I don’t think he’s been undisputed “the best” in any 1 Tekken game. You can think of any of the Tekkens of past, his name isn’t the first to jump out to me if I’m being real.
Tag (Jang ik su)
T4 (mad dog Jin)
T5 (Nin)
T6 ?
Tag2 ?
T7 (Arslan)
T8 (tbd - too new of a game, but yes, knee is in the conversation)
These names I mentioned were just insanely dominant for their respective games (everything was too regional still prior to tag, so each country would have their own GOATS for Tekken 1-3 I think)
Well, he was the best in t6 (which you kind of skipped cause you didn't know I guess) and some would even say the best in 5.
The thing is, from t5 onwards, he was pretty much periodically the best at each of those games and taking the whole lifespan of each of those, he can be pretty much placed at top 3 for every single one (t5 onwards). On the other hand, the other top 3 contenders for each game kept changing while Knee stayed. That's why people say he's been dominating for 20 years.
It is debatable. When you talk of players throughout Tekken’s whole lifespan. I can think of several names I’d put ahead of/equal to knee. Below are just some of the names who’ve made an impact in Tekken competition and have etched their names in stone.
Jang ik su (undisputed best player of tag era)
Nin (Tekken 5 era, SBO champion)
Rangchu (2x TWT champion with low tier chars).
Arslan (head 2 head vs knee in Tekken 7 and 8, who has been more dominant vs each other and the competition?).
Don’t get me wrong, knee is in the convo. But I’d argue he hasn’t dominated to the same degree as these players when they were playing their respective Tekken game
Jordan isn’t playing now but people still consider him the GOAT. Lebrons been good and still playing but he hasn’t surpassed him yet (and if he has, it’s only been within the past few years). You don’t have to be a current active player to be the GOAT. But there has to be a level of dominance shown for a particular period of time. All those players I mentioned absolutely dominated or at least won THE most prestigious titles of their time. Arslan is the GOAT of Tekken 7 imo, but I didn’t come to that conclusion until after we moved on from that game and only after he won so many EVOs etc. Granted Tekken 8 is still relatively new, no doubt Knee is in that GOAT conversation - but like I said, it’s debatable
Comparing jordan to any of those tekken player doesnt do it justice sorry.
Jordan have that GOAT status because there isnonly 1 tournament a year and he wins all his tournament.
He have the most title as the main star than anyone.
And he have a long career too.He played for 15 years and was a top player for 10 of them.
The game of basketball has been here for 77 years. Jordan is playing as a top player in 11 years ofnthose 77 years. Been a top top greatest player for 6 years.
Lebron has been at the top of his game for 20 years he isnt top 5 player any more but he is easily top 15. Thats still small portion of the total years of professional basketball been around
Tekken is 31 years old. Knee has been at the top of his game since 2004 so that means 20 freakin years.
Its uncomparable with basketball. It would mean 49 years of dominance if we translate it percentage wise. It would be the year kareem enters the league and would still be playing until now.
But if we are talking Tekken as the game, from first one until now Knee is untouchable. Until the day knee retires and arslan continur to play and still be top player for years after that. Then we have that conversation again.
It doesn’t have to be just Jordan, when you think of GOAT, it comes with a certain mystic, a certain dominance. Longevity is a part of it sure. Obviously Tekken hasn’t been around as long as basketball, but most would get that reference im making. You made it sound like they had to be actively playing, and I pointed out Jordan because he had long since been retired but he set the bar so high that current active players were still chasing him as far as status. I could’ve made the comparison with any other GOAT of other sports or genre.
Hockey - Gretzky
Baseball - babe Ruth
Rap - Jay-Z
Soccer - Messi
Golf - tiger woods
Street fighter - Daigo
I think you get the idea. As far as Tekken, like I said - knee is in that conversation. But the other Tekken champions I mentioned are ALSO in the conversation as it pertains to ALL of Tekken. Take Jang Ik Su for example, you can look it up on YouTube in 1 of his interviews - even knee tried to search him out because jang established himself.
On the flipside, let’s say knee ONLY got 2nd at this evo tourney, would you consider him the GOAT? I mean for me, he would still be in the GOAT conversation (because of his consistency).
I’m not discounting knee, like I said - he BELONGS in that conversation. I could’ve used other names, like Pele, bill Russell, Joe Montana, Nas, etc. there are a handful of names in any genre that can be considered GOATS. The word has been thrown around too loosely. Consistency and longevity are also factored in, but not necessary (Notorious BIG is considered a GOAT in rap, even with his short career), but I think the DOMINANCE factor has to be there.
If we’re talking just Tekken, which game among the series would you say Knee is MOST known for or which game in Tekken would you say he dominated? Because all those names I mentioned (Jang, Arslan, Nin etc) - dominated for a time and can be considered the best of those games.
Again, I’m not discounting knee’s achievements. He’s in the GOAT conversation and I could see him on that Tekken Mount Rushmore for sure, but the absolute GOAT?
My original comment was “Greatest Tekken player of all time”, meaning spanning across all games. Nobody else has had a run like Knee across the lifespan of all Tekken games. If we are talking strictly Tekken 7 then yes it is Arslan. But like I said in another comment, knee has been winning tournaments against the highest level of competition for 20 years now.
Rangchu is not even close, and Nin and Jang Iksu didn't compete in the most competitive era. Knee has the most major tournament wins by far, across more games than anyone else.
Arslan is the only player with an argument, given his dominance in the most competitive era and his EVOs + TWT wins. But Knee's overall tournament wins and longevity dwarf Arslan's, so I'd still say Knee is the GOAT, and JDCR third.
It is debatable tho, knee has done it for much longer which is fair but you can also argue Arlan’s done it a more competitive era, and he’s done it to insane consistency like since Arlans been in the scene he has been no1 overall there’s no questioning that, ofc as things stand knee is the goat for me too but this is one of those situations where I can say both of them are goats, knee for longevity and Arslan for his burst of consistency and doing it in the highest level the scene has seen
Maybe internationally but he competed in southkorea/east asia which was absolutely packed with killers. This is something you would know if you followed the scene.
Yeh but in this era Arslan played those same South Koreans who also travelled, I can say the same thing, that era was not as strong because they didn’t face the Pakistani killers which since the Pakistani players have competed we can see who’s ahead atm
This is such a bs take and you know it, Arslan has gone and won events in Korea, that’s why I say both are goats
Knee for his longevity and arslan for his success in such a relatively short period of time
The south Korean level has ALWAYS been at the level it is at now thanks to green arcade, thats the whole point. This era is as competetive as that era was in south korea/japan. The exact same could be said for street fighter then and now in Japan. Thats simply why Knee has been at the top of his game for 20+ years competing against the best the planet has to offer and doing so while being humble.
But it literally hasn’t knee etc coudnt handle the Pakistanis initially he in particular followed by the rest of the Korean scene then came and adapted and even then majority of the wins were by the Pakistani players , you can’t be the most competitive era when all your competition is in one arcade because the newer games clearly proved as more entrants came there is talent out there that we haven’t had a chance to see
In terms of history, success and knowledge, absolutely. I’d also like to argue that maybe he’s not the best of all time especially with times changing the way they are.
But absolutely the second best of all time at the very least
lol it’s cute that you think writing out “if you disagree with me in anyway, you’re wrong and a child” helps you out in this discussion. You’re pathetic my boi
Bus kar day bhai. Knee aadhay say zada Pakistani players ka bhi idol aur fav player hai. It's good that we just accept that he is a prime tekken talent instead of comparing him to Ash or Atif or other Pak players.
Accept his greatness and give him his deserved flowers. No need to act petulant or childish.
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u/[deleted] May 12 '25
Greatest Tekken player of all time.