Las Vegas, NV ––Tucked in the sprawl of the Las Vegas Convention Center, Pedro “Kurama” Alonso Jr. prepares to take the stage. The crowd watching him is an amalgam of curious cosplayers and serious sweatpants-clad competitors. Amped up with adrenaline and donning a newly minted jersey, Alonso is more confident than he has ever been.

Alonso is playing Super Smash Bros. Ultimate competitively, aiming to capture the $4,000 grand prize at LVL UP EXPO 2025, one of the esport’s largest tournaments for the year. For this match, his opponent is Masahita “acola” Hayato, a player once ranked the best in the world.

Alonso, on his signature Mario, faces Hayato’s Steve in a best-of-five set in the Round of 128 stage. Mario, regarded by the community as the more volatile and veracious character makes Alonso the instant crowd favorite. Through a picturesque combo game and unwavering tenacity, he eeks out a victory, winning the set 3-1. Elated, he goes straight to the crowd, basking in the glory of his unlikely win against one of the tournament’s top players before preparing for his next set.

This moment is a culmination of a long, often difficult journey. It's a journey that began not in a packed convention hall , but with his eight siblings crowded around a TV in a Sacramento home, fueled by a simple, powerful desire: to not lose to his brothers.

"That's kind of like when I was introduced to the Smash series," Alonso recalls. "And I think just in not wanting to lose anyone; the competitive spirit I had growing up made me just want to keep being better."

That competitive fire was stoked in the local Sacramento scene, where weekly tournaments became his training ground. Losing to the same players repeatedly motivated Kurama. This early crucible of competition shaped his identity, first as "Prodigy," a tag given to him by a tournament organizer when he was just ten years old.

As he matured, "Prodigy" no longer felt right. During the tournament hiatus of the COVID era, he adopted "Kurama," inspired by his favorite anime character from Yu Hakusho. "I felt like it was just time for a change," he explains, marking a conscious decision to forge a new identity.

This new identity would soon be tested. Alonso’s career is a story of dramatic highs and crushing lows. He points to his run at popular streamer Ludwig’s Smash tournament in 2023 as his biggest triumph, where he entered through a last-chance qualifier and battled his way to a third-place finish against the world's elite. "I felt like I was playing just like on a whole another planet," he says. "Beating people who you look up to growing up. It's like a weird feeling, the student surpassing the teacher."

However, the pressure to maintain that top-level performance took its toll. While playing for the French organization Karmine Corp, the expectations for success became immense. A disappointing performance at a tournament in Paris, coupled with an expiring contract, sent him into a mental spiral. "I think wanting to do good for the team really took a mental toll on me. And that never really went away," he confesses.

The entirety of 2024 became a "slump," mentally and physically draining him to the point where he stepped away from the game he loved. "I probably did not touch the game for at least nine of those 12 months out of the year," Alonso states. "It was a very long break for me, but I think it was very needed."

Supported by his family, friends, and girlfriend, Alonso weathered the storm. He returned to the game with a renewed passion, now working with a coach to review his gameplay and refine his gameplay – a practice that separates the good from the great.

Alonso’s goals are now crystal clear. For one, he wants to overcome his demons, a list of professional players he has yet to beat in a tournament set. Most importantly, he wants to make an indelible mark on the Smash scene. When asked what he wants to be remembered for, his answer was straightforward.

"The end goal is to be the best player to play this game," he says. "But if I was speaking right now, I want to be the best Mario that's ever touched a controller."