Evo Champ Punk Joins Crazy Raccoon’s Training Camp in Japan

Evo 2024 champion Punk was recently spotted at the headquarters of Japanese esports team Crazy Raccoon, where he joined the squad for a training session ahead of their crucial Street Fighter League Japan match against Good 8 Squad.

Kazunoko, one of Crazy Raccoon’s players, shared the visit on social media, noting that Punk was in Tokyo for some good matches and a great experience with the team.

Despite the extra preparation, Crazy Raccoon fell to Good 8 Squad 20–30 after staging an impressive comeback from a 20-point deficit. The deciding match came down to Bonchan versus Sahara, with the UFA 2025 winner clutching it out for his team and securing the final 10 points. Crazy Raccoon now sits in third place, still in playoff contention, but needing to be careful not to slip further.

Punk, meanwhile, continues to impress individually. He currently holds the top spot for C. Viper on the Master Rate rankings and is leading the North America East standings on the Capcom Pro Tour. While he has yet to qualify for Capcom Cup, his position gives him a strong seeding for next month’s regional finals.

It’s unclear whether Punk will make the trip to China for the final CPT qualifier, but a strong showing there could push his global points total beyond the current 350 and potentially land him one of the six automatic Capcom Cup spots.

Punk’s connection with the Japanese scene has continued to grow, and his latest visit underscores a growing trend, more international players heading to Japan to sharpen their skills against the world’s deepest talent pool.