Filipino Tekken player Alexandre “AK” Laverez secured a third-place finish at Takedown 2026 in Pakistan, earning 180 Tekken World Tour (TWT) circuit points and strengthening his position in the race for a spot in the season-ending TWT Finals.
Laverez saw a solid run in the tournament pool and his winning momentum continued in the Top 32 bracket, where he defeated Benjamin “Yagami” Torngdee, 2-1, before sweeping 2022 Tekken World Champion Pakistan’s Atif “Atif Butt” Ijaz, 2-0, to advance into the finals bracket.
In the upper bracket semifinals, Laverez fell to reigning Combo Breaker champion Pakistan’s Muhammad Farzeen in a closely contested 2-3 series, dropping to the lower bracket.
On the brink of elimination, Laverez defeated Qasim Meer, 3-1, in the lower bracket quarterfinals before overcoming eight-time EVO champion and 2023 Tekken World Champion Arslan “Arslan Ash” Siddique by the same scoreline in the lower bracket semifinals to set up a rematch with Muhammad Farzeen. But the lone home crowd bet swept Laverez, 0-3, ending the Filipino’s run at third place.
Speaking to Philstar.com on his tournament run, Laverez praised both the competition and the hospitality shown by the local community during his stay.
“Takedown 2026 was a successful esports event in Pakistan, where a lot of athletes battled it out to enjoy their passion. I enjoyed my time there, and the Pakistan community was very accommodating. Regarding my run, all the players performed well, and I am happy with my result.” said Laverez.
The Filipino veteran also highlighted the enthusiasm of Pakistan’s esports fans, recalling a similarly positive experience during a previous visit.
“Pakistan was very welcoming, just like the first time I played here three years ago. They support their favorites, and everyone is into esports. You can see it in the crowds watching. They really show their emotions, and it was a good experience playing in front of them [again],’ added Laverez.
For his bronze finish, Laverez received PKR 250,000 (approximately P56,000) in prize money and 180 circuit points. The additional points now sees the Filipino competitor at No. 15 in the current Tekken World Tour 2026 standings, placing him inside the qualification cutoff for the TWT Finals.