After Pokémon Champions' hilarious tournament took eight Pokémon noobs and forced them under the wing of VGC icon Ray Rizzo, one man was crowned the official Pokémon Champion of Champions. Mike Hobbs, from the UK, sat down with us after winning the tournament on July 30, following a tense finals matchup that went the distance.
In case you missed it, the Pokémon Champion of Champions competition saw Hobbs go up against other champs of niche varieties, such as record-breaking air guitarists, whistlers, and doers of nothing. I was keen to know more about Hobbs' experience with the event, how he got involved, and whether he thinks his usual hobby of eating stinging nettles is harder than grinding out Pokémon Champions.
Firstly, how did you get involved with the event? I wouldn't have thought the nettle-eating community has too much involvement with Pokémon.
You're completely right, nettle-eating and Pokémon aren't exactly a traditional pairing! The Pokémon Company International pulled together this brilliant 'Champion of Champions' concept, looking to pit niche world record holders against each other in a totally different arena.
Because I hold the UK champion title in nettle-eating, they reached out. When I heard I'd be competing against the world champions of air guitar, pillow fighting, and even pizza acrobatics, I thought it sounded like a fantastic laugh and a great new challenge, so I jumped right in.
Did you have any exposure to Pokémon prior to the event? If so, how has your perception of the franchise changed after this experience?
Before this tournament, my main exposure was really just through pop culture and seeing my two kids engage with the brand over the years. I knew who Charizard and Pikachu were, but I had absolutely no idea about the depth of the competitive scene. Jumping into the VGC format, learning about open team sheets, type matchups, and predicting your opponent's next move, completely blew my mind. It's not just a game; it's basically high-speed chess. My respect for the players who do this full-time has skyrocketed.
How did you approach starting something new considering the pressure of people watching you, and do you have any advice for struggling or new Pokémon Champions players?
As someone who is used to eating feet of stinging nettles in front of a crowd, I'm fairly used to a bit of pressure, but this was a totally different beast!
I tried to stay grounded and rely on the training. We knew each other's lineups beforehand, so I just focused on my squad and stuck to the game plan. The advice we were given was not to overcomplicate things at the start. Pick a core group of Pokémon you like, learn how they support each other, and don't panic if you lose a round. In a best-of-three, you always have a chance to swap your four picks and adapt.
It's many people's dream to be coached by him, so what was it like working with Ray Rizzo?
Working with Ray was absolutely incredible. We only had a couple of days to learn the ropes from scratch, but having a three-time Pokémon VGC World Champion as your mentor makes all the difference in the world. He didn't overwhelm us with jargon; he broke down the mechanics in a way that made sense to someone completely green like me. I definitely wouldn't have beaten the air guitar champ in the finals or lifted the trophy without his guidance.
You won a trip to the Pokémon World Championships - who's coming with you?
It's got to be my two kids and my lovely wife. They were right there in London to celebrate with me when I won, and seeing them cheer me on meant the absolute world to me. They've been incredibly supportive, and probably a bit surprised that their dad is suddenly a Pokémon champion! It's going to be a fantastic family trip for us.
Lastly, just for fun, could you tell us more about nettle-eating, how you got into it, and what your kids think of it? Plus, which would you say is harder - Pokémon Champions or nettle-eating?
I'm from Dorset [in the UK], where the World Stinging Nettle Eating Championship is held, so it's a bit of a local tradition. I got into it years ago just for the sheer challenge of it, and back in 2009, I managed to eat 48 feet of the things to take the joint world title! My kids think it's a bit mad, to be honest, but they're proud of their eccentric dad.
As for which is harder - that's a really tough one. Nettle-eating tests your physical endurance and pain tolerance to the absolute limit. But Pokémon Champions completely fries your brain with the sheer amount of strategy, synergy, and quick thinking required when you're playing on such a competitive level. Physically, the nettles are worse, but mentally, Pokémon definitely takes the crown.
Thanks so much to Mike Hobbs for his time, and we're wishing him and his family a wonderful trip to the Pokémon Worlds in 2027. Join us over on the Pocket Tactics Discord server, and follow us on TikTok, for more Pokémon and silliness.