TheKiest Stepping Back
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May 19, 2026
Family Man TheKiest
I'm writing this blog here to give a major update for me and potentially the Columbus Fighting Game Community. It's a good news bad news situation.
The good news: my wife and I are expecting our first kid in August! We're super excited, but this may be bitter sweet to you folks reading.
The bad news: I will be heavily stepping back from the FGC as a TO. I barely can commit to every week as it is and definitely will be putting priority over my kid. But I'm not 100% leaving either, so what does this mean?
Donatos Fight Night
Donatos Fight Night is my main weekly. I have been running this as the head TO since 2012! Donatos Fight Night has always served as Columbus's Blank Canvas when it comes to weeklies. It also served as my TO labbing ground. Kakuto, Devohlution, and all other events I've helped with were far easier than the training I put myself and others at DFN.
This will be going to Stove. He's currently the TO of Cap City Chaos and has been helping run DFN for the last couple of years. DFN will continue in the same vision: a blank slate for Columbus Fighting Games. Please give him the same support you have given to me these last years. I plan on helping out still if I'm available and the rest of you aren't. Donatos has given us a lot and I would hate to lose it.
My last DFN as head TO will be on 6/10/2026. Please sign up HERE if you wish to attend.
Still Running the Yearly Events
DevOHlution and Kakuto will still be ran by me and TheKiest team. Since these are yearly, I can still commit to these events. DevOH will always be two weeks after Combo Breaker and Kakuto will always be 1st or 2nd week of November depending on the OSU football schedules.
DevOHlution practically runs itself with the help of the Tuesday Trials Team and Game Arena. I simply just copy EVO's lineup. 12 games are far easier than what Kakuto and Saturday Trials do. Again, this is due to the training DFN has provided for me and Tuesday Trials for others. I've thought about making future DevOHlutions one of the "high end events" by bumping the entry fee per game to $20/$30 instead of $10 like the standard today. This is so more "top level folks" get a higher stakes since most events in the state do not do so, especially in Columbus. Please let me know your thoughts on that one. (DM on discord). Sign up for DevOHlution Today HERE!
Kakuto Geemu is my prime event. That won't go away for a long time. With that said, this year it will be ran by my good friend Juushichi. Stay tune for more details on that one! I will still be there as an assistant/advisor that day. Kakuto 18 I will take back.
Goodbye/retiring?!?!
No this isn't a retiring form the scene post, it's more of a "informing the scene of the TO changes from Columbus." But you will sadly see less of me the next few years.
Social Media sucks. So I'll most likely delete or mute those accounts. Other channels will advertise the yearly events and this site as well. My DMs are always open on Discord @TheKiest.
I still plan on going to events during the year and even maybe some other Ohio events, especially in the Cleveland area since we have a lot of babysitter-er uh "family" up there. Heck maybe I'll even be back the week after my "final DFN". I love you all and keep on playing!
- TheKiest
