Ray Rizzo
{{Short description|American video player}}
{{Infobox video game player
| ID =
| name = Raymond Rizzo
| image = RaymondRizzo (cropped).jpg
| nickname = Ray
| caption = Rizzo in 2010
| birth_date = {{Birth based on age as of date|19|2012}}{{cite news |last1=Martin |first1=Liam |title=11 Pokemon records that will probably never be beaten |url=https://www.digitalspy.com/videogames/pokemon/a784402/11-pokemon-records-that-will-probably-never-be-beaten/ |access-date=May 12, 2021 |work=Digital Spy |date=February 23, 2016}}
| birth_place =
| nationality = American
| leagues = Play! Pokémon
| game = Pokémon
| highlights =
- World Champion (2010, 2011, 2012)
}}
Raymond Rizzo is a three-time Pokémon Video Game World Champion (2010, 2011, 2012).{{cite web |date=12 August 2012 |title=Introducing the 2012 Pokémon Video Game World Champions! |url=http://www.pokemonworldchampionships.com/2012/updates/article/day3/introducing-the-2012-pokmon-video-game-world-champions |accessdate=16 August 2013 |publisher=2012 Pokémon World Championships}} He is regarded as one of the best players of competitive Pokémon of all time.{{Cite web |title=Nobody on the planet is as good at Pokemon as Ray Rizzo |url=https://www.engadget.com/2011-08-17-nobody-on-the-planet-is-as-good-at-pokemon-as-ray-rizzo.html |access-date=2022-10-28 |website=Engadget |language=en-US}}
His success can be partly attributed to his team building skills - one example of this is his use of a defensive, support-oriented Thundurus at a time when most players used Thundurus offensively, and this innovation subsequently dominated the Pokémon competitive scene for years after its first appearance at the 2011 World Championships.{{Cite web |last=Drake |first=Audrey |date=2012-06-20 |title=Tips from the Champ: Building a Competitive Pokémon Team |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2012/06/20/tips-from-the-champ-building-a-competitive-pokemon-team |access-date=2022-10-28 |website=IGN |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Pokémon VGC 2011 World Championships |url=https://www.nimbasacitypost.com/2011/08/vgc-2011-world-championships.html |access-date=2022-10-28}}
Personal life
Rizzo grew up in the Marlton section of Evesham Township, New Jersey{{cite web|title=Interview: 2012 VG Masters World Champion Ray Rizzo|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vb96Ojpv17c|publisher=YouTube|accessdate=16 August 2013|author=pokemon|date=15 August 2013}} in the United States, He began playing Pokémon as a child. He attended Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, studying actuarial science. He passed three actuarial exams while at Drake. He resides in Tokyo, Japan.
''Pokémon'' career
In 2010, Rizzo won his first Pokémon World Championship in Hawaii after defeating Japan's Yasuki Tochigi in the Senior Division finals.{{cite web|title=VGC World Championships Finals|url=http://www.pokemonworldchampionships.com/2010/updates/article/day3/vgc-world-championships-finals|publisher=2010 Pokémon World Championships|accessdate=16 August 2013|date=15 August 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101105130306/http://www.pokemonworldchampionships.com/2010/updates/article/day3/vgc-world-championships-finals |archive-date=November 5, 2010}} He then won the 2011 World Championship{{Cite web |author1=GamesRadarCarolynGudmundson |date=2011-08-16 |title=Pokemon history made at Pokemon World Championships 2011 |url=https://www.gamesradar.com/pokemon-history-made-at-pokemon-world-championships-2011/ |access-date=2022-10-28 |website=gamesradar |language=en}} in San Diego, California after defeating Matteo Gini in the then-new Masters Division finals. He next won the 2012 World Championship in Hawaii, defeating Wolfe Glick (who Rizzo regards highly) in the Masters Division finals, making Rizzo the first three-time Pokémon Video Game World Champion. To commemorate this, the Pokémon Company released a shiny Metagross with the same moves, ability and nature as Rizzo's.{{Cite web |title="News Alert: Level 45 Shiny Metagross Pokémon character will be distributed at the 2013 Pokémon Video Game National Championships" - The Pokémon Company International Official Press Site |url=https://pokemon.gamespress.com/News-Alert-Level-45-Shiny-Metagross-Pokemon-character-will-be-distribu |access-date=2022-10-28 |website=pokemon.gamespress.com}}
Rizzo was defeated in the first round of elimination at the 2013 Pokémon World Championships.{{cite web|url=http://www.gametrailers.com/videos/gv463r/pokemon-x---pokemon-y-world-championships--to-be-the-very-best|last=Bosman|first=Kyle|title=World Championships: To Be the Very Best|publisher=GameTrailers|accessdate=17 August 2013|date=15 August 2013}} In 2014, Rizzo was alleged to have cheated by using a hacked Aegislash at the 2014 US Pokémon National Championships.{{cite web|url=http://www.idigitaltimes.com/pokemon-x-and-y-news-did-ray-rizzo-cheat-during-national-championships-2014-not-likely-video-375242|title=Pokemon X And Y News: Did Ray Rizzo Cheat During National Championships 2014? Not Likely|first=Phillip|last= Martinez|website=iDigitalTimes|date=July 8, 2014|accessdate=September 3, 2015}} He denied the accusations, but said that he would not be using the Pokémon in the future.{{cite web|url=http://pocketmonster.kotaku.com/fans-are-pissed-about-alleged-cheating-in-the-recent-po-1601289614|title=Fans Are Pissed About Alleged Cheating In The Recent Pokémon Tournament|first=Patricia|last=Hernandez|date=July 7, 2014|accessdate=September 3, 2015}} The allegedly hacked Pokémon would have conferred no advantage in the competition, only saving time by avoiding on-cartridge grinding, but would still have been a violation of tournament rules.
In 2015, Rizzo was inducted into the Guinness World Records for his achievements.{{cite web|url=http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/news/2016/3/pokemon-10-incredible-world-records-to-celebrate-the-franchises-20th-anniversar-419993|first=Rachel|last=Swatman|date=March 9, 2016|title=Pokémon: 10 incredible world records to celebrate the franchise's 20th anniversary|website=Guinness World Records}} However, he did not qualify for the 2015 Pokémon World Championships.{{cite web|url=http://www.pokemon.com/us/play-pokemon/nationals/2015/results/vg/#5_8_0|title=Tournament Results|website=Pokemon|accessdate=September 3, 2015}}
Rizzo also has a YouTube channel where he discusses competitive Pokémon. As of May 2024, he has 36K subscribers and over four million channel views.{{Cite web |title=Ray Rizzo's YouTube Stats (Summary Profile) - Social Blade Stats |url=https://socialblade.com/youtube/c/rayrizzovgc |access-date=2024-05-18 |website=socialblade.com}}
References
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{{Pokémon}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rizzo, Raymond}}
Category:Pokémon video game players
Category:American esports players
Category:Cherokee High School (New Jersey) alumni
Category:Drake University alumni