Smash pro denies Hungrybox epic pop off with bizarre losing ‘celebration’

Philip Trahan
smash melee ibdw hbox pop off header image

Super Smash Bros. Melee player iBDW denied Hungrybox his winning celebration with an over-the-top pop off of his own despite losing the set.

Super Smash Bros. Melee pro Juan ‘Hungrybox’ Debiedma is now so well-known for his infamous pop offs after victories that many top players go into matches anticipating them if he wins.

However, one top player named Cody ‘iBDW’ Schwab secretly hatched a plan to counter Hungrbox’s wild celebration after their set at the Get On My Level 2022 Super Smash Bros. tournament.

After Hungrybox took the victory in their set, iBDW popped off instead leading to quite the confusing situation for Hungrybox.

Melee player iBDW denies Hungrbox epic pop off

Hungrybox has performed some extreme pop offs during his Smash Melee career, like his infamous celebration after winning Evo 2016.

The situation took place on July 3, 2022, during the Smash Melee Winners Semifinals match at GOML 2022 between iBDW and Hungrybox.

The two pro players were both on their last stock as Fox and Jigglypuff respectively, with each fighting to stay on stage.

Unfortunately for iBDW, Hungrybox ended up winning the set; but, right as Hungrybox was about to celebrate his victory iBDW jumped up from his chair with a pop off of his own.

Though many were confused at his strange reaction to losing, he later took to Twitter and explained “I told myself next time he beat me I’d pop off harder than him for him. Call that the pop off block.”

The clip very quickly gained traction on the LivestreamFail subreddit thanks to Hungrybox’s bewildered reaction and the somewhat awkward way iBDW resolved the situation on stage.

Though iBDW also noted the reason he clumsily put his hands on Hungrybox before talking to him on stage was that he “actually almost fainted” after his celebration.

While some in the community found iBDW’s plan a bit awkward overall, both players laughed off the situation after the tournament concluded, with Hungrybox posting a selfie on Twitter of himself holding up an ‘L’ on iBDW’s forehead.

Despite iBDW losing his set to Hungrybox, he didn’t walk out of the tournament empty-handed as he revealed he’d earned $300 after someone unknowingly bet him he’d pop off after his set with Hungrybox – though likely not in the way they thought.