Hold onto your joysticks, because the Street Fighter 6 meta is about to be flipped on its head! Just as we thought we had the game figured out, Pochoclo23 drops a bombshell tier list right before the Alex update shakes everything up. But here's where it gets controversial: despite Capcom's recent efforts to balance the game, Mai Shiranui still reigns supreme—even after her nerfs. How is that even possible? Let’s dive in.
In a recent patch, Capcom tried to tone down Mai’s dominance while giving Sagat and Elena some much-needed quality-of-life improvements. But here’s the part most people miss: the community has been vocal about their frustration with the frequency and depth of these balance updates. According to EventHubs (https://www.eventhubs.com/news/2026/jan/12/sf6-patches-changes-frequency-reconsider/), Capcom has taken notice. As a result, a massive balance patch (https://www.eventhubs.com/news/2026/jan/27/street-fighter-balance-update/) is set to drop on March 17, 2026, alongside the highly anticipated Season 3 character, Alex (https://www.eventhubs.com/news/2026/jan/21/alex-gameplay-trailer-sf6/). This update promises adjustments for every fighter in the roster—a move that could redefine the competitive landscape.
To celebrate (or perhaps mourn) the current state of the game, Pochoclo23 (https://www.eventhubs.com/news/2026/feb/03/tiers-sf6-pochoclo23-pre-alex/) has released his pre-Alex patch tier list. Using TierMaker (https://tiermaker.com/), he’s meticulously categorized every character into S+, S, A+, A, B, and C tiers. And this is where it gets interesting: Mai Shiranui, JP, and Ed are still dominating the S+ tier, raising questions about whether Capcom’s nerfs were too conservative. Meanwhile, Ryu, Akuma, Sagat, Terry, and Blanka are hot on their heels, with Sagat’s recent buffs proving to be a game-changer for his climb up the ranks.
On the flip side, Lily remains the undisputed weakest link in the roster, a title no one wants. Joining her in the lower tiers are Dhalsim, Zangief, E. Honda, Jamie, and Marisa—characters struggling to find their footing in the current meta. But is this really the end for them, or could the upcoming balance patch turn their luck around?
Check out the full tier list below, and don’t forget to click the images for larger versions. Here’s the burning question: Do you agree with Pochoclo23’s rankings, or do you think some characters are being unfairly overlooked? Let us know in the comments—this is one debate you won’t want to miss!
