Nov16
Day 2 VGC Coverage of the 2025 Pokémon Latin America International Championships — Victor Medina faces off against Marco Silva tomorrow in the Final
Standings
# | Player | Pokemon | Record | Team |
| Finalists | Marco Hemantha Kaludura Silva | 13-1 | Link | |
| Victor Medina | 12-2 | Link | ||
| Top 4 | Ashton Cox | 11-3 | Link | |
| Renzo Navarro | 11-3 | Link | ||
| Top 8 | Eric Rios | 12-1 | Link | |
| Daniel Marcelo Reyes | 11-2 | Link | ||
| Alex Gomez Berna | 10-3 | Link | ||
| Oliver Eskolin | 10-3 | Link |
Only 65 players made it to Day 2 of the 2025 Latin America Internationals. Defending the title of Latin America International Champion is well-known player and 2-time International Champion Marco Hemantha Kaludura Silva., who had an incredible performance in Day 1, losing only one battle before taking on and defeating highly-skilled trainers such as 2024 Senior Vancouver Regional Champion and 2024 Senior Latin America International Semi-finalist Christopher Han, who was unfortunately unable to make it to Day 2.
The only two players in Day 1 to have an undefeated record of 8 wins and 0 losses were 2022 EUIC Champion Eric Rios and 2-time International Champion Ashton Cox. These two players then faced each other at the beginning of Day 2 in Swiss Round 9, resulting in Eric Rios' victory, and Ashton Cox's flawless record being broken.
Top Pokemon
With the Poison Touch ability and its signature attack Dire Claw giving a chance to poison, paralyze, or put the opponent to sleep, Sneasler can be a very frustrating opponent. Focus Sash helps with its underwhelming defenses, and Fake Out is a great option for both utility and priority. Some players instead choose to run the Unburden ability, doubling its Speed stat after it loses its item. This allows Sneasler to outspeed almost every Pokemon in the format.
Alongside niche picks like Kommo-o and Dondozo, Sneasler's highest placement is on 2-time LAIC Champion Ashton Cox's team, making it to an impressive Top 4 finish.
Once again proving its potential and power, Incineroar has great results in a handful of tournaments by appearing on many high-level trainers' teams. With Intimidate, Parting Shot, and Will-O-Wisp, it can severely weaken opposing Pokemon, and can disrupt its opponents with Fake Out.
Incineroar is another very flexible Pokemon, proving its dominance by winning the 2025 Baltimore, Joinville, and Louisville Regionals as well as the 2025 Lima Special Event. In this event, its highest placement is similarly on Finalist Marco Silva's team.
Another commonly high-placing Pokemon, Gholdengo is very straight-forward. Its ability Good as Gold blocks strong status moves from Pokemon like Amoonguss, and its base Special Attack stat of 133 paired with a powerful spread move in Make It Rain. Steel and Ghost-type Pokemon also have a terrifying type combination with many resistances and immunities. With terastallization, Gholdengo can block damage from the few types that would otherwise be super-effective.
Gholdengo's highest placement in this tournament is on Finalist Victor Medina's team, alongside powerful Pokemon in Archaludon and Ursaluna.
This Pokemon is always incredibly valuable on almost any team. Its ability Grassy Terrain allows it to support its team with healing, Grassy Glide allows for strong priority, and Wood Hammer deals very valuable amounts of damage. Fake Out is also a great utility move, as similarly demonstrated by Incineroar. Some players have also started to experiment with a set using the Loaded Dice item, guaranteeing that Bullet Seed hits at least four times.
Rillaboom appears on both Top 4 teams, used by 2-time LAIC Champion Ashton Cox and 3-time Regional Champion Renzo Navarro.
With Incineroar being less of a threat, Dragonite has more of an option to use the Multiscale ability to increase its bulk. Some players such as Paul Chua have been running a Tera Flying set to deal surprising amounts of damage with a Flying-type Tera Blast. On the other hand, a few players choose a classic Tera Normal set with Choice Band to deal even more damage with the priority attack Extreme Speed.
Dragonite's highest placement in this tournament is on Finalist Victor Medina's team.
Many players considered Archaludon the number one threat coming into the 2025 Baltimore Regionals, paired with Pelipper setting rain with its ability Drizzle. In this weather condition, Electro Shot attacks in one turn in contrast to it typically being a two-turn attack. Its ability Stamina is also very powerful if left unchecked by the opponent. As its Defense stat raises by one stage each time it's hit, Body Press is also a common attack, using the Defense stat to deal damage instead of either of the Attack stats.
In a similar fashion to its fellow Dragon-type Dragonite, Archaludon's highest placement in this tournament is on Finalist Victor Medina's team.
Streamed Battles
Cunha has a fairly standard team featuring strong picks in Pokemon with great utility like Sneasler, Incineroar, and Rillaboom, with Gholdengo and Dragonite focused on offense. A less standard part of Cunha's team is the Bloodmoon Ursaluna, which seems to be a more supportive and defensive build. It can deal great amounts of damage with Blood Moon and Earth Power, but it also has defensive options in Protect and Yawn, supported by its Covert Cloak blocking Fake Out and status conditions from an opposing Sneasler's signature move Dire Claw.
Bloodmoon Ursaluna seems to be struggling to be as popular and consistent as its default form in Regulation Set H. Its highest placement is a Top 4 finish from Giuseppe Musicco in the 2025 Lille Regionals, supported by redirection and other utility from Clefable, another less common pick. Ursaluna's base form has consistently been a major player in the "P2 Ursaluna" team composition, supported by Porygon2, and taking countless Top 4 placements in Regulation Set H.
Odriozola's team features the aforementioned P2 Ursaluna strategy, being prepared to set up Trick Room and let Ursaluna destroy its opponents with Facade, Headlong Rush, and Earthquake. The team offers a standard utility pick in Incineroar, notably using the Assault Vest item over something more common like a berry or the Safety Goggles, and a more niche pick in Vivillon, boasting improved accuracy thanks to its ability Compound Eyes. This allows the moves Hurricane and Sleep Powder to be much more consistent, making it a huge threat if left unchecked. Primarina also appears on the team. This Pokemon was very popular at the beginning of Regulation Set H, but seems to be slowly slipping as the ruleset ends. The final Pokemon is Archaludon using a slightly less common Power Herb set over a more common Assault Vest set. With the Power Herb, it can use its signature move Electro Shot, boost its Special Attack, and then fire all in one turn. It can then start firing off powerful attacks in Flash Cannon and Draco Meteor, and is guaranteed to survive at least one attack thanks to its ability Sturdy.
The game concludes with Juan Manuel Odriozola's victory, moving them on to a record of 8 wins and only 1 loss.
So uses a team composed of many strong and consistent picks, with Volcarona threatening to boost its stats with Quiver Dance, Sneasler being able to boost its teammate's Attack and Defense with Coaching as well as threaten a plethora of status conditions with its signature move Dire Claw, Rillaboom supporting its team with its Grassy Surge ability, and Kingambit threatening huge damage with Dark-type attacks in Kowtow Cleave and Sucker Punch boosted by its Black Glasses. The most uncommon member of this team, however, is So's Kommo-o. With the status move Iron Defense, it sharply raises its Defense stat, allowing it to survive for longer while boosting the damage of the attack Body Press. Its ability Overcoat protects it from powder moves, such as moves that can change the course of an entire battle like Spore or Sleep Powder, and the Leftovers held item allows it to stay on the field even longer. The final Pokemon on the team is Basculegion, holding the Choice Scarf, it outspeeds most of the Pokemon in the format, and deals large amounts of damage thanks to its ability Adaptability.
Kimura's team features a powerful rain core, with Pelipper, Basculegion, and Archaludon. While Pelipper sets up the rain with its abiltiy Drizzle, all three of these Pokemon benefit from the weather condition, with Pelipper and Basculegion's Water-type attacks being made even stronger, Pelipper's Hurricane given perfect accuracy, and Archaludon's signature move Electro Shot activating in one turn instead of two. Amoonguss and Gholdengo also appreciate the rain, since it effectively removes their weaknesses to Fire-type attacks.
Considered one of the strongest team compositions going into Regulation Set H, the rain core of Pelipper, Basculegion, and Archaludon has picked up a handful of impressive achievements. It immediately won the first event of the season, the 2025 Baltimore Regionals, used by Nicholas Morales. In the 2025 Gdansk Regionals, Federico Camporesi would then use these Pokemon to claim their victory as well. Both of these teams also feature Pokemon normally weak to Fire-type attacks, with Morales using Amoonguss, and Camporesi using Kingambit.
The round was won by 2023 World Champion Shohei Kimura, moving them on to a record of 8 wins and 2 losses overall.
The first game in the Top Cut, funnily enough, takes place between 2023 Worlds Finalist Michael Kelsch and 2023 World Champion Shohei Kimura.
Kelsch brandishes a team composition referred to as "Dragapult Balance", notably featuring Dragapult, as well as other heavy-hitters in Kingambit, Rillaboom, Primarina, and Sneasler. The final Pokemon on this team is Magmar, offering useful redirection with Follow Me and utility in Will-O-Wisp.
Kelsch has been using this team since the beginning of Regulation Set H, earning them a Top 16 finish in the 2025 Dortmund Regionals, and a Top 8 placement in the 2025 Gdansk Regionals.
As described in the previous round, Kimura's team features a powerful rain core, with Pelipper, Basculegion, and Archaludon. While Pelipper sets up the rain with its abiltiy Drizzle, all three of these Pokemon benefit from the weather condition, with Pelipper and Basculegion's Water-type attacks being made even stronger, Pelipper's Hurricane given perfect accuracy, and Archaludon's signature move Electro Shot activating in one turn instead of two. Amoonguss and Gholdengo also appreciate the rain, since it effectively removes their weaknesses to Fire-type attacks.
The round concludes with a familiar outcome, 2023 World Champion Shohei Kimura defeats Michael Kelsch. The official Play Pokemon account on X (formerly Twitter) jokes about this result, captioning the battle with "New year, same result!"
Deuel's team features the niche choice of bringing Kilowattrel alongside a team focused on the sandstorm weather condition. Tyranitar uses its ability Sand Stream to set up the Sandstorm, boosting its Special Defense as a Rock-type Pokemon, which helps to support other members of the team in various ways. Garchomp has the ability Sand Veil, boosting its Evasion while the sandstorm is active, and is also immune to the chip damage thanks to its Ground-type. Corviknight and Gholdengo both also have this advantage as Steel-types.
While uncommon in Regulation Set H, players shouldn't underestimate a good sand team. Nils Dunlop used the combination of Tyranitar, Excadrill, and Corviknight to win the 2025 Lille Regionals, alongside many Flying Tera Types for Excadrill's team to avoid its Earthquake attack.
Navarro's choices of Baxcalibur and a Basculegion without rain stand out the most. With the Loaded Dice, Baxcalibur is guaranteed to hit at least four times with bost Icicle Spear and Scale Shot, with the latter also boosting its Speed. Even without these boosts, however, it can use Ice Shard as a valuable priority attack against strong Pokemon with key weaknesses to Ice-type attacks, like Dragonite and Garchomp. The Basculegion uses a mostly standard set with the Choice Scarf boosting its Speed, the ability Adaptability boosting its Damage, using powerful attacks like Wave Crash and Last Respects. However, this Pokemon has the option of a Fairy-type Tera Blast instead of a more common choice in Aqua Jet.
The game is won by 3-time Regional Champion Renzo Navarro, moving them on to the Top 8 of the tournament.
The first game of the Top 8 takes place between 2022 EUIC Finalist Oliver Eskolin and 2-time International Champion Marco Silva, defending their title of Latin America International Champion. Whoever loses is knocked out of the tournament, and the winner moves on to the semi-finals.
Eskolin features a more standard Bloodmoon Ursaluna set on their team, using the Life Orb to boost the damage from already powerful attacks like Blood Moon, Hyper Voice, and Earth Power, with its Normal-type Terastallization boosting the first two even further. This Pokemon is given speed control options with Trick Room on Indeedee and Tailwind on Talonflame, as well as redirection from Electabuzz. The team also features a core of the Indeedee paired with Sneasler. The former's ability Psychic Surge activates Sneasler's Psychic Seed held item, which both boosts its Special Defense by one stage and activates its ability Unburden, doubling its Speed. While Close Combat and Dire Claw both struggle to hit Ghost-type Pokemon like Gholdengo, this Sneasler is also running Throat Chop to account for this.
On the other side of the battle, Silva brings a team featuring the Kanto first partner Pokemon Charizard, supported by various Pokemon like Torkoal and Jumpluff. These two Pokemon set up the harsh sunlight for Charizard, with Torkoal using its ability Drought and Jumpluff using the move Sunny Day, boosting the damage of Fire-type attacks in Heat Wave and Overheat. Charizard's damage output is pushed even further with its ability Solar Power, making it deal more damage in the sun at the cost of some of its HP every turn. This Pokemon also uses the Choice Specs held item to allow it to do even more damage. The team also features a P2 Ursaluna core, offering a Trick Room mode for the team if Charizard is quickly countered.
The game is won by 2-time International Champion Marco Silva, moving them on to the semi-finals.
Medina's team is well-crafted, featuring many layers of synergy. Most notably, Pelipper and Archaludon form a rain core, with the former setting up the weather condition with its ability Drizzle, and Archaludon taking advantage with its signature move Electro Shot. Sinistcha and Gholdengo also appreciate the rain, as it effectively negates their weakness to Fire-type attacks. Additionally, Sinistcha has the option of using Trick Room to reverse the speed order of the battle, which is greatly appreciated by slow Pokemon such as the team's Ursaluna. Sinistcha's signature ability Hospitality is also incredibly useful for its team, supporting bulky Pokemon like Archaludon, and helping other frailer Pokemon to stay alive as well.
Reyes is running a fairly standard team composition, featuring popular Pokemon in Electabuzz, Kingambit, Rillaboom, Sneasler, Volcarona, and Dragonite.
Interestingly, this team is identical to a team used by their opponent Victor Medina in the 2025 Gdansk Regionals, used to place in the Top 8. In turn, this team was seemingly inspired by Giovanni Piscitelli's Top 16 team from the 2025 Lille Regionals, with the only difference being Volcarona's held item. Piscitelli was defeated in their tournament by a rain team, featuring Archaludon, Pelipper, and Basculegion, used by Fabian Kuhl. Medina, on the other hand, was defeated in the Top 8 by Paul Hinta using a similar team composition, most notably featuring Maushold instead of Electabuzz.
The game is won by 2-time International Semi-finalist Victor Medina, allowing them to move on to the semi-finals.
Rios uses a fairly standard team composition seen throughout this tournament, with Dragonite and Gholdengo as the main offensive Pokemon, supported by Incineroar, Rillaboom, and Annihilape's utility as well as useful moves like Follow Me and Electroweb from Electabuzz. Despite Annihilape typically taking an offensive role, this set uses Coaching to boost the Attack and Defense of its teammate, resetting Dragonite's Defense drop from Scale Shot and generally supporting the physical attackers on the team, as well as Taunt to shut down opposing Pokemon with difficult status moves. This team also features an interesting strategy with Incineroar's item. While it typically prefers Safety Goggles to counter Amoonguss, a berry to restore its health, or rarely an Assault Vest to boost its Special Defense, this Incineroar uses the Mirror Herb item. This is mainly used to counter Pokemon with Defiant, like Annihilape and Kingambit, who gain two boosts to their Attack after having their stats dropped from Intimidate. With the Mirror Herb, Incineroar is able to copy this stat boost, threatening huge damage with Flare Blitz.
As mentioned in the featured battle of the Top 16, Navarro's choices of Baxcalibur and a Basculegion without rain stand out the most. With the Loaded Dice, Baxcalibur is guaranteed to hit at least four times with bost Icicle Spear and Scale Shot, with the latter also boosting its Speed. Even without these boosts, however, it can use Ice Shard as a valuable priority attack against strong Pokemon with key weaknesses to Ice-type attacks, like Dragonite and Garchomp. The Basculegion uses a mostly standard set with the Choice Scarf boosting its Speed, the ability Adaptability boosting its Damage, using powerful attacks like Wave Crash and Last Respects. However, this Pokemon has the option of a Fairy-type Tera Blast instead of a more common choice in Aqua Jet.
3-time Regional Champion Renzo Navarro wins the battle, beating the previously undefeated Eric Rios to knock them out of the tournament.
Featuring common Pokemon in Gholdengo, Sneasler, Rillaboom, and Electabuzz, Cox's team most notably features niche picks in Kommo-o and Dondozo. As a very bulky Pokemon, the latter can use its ability Unaware to ignore the opponents' stat boosts, utilising this staying power with moves like Fissure and Yawn. On the other hand, Kommo-o relies quite heavily on its set-up. Its signature move Clangorous Soul boosts all of its stats by one stage at a cost of one third of its maximum HP, but it also activates its held item, the Throat Spray, giving it an additional boost to its Special Attack. The set is rounded out with attacks in Clanging Scales and Flamethrower, as well as the option of using Protect.
On the other end of the battle, Berna seems to share a team with the previously defeated Eric Rios. As a reminder, this team uses a fairly standard team composition seen throughout this tournament, with Dragonite and Gholdengo as the main offensive Pokemon, supported by Incineroar, Rillaboom, and moves like Follow Me and Electroweb from Electabuzz. Despite Annihilape typically taking an offensive role, this set uses Coaching to boost the Attack and Defense of its teammate, resetting Dragonite's Defense drop from Scale Shot and generally supporting the physical attackers on the team, as well as Taunt to shut down opposing Pokemon with difficult status moves. This team also features an interesting strategy with Incineroar's item. While it typically prefers Safety Goggles to counter Amoonguss, a berry to restore its health, or rarely an Assault Vest to boost its Special Defense, this Incineroar uses the Mirror Herb item. This is mainly used to counter Pokemon with Defiant, like Annihilape and Kingambit, who gain two boosts to their Attack after having their stats dropped from Intimidate. With the Mirror Herb, Incineroar copies this stat boost, threatening huge damage with Flare Blitz.
The game is won by 2-time LAIC Champion Ashton Cox, moving them on to the semi-finals.
This is Navarro's third time featured on stream in Day 2 alone. As a reminder for how their team is built, Navarro's choices of Baxcalibur and a Basculegion without rain stand out the most. With the Loaded Dice, Baxcalibur is guaranteed to hit at least four times with bost Icicle Spear and Scale Shot, with the latter also boosting its Speed. Even without these boosts, however, it can use Ice Shard as a valuable priority attack against strong Pokemon with key weaknesses to Ice-type attacks, like Dragonite and Garchomp. The Basculegion uses a mostly standard set with the Choice Scarf boosting its Speed, the ability Adaptability boosting its Damage, using powerful attacks like Wave Crash and Last Respects. However, this Pokemon has the option of a Fairy-type Tera Blast instead of a more common choice in Aqua Jet.
Another reminder for a player featured previously in Day 2, Silva brings a team featuring the Kanto first partner Pokemon Charizard, supported by various Pokemon like Torkoal and Jumpluff. These two Pokemon set up the harsh sunlight for Charizard, with Torkoal using its ability Drought and Jumpluff using the move Sunny Day, boosting the damage of Fire-type attacks in Heat Wave and Overheat. Charizard's damage output is pushed even further with its ability Solar Power, making it deal more damage in the sun at the cost of some of its HP every turn. This Pokemon also uses the Choice Specs held item to allow it to do even more damage. The team also features a P2 Ursaluna core, offering a Trick Room mode for the team if Charizard is quickly countered.
The game is won by 2-time International Champion Marco Silva, moving them on to the finals of the 2025 Latin America Internationals.
The last round in the Top 4, the final battle of Day 2, is between 2-time LAIC Champion Ashton Cox and 2-time International Semi-finalist Victor Medina. Whoever loses finishes the tournament with an impressive Top 4 placement, and the winner moves on to the finals.
As a reminder, Cox's team features common Pokemon in Gholdengo, Sneasler, Rillaboom, and Electabuzz, as well as niche picks in Kommo-o and Dondozo. As a very bulky Pokemon, the latter can use its ability Unaware to ignore the opponents' stat boosts, utilising this staying power with moves like Fissure and Yawn. On the other hand, Kommo-o relies quite heavily on its set-up. Its signature move Clangorous Soul boosts all of its stats by one stage at a cost of one third of its maximum HP, but it also activates its held item, the Throat Spray, giving it an additional boost to its Special Attack. The set is rounded out with attacks in Clanging Scales and Flamethrower, as well as the option of using Protect.
On the other side of the battle, Medina uses their well-crafted team as described in previous rounds. Pelipper and Archaludon form a rain core, with the former setting up the weather condition with its ability Drizzle, and Archaludon taking advantage with its signature move Electro Shot. Sinistcha and Gholdengo also appreciate the rain, as it effectively negates their weakness to Fire-type attacks. Additionally, Sinistcha has the option of using Trick Room to reverse the speed order of the battle, which is greatly appreciated by slow Pokemon such as the team's Ursaluna. Sinistcha's signature ability Hospitality is also incredibly useful for its team, supporting bulky Pokemon like Archaludon, and helping other frailer Pokemon to stay alive as well.
The game is won by Victor Medina, moving them on to the finals of the 2025 Latin America Internationals to face off against 2-time International Champion Marco Silva.
For coverage of the finals of the 2025 Latin America International Championships as well as future coverage of all official VGC events, be sure to keep an eye on Bulbagarden!
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