Smash Ultimate pro MKLeo reveals serious health problems ahead of Ludwig Invitational

Smash Ultimate’s best player will be missing at least one tournament, and could be absent for Ludwig’s Invitational, after revealing health problems that have been plaguing him for a while.

Leonardo ‘MkLeo’ López is widely considered to be the best Smash player alive today, having won countless major tournaments with multiple fighters over Ultimate’s run in the post-lockdown era.

However, the Mexican Smash icon may be absent for some upcoming events, including the long-awaited Ludwig Invitational later this month, after revealing his health conditions have taken a turn for the worst.

In a thread, the Byleth main detailed the extent of his ear issues and why he might be missing some events later this year.

MKLeo’s Smash tournament future takes a major blow

According to Leo, he had always suffered from ear problems. However, it has reached a point where they not only hurt, but they also are causing a lot of trouble with his ability to hear.

“Went to the doctor yesterday, recommendations are not to take a plane until we really know what’s happening,” he explained.

Unfortunately, this means that Leo will be missing Battle of Z in Montreal and may also not be able to attend Ludwig’s Smash Invitational, either.

The Ludwig Invitational is one of the most stacked events in Smash history, featuring many of the world’s best players from Japan, North America, and Europe in a massive 32-player tournament that will also see the return of FaZe Sparg0.

“This changes my entire tourney schedule, so I need some time to think about the events that I’m actually going to,” he added.

“I know what my goals are now, I wanna keep competing. I feel motivated, but for now, I gotta take care of my health. If I wanna perform the best I’ll make sure I feel the best.”

We’ll have to wait and see what this means for other big events on the calendar later this year, such as the Panda Cup Finale and the Smash World Tour, but for now, it seems like the GOAT of SSBU will be much more selective about what tournaments he attends.