Zangief joins the Street Fighter V roster – watch the trailer

Hey everyone, some big news was shared moments ago at the IgoMir event in Russia! The “Iron Cyclone” will be making his way into Street Fighter V!

A popular mainstay within Street Fighter, Zangief is the most prominent wrestler within the series. Zangief has made appearances in Street Fighter II, Street Fighter Alpha II and III, and Street Fighter IV, all the while fighting for “Mother Russia.”

When it comes to raw strength, not many in the world can compete with Zangief. Training day and night, Zangief believes that the only way to victory is to have a body complete with perfect muscles. Due to his intense training, which includes wrestling bears, Zangief can lift the heaviest opponents with ease!

In SFV, Zangief shows off the results of his training through his newfound V-Skill, Iron Muscle and new V-Trigger, Cyclone Lariat. These two skills are just the tip of the iceberg however, as Zangief has even more new tactics in store for the world warriors this time around.

V-Skill: Iron Muscle

Zangief shows the true power of his body when he activates Iron Muscle. During Iron Muscle, Zangief can absorb one attack, which leaves him with recoverable health.

If players hold down medium punch and medium kick and then press a direction on the stick, Zangief will begin to slowly close in on the opponent. Upon release from the walk, Zangief flexes his muscles and hits the opponent if close enough.

V-Trigger: Cyclone Lariat

Zangief lives up to his name “the Iron Cyclone” as he spins with high speed and velocity, pulling the opponent in close. If the player taps the V-Trigger activation buttons, Zangief will quickly spin and pull in the opponent. If the player holds the V-Trigger activation buttons, Zangief will continue to spin and hit the opponent multiple times.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, wraps up Zangief. With only three characters left to reveal, you’ll want to be sure to check back in frequently to see who makes it into the next announcement. Who do you think will be next?