Red Bull BC One

December 8—RIO DE JANEIRO—Monnir Biba, aka B-Boy Mounir, 28, of France took home the biggest prize in breaking at this year’s Red Bull BC One 2012 World Final, the most important 1-on-1 B-Boy competition in the world. 3000 hungry fans braved the heat and packed the stands of the sweltering Fundição Progresso, a major cultural center in the city, to catch the action of 16 of the world’s best B-Boys from Brazil to Japan.

The stadium felt the sway of the crowd and the vibration of the floor with each aerial move, fancy footwork and extended freeze. The newest B-Boy champion Mounir said of his victory: “It’s my third time here. I had a crazy start. I did the whole trip. I won the cypher, I won the qualifier, I came here to win.”

This year represented some of the most challenging and innovative moves seen to date. The night was full of surprises that had the crowd screaming from the stands, from local hero Klesio, combining a samba step with top rocks, and B-Boy Junior of France, who seemed to spend more time in the air than on the ground. As soon as South Korean B-Boy Differ defeated the reigning champion, USA’s Roxrite, in the second round, it became clear that it was anyone’s game.

Differ was a crowd favorite the entire night, from the moment he stepped onto the stage with a Gangnam dance step to his comedic movements displayed throughout the night, showing a light-hearted style rarely seen in the world of B-Boying. It was enough to take him to the final round, in a demanding five-routine battle against Mounir, who also competed in the 2008 and 2011 world finals. “He definitely showed us he was comfortable being himself,” said judge and 2010 Champion Neguin of Brazil of Differ. “That’s the main thing in B-Boying.”

But ultimately it was Mounir of the Vagabonds Crew who stole the show, showing a complete mastery of B-Boy foundation, perfect execution, and pure craft on top, resulting in flawless routine after routine. Mounir had been training nonstop all year round for this moment, and his dedication to the craft was clear to everyone watching. “He came all out, and that’s why he won,” said Neguin. “He was so confident about himself and that’s the key. If you are confident, you just go on stage and you do your best.”

Tonight was a culmination of a year’s worth of fierce competitions. Half of this year’s contenders earned their place to compete by participating in one of the 60 country cyphers or winning one of the six regional qualifiers this year. Mounir’s victory from winning the French cypher to Western European qualifier to 2012 World Final, shows the true path of a Red Bull BC One World Champion.

Millions of fans watched the event live on TV, with hundreds of thousands more viewing it live on the web. Each thrilling movement from the world final is viewable for the next week on redbullbcone.com. 2013 marks the 10th anniversary of the Red Bull BC One, which will be the biggest one yet, a true testament to the growing B-Boy culture and community around the globe.


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