So, did you really believe that Street Fighter 6 was all about the mind games and so nothing else? Well, you may want to reconsider because the latest psychological level has already gone beyond the digital arena and is now a real thing. A video sharing that is fast becoming a common sight in the FGC (Fighting Game Community, the more cool name) shows two players completely deceiving each other with a handshake after the game has ended. Right, the mix-up is now quite literal on the physical level.

The clip that was first shared by @crossknockout is an absolute delight to the audience in terms of its awkwardness and the brilliant. A duel of two gamers going for the classic post-game dap and then the whole thing collapses in the most amusing manner possible. One gamer is going for a handshake while the other one is apparently thinking of a fist bump. There is a weird pause, a feint, and eventually, they touch but not before one of them adds a small bow just to hype it up. It is hilarious, it is confusing and the Internet is going crazy about it. This is the new meta, so the story goes. If you are not able to penetrate the block in the game, then all you have to do is to demolish the expectations at the handshake line.

The responses of the gamers were already there, and they were treating the whole situation like it was a match of a high-level tournament. The user @ReallyRealMan1 referred to what happened as “Stance canceling handshakes,” calling it “a top 3 way of getting into your opponents head.” And, you know what? He is right. Picture yourself having just lost a tight set, you are frustrated and then the winner performs a four-way unblockable handshake feint? Folks, that is mental damage. User @nath_roset elaborated even more saying it is “4-way unblockable into taunt into command grab,” giving full credit to “SFL players” which is very likely a nod to the Street Fighter League pros and a compliment to them for being “crazy good.”

The analysis got even more detailed. @crillah_ra pointed out the advanced tech, suggesting a “drive rush for the extra frames to do the handshake cancel in order to pull off an optimal handshake after.” It is a joke, but it is the kind of joke that only makes sense if you are practically living in the world of fighting game mechanics, where every single frame of animation counts. On the other hand, @yakotrick recommended a serious strategy: “option select by starting with an open hand can go in for the dap or handshake but loses to fist bump.” This! This is a real matchup knowledge check now. You have to train your post-game greetings.

The sheer audacity of it all has become the talk of the town. @Pandoken expressed the philosophy in the simplest way: “Never let them know your next move.” This is the very basic rule of fighting games applied to human interaction at the most basic level. @Jewelman_ put it more bluntly: “if you cant mix booce up in game gotta do it irl.” “Booce” is for sure a typo of “bro” but it still suits the vibe. The clip is only a few seconds long, but it captures the funny, hyper-competitive spirit of the FGC where the battle very rarely ends even after the KO screen disappears.

And the whole thing is visually stunning to start with. The user @KazLxrd commented, “Bro emoted half way through,” in reference to the small bow. This is similar to a teabag in a first-person shooter but somehow more polite and therefore more damaging. @RyanBarby was impressed, saying “Bro was READY for the bow bait.” It was an interpretation, a very strong interpretation in a place where no one expects to have to interpret. This is simply next-level stuff.

Honestly, this is what divides the fighting game community from the others. It is not just about who has the fastest reaction time or who knows the most combos by heart. It is also about character, mind games, and the moments of pure, unscripted funny that surround the game itself. A very small act of sportsmanship turns into a highlight reel moment because these players are so tuned to spot mix-ups and to adapt that they cannot even turn it off. The division between the game and life has never been so blurred.

So what is the big takeaway for the casual Street Fighter 6 fans like us? First, stay alert. Your opponent is observing and even analyzing your handshake style. Then, consider that maybe you should take some time in the training room to perfect your after-match greetings. Finally, just try to imagine that amidst the mega-serious world of esports, there is always a tiny space for something this absurd and human to go viral.