Plup Explained

Id:Plup
Justin McGrath
Birth Date:24 November 1993
Nationality:American
Team:Red Bull
Career Start:2010
Team1:Panda Global
Years1:2015–2022
Team2:Red Bull
Years2:2018–present
Highlights:
  • 2x DreamHack champion (2017, 2018)
  • GENESIS champion (2018)
  • Smash World Tour champion (2021)
  • 2x CEO champion (2022, 2023)
Module1:
Subbox:yes
Justin McGrath
Channel Name:plup
Channel Url:https://www.twitch.tv/plup
Followers:104 thousand
Stats Update:September 2023

Justin McGrath, better known as Plup, is an American professional Super Smash Bros. player from Orlando, Florida. McGrath is considered to be one of the best Super Smash Bros. Melee players in the world, having been ranked as one of the top 10 Melee players every year since 2015.[1] [2]

McGrath initially rose to prominence in 2015 after placing highly in several major tournaments.[3] [4] Among his best placings are first at GENESIS 5, second at The Big House 7 and Smash Summit 9, and third at EVO 2016 and EVO 2018. McGrath was initially the best Samus player in the world but later switched to primarily playing Sheik. In addition to playing Samus and Sheik, McGrath uses Fox as a secondary. McGrath has also competed professionally in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, playing primarily with Mega Man and Ridley, and Project M playing primarily with Samus. McGrath was formerly sponsored by Panda Global.[5] A 2021 list compiled by PGstats ranked McGrath as the tenth-greatest Melee player of all time.[6]

Early life

When McGrath was seven years old, he received a Super NES from his father.[7]

Career

McGrath began his Super Smash Bros. career in 2010. He entered the CEO 2010 tournament as a Samus player and finished in 13th place out of a total of 62 players.[8] In 2014, he finished in 13th place out of over 600 players at Apex 2014. In 2016, McGrath finished in third place at CEO 2016 Prologue, CEO 2016, and EVO 2016. After finishing in the top 10 at Shine 2016 and Summit 3, he was ranked as the sixth-best placer of the season. In 2017, McGrath won his first major at DreamHack Atlanta 2017 after defeating Hungrybox in the finals and placed second at Big House 7. In 2019, he finished in second at Smash Summit 9.

Notable tournament placings

Only Majors and Supermajors are listed.

Offline tournamentOnline tournament

Super Smash Bros. Melee

Tournament[9] [10] Date1v1 Placement2v2 PlacementPartner
CEO 2010June 5–6, 201013th9thNasty
Apex 2012January 6–8, 201233rd2ndHungrybox
Apex 2013January 11–13, 201317th2ndHungrybox
Tipped Off 9December 14–15, 20137th1stHungrybox
Apex 2014January 17–19, 201413th3rdHungrybox
MLG Anaheim 2014June 20–22, 20149th5thHungrybox
CEO 2014June 27–29, 20145th2ndHungrybox
EVO 2014July 11–13, 20149th1stHungrybox
Tipped Off 10September 20–21, 20145th1stHungrybox
The Big House 4October 4–5, 20149th2ndHungrybox
Paragon 2015January 17–18, 20155th1stHungrybox
Apex 2015January 30–February 1, 201549th13thColbol
Smash 'N' SplashJune 13–14, 20152nd2ndWizzrobe
CEO 2015June 26–28, 20157th7thDruggedFox
EVO 2015July 17–19, 20154th3rdHungrybox
Paragon Los Angeles 2015September 5–6, 20159th
HTC ThrowdownSeptember 19, 201525th7thWizzrobe
The Big House 5October 2–4, 201513th7thDruggedFox
Smash SummitNovember 7–8, 20154th5thPPMD
Eclipse 2015November 14–15, 20154th1stAxe
DreamHack Winter 2015November 26–29, 20153rd7thWizzrobe
GENESIS 3January 15–17, 20169th25thM00NShoez
Battle of the Five GodsMarch 17–19, 20165th
Pound 2016April 2–3, 20165th1stHungrybox
Smash Summit 2April 21–24, 20165th2ndHungrybox
CEO 2016June 24–26, 20164th2ndAxe
EVO 2016July 15–17, 20163rd
Super Smash Con 2016August 11–14, 2016769th129thWizzrobe
Shine 2016August 26–28, 20167th1stMew2King
The Big House 6October 7–9, 201617th5thWestballz
Smash Summit 3November 3–6, 20165th5thHungrybox
GENESIS 4January 20–22, 20175th4thAxe
Smash Summit 4 - Spring 2017March 2–5, 20175th5thWestballz
CEO: DreamlandApril 14–16, 20175th5thAxe
DreamHack Austin 2017April 28–30, 20175th2ndMew2King
Smash 'N' Splash 3June 2–4, 20175th4thAxe
CEO 2017June 16–18, 20172nd
Bad Moon Rising 2July 1, 201713th1stDruggedfox
EVO 2017July 14–16, 20175th
DreamHack Atlanta 2017July 21–23, 20171st1stMew2King
Super Smash Con 2017August 10–13, 20173rd2ndMew2King
Shine 2017August 25–27, 20175th4thSwedish Delight
GameTyrant Expo 2017September 29–October 2, 20175th3rdMew2King
The Big House 7October 6–8, 20172nd5thMew2King
Too Hot to HandleOctober 28–29, 20173rd1stCrush
Smash Summit 5November 2–5, 20175th2ndMew2King
GENESIS 5January 19–21, 20181st1stMew2King
EGLX 2018March 9–11, 20182nd1stMew2King
Smash Summit 6May 3–6, 20185th3rdMew2King
Get On My Level 2018May 18–20, 20182nd1stMew2King
DreamHack Austin 2018June 1–3, 20181st1stMike Haze
CEO 2018June 29–July 1, 20182nd1stMew2King
EVO 2018August 3–5, 20183rd
Shine 2018August 24–26, 20184th2ndSwedish Delight
The Big House 8October 5–7, 20182nd3rdWestballz
Smash Summit 7November 15–18, 20189th1stMew2King
GENESIS 6February 1–3, 20193rd3rdMew2King
Pound 2019April 19–21, 20193rd1stMew2King
Get On My Level 2019May 17–19, 20199th4thWizzrobe
Smash 'N' Splash 5May 31–June 2, 20195th3rdMew2King
Smash Summit 8June 13–17, 20197th2ndZain
CEO 2019June 28–30, 20195th2ndIBDW
Super Smash Con 2019August 8–11, 201917th2ndMew2King
Shine 2019August 23–25, 201917th (DQ)1stMew2King
The Big House 9October 4–6, 20199th1stMew2King
Mango's Birthday BashDecember 7–8, 20197th1stMango
GENESIS 7January 24–26, 202025th1stMew2King
Smash Summit 9February 13–16, 20202nd
LACS 2July 25–26, 20204th
Smash Summit 10 OnlineNovember 19–22, 202017th
Smash Summit 11July 15–18, 20214th
RiptideSeptember 10–12, 20212nd1stHungrybox
Smash World Tour 2021December 17–19, 20211st
GENESIS 8April 15–17, 202213th1staMSa
Smash Summit 13May 12–15, 20222nd
CEO 2022June 24–26, 20221st
Riptide 2022September 9–11, 2022 2nd1stHungrybox
Lost Tech City 2022September 30–October 2, 20222nd1stHungrybox
Smash Summit 14November 3–6, 20229th
GENESIS 9January 20–22, 20234th1stHungrybox
MAJOR UPSETApril 1–2, 20232nd1stHungrybox
The Big House 11October 20–22, 20232nd2ndJoshman

Notes and References

  1. Web site: SSBMRank 2017. Red Bull.
  2. Web site:
    1. MPGR2019: 10-1
    . Red Bull. en. February 7, 2020.
  3. Web site: Plup could be first ever to defeat all of Big 6. July 10, 2016.
  4. Web site: CEO 2016 Smash Bros preview - the rivalry, the robot, the rest. June 22, 2016.
  5. Justin McGrath [@Panda_Plup] (December 3, 2022) "I'm quitting Panda. I've truly enjoyed my time there, and they treated me well. I know that, at a certain point, they had the community's best interests in mind. I just don't think I can support them anymore. Now I must sleep 1000 years in preparation for da next tournament" (Tweet). Retrieved December 3, 2022 – via Twitter.
  6. Web site: The Melee Stats Top 100: The Top 10. PGstats. November 22, 2021. en. November 22, 2021.
  7. Web site: Justin 'Plup' McGrath: Esports – Red Bull Athlete Page . Red Bull . May 11, 2021.
  8. Web site: Get to know Smash Bros. star Justin 'Plup' McGrath. . 2023-02-13 . Red Bull . en.
  9. Web site: Melee - Pluplue. SmashBoards. 25 November 2021.
  10. Web site: Results - Plup. Start.gg. 29 September 2022.