In the criminal underworld, the sinister organization Shadaloo, led by the megalomaniacal M. Bison, seeks global domination through a tournament designed to recruit the world's most powerful fighters. The World Warrior Tournament, as it is called, is Bison's scheme to identify and eliminate any threat to his power while expanding his empire's reach. The lives of four disparate heroes converge in this brutal competition: Ryu, a wandering martial artist seeking spiritual and physical perfection; Ken Masters, his wealthy, hot-headed American rival; Guile, a resolute Air Force colonel driven by a personal vendetta against Bison; and Chun-Li, a skilled Interpol operative seeking justice for her father's death at Shadaloo's hands. Each enters the tournament for their own reasons, but they soon discover that survival depends on more than just individual strength.

As the tournament progresses, the heroes uncover the depth of Bison's evil and the true purpose behind the competition. Their paths cross and clash, forcing old rivals like Ryu and Ken to set aside their differences and potential allies like Guile and Chun-Li to learn to trust one another. The narrative thrust of the series follows their journey from isolated warriors to a united front against a common enemy. The setting moves from the neon-lit streets of Metro City to the ancient temples of Japan and the high-tech fortress of Shadaloo, reflecting the franchise's global scope. Key narrative arcs explore the mysterious and dangerous nature of the dark hadou, a murderous fighting energy that tempts Ryu from his path of discipline, and Guile's struggle to balance his quest for revenge with his duty to protect the innocent.

This live-action series builds directly from the critically acclaimed web series Street Fighter: Assassin's Fist. That preceding series focused on the formative years of Ryu and Ken as they trained under their master, Gouken, in the secluded Japanese countryside. The story there revolved around the dark legacy of their fighting style, Ansatsuken, or Assassin's Fist, and the tragic history of Gouken and his brother, Gouki (who would become the wrathful warrior Akuma). The new television series expands this world, shifting from that intimate origin story to the large-scale global conflict of Street Fighter II. Another live-action web series, Street Fighter: Resurrection, serves as a connective bridge, focusing on the presumed-dead soldier Charlie Nash as he works with Interpol to gather intelligence on Shadaloo in the days leading up to the World Warrior Tournament. Together, these series form a cohesive live-action universe, with the main television adaptation centering on the four iconic heroes who must finally confront and dismantle Bison's criminal empire once and for all.