The first day of action from CWL Champs 2019 has wrapped up, and there were a ton of surprises. Pool Play is always must-see T.V. at Call of Duty Champs, and today was no different. Multiple top teams fell to amateur teams in crushing fashion, while other favorited squads took care of business.
It isn’t uncharacteristic for Pro League teams to fall to Open-Bracket squads. In fact, there are always one or two major upsets in Pool Play every year at Champs. However, today felt different, as two of the top teams in Black Ops 4 look like they haven’t played a match all year.
GenG out of CWL Champs
In perhaps the biggest upset in CWL Champs history, GenG is out after two matches. Losing to both Team WaR and Fuego Gaming, GenG cannot secure a top 2 placing in their pool.
Though this may shock viewers, it did not surprise many of the players and casters. It was reported that at the GenG LAN boot camp, the squad only won 2 maps out of 27. Granted, they were playing against eUnited and 100 Thieves, but GenG has been a top squad the entire year.
One of the most shocking results in CWL Champs history: @GenG can no longer finish top 2 in their pool with losses to Fuego Gaming and Team WaR.
Their CWL Champs run is over.#CWLPS4 | #CWLChamps pic.twitter.com/2TlDK1Dgym
— Call of Duty League (@CODLeague) August 14, 2019
It is definitely not what anyone expected (we certainly didn’t see it coming). But now either Team WaR or Fuego Gaming will secure the second seed, with Enigma 6 holding the top spot.
Luminosity gets swept by Singularity
In the second surprise outcome of the day, Luminosity was swiftly swept by the European team Singularity Esports. The matches were hardly close as well, with LG only managing 157 points in Hardpoint, 4 rounds in S&D, and 1 Control round.
Whether it was a lack of practice or the teamwork of Singularity, LG looked terrible. They weren’t in sync whatsoever, and the results were indicative of this. Matthew “FormaL” Piper, the star of Luminosity, said this on Twitter after the match:
Lol here we go
— OpTic FormaL (@FormaL) August 14, 2019
FormaL is obviously signaling what could be the start of another failed tournament for LG. They struggled early during the Black Ops 4 season before making a comeback later in the year. However, as things stand right now, it doesn’t look good for Luminosity. They currently sit in third place in Pool E.
Enigma 6 looks strong out of the gate
Going into Champs, most thought there were around 8 teams who could realistically win the title. While Enigma 6 was on this list of 8, many still considered them a longshot in spite of their recent performance.
At the previous events, they were always a consistent top-6 team. As they lack any big-name players, though, a lot of the community has tended to not notice them. Well, after losing just one map in two matches, people are starting to take note of Enigma 6.
GGs, @OfficialTeamWaR! 🔥 3-0
@Breszyy
@AdamGodRx@JordonGeneral@KiSMET6_@Mayhem6
@Sender_FN#E6ARMY #E6COD #CWLChamps
#CWLPS4 pic.twitter.com/GoMOEwku8J— Enigma6 Groupâ„¢ (@Enigma6Group) August 14, 2019
After defeating Fuego Gaming and Team WaR, who both beat GenG, they will be a top seed come bracket play. Their chemistry looks strong, and they played each game mode extremely well. The one knock of E6 all year has been their inability to defeat top tier squads. We’ll see if they can overcome that stigma on Friday.
OpTic Gaming, 100 Thieves, eUnited take care of business
Three favorites – OpTic, 100 Thieves, and eUnited – all went flawless on day 1 of Pool Play. Both 100 Thieves and OpTic went 1-0, and eUnited beat both RBL Esports and Celtic FC Esports, only dropping one map.
With GenG now out of the tournament, some would say these three teams have the best shot to win. So far, that estimate seems to be holding up. After a rough couple of months, OpTic Gaming looks to be back on the right track. They edged out Trainhard Esports 3-1, dominating the respawn game modes. If they can clean up their S&D, OpTic will be a tough matchup.
.@OpTicGaming start their Champs run with a win, it’s a 3-1 over @TrainHardEsport.https://t.co/NKHQSgV6Gh#CWLPS4 | #CWLChamps pic.twitter.com/IJsSvAGsxk
— Call of Duty League (@CODLeague) August 14, 2019
Earlier in the day, 100 Thieves cleaned up Sicario Gaming, one of the tougher Open Bracket teams. Though some areas could use improvement, 100 Thieves still managed to secure the 3-0 sweep. They look as dangerous as ever heading into day 2.
Make sure to stay tuned to Daily Esports for all CWL Champs coverage!
