The Los Angeles Gladiators are reloading their armory by adding a brand new shield and sword. The team is picking up Chang-hoon “Roar” Gye and Gui-un “Decay” Jang from Korean Contenders team, Kongdoo Panthera.
THE LION AND THE CLAWS@rOar_ow and @DecayOW have joined our ranks to lead the charge in Season 2.
🔗 : https://t.co/39i5T6HxI5 pic.twitter.com/svau3WpLM2
— Los Angeles Gladiators (@LAGladiators) October 25, 2018
The Los Angeles Gladiators have been looking for a new main tank after losing both of theirs this past offseason. Luis “iRemiix” Galarza Figueroa’s only playing time would come in the Overwatch League’s first ever playoffs. They would end up losing that series 3-1, against the eventual league champions, London Spitfire. He was a last minute substitution to the roster, after the debacle that was Chan-hyung “Fissure” Baek.
Roster Problems and the departure of Fissure
Fissure was Los Angeles Gladiators’ star tank player, who would come from the London Spitfire. He would join the team in Stage Two after the Gladiators would finish Stage One with a mediocre 4-6 record. Fissure’s presence would immediately bring results, as the team would improve to a 6-4 record. Over the two final stages, Los Angeles would consistently improve, becoming one of the best teams in the league. Fissure would be a huge part of the process, turning into one of the best players in the league.
Unfortunately, the team would end up playing without Fissure for their first playoff series. The Gladiators would actually announce the removal of Fissure from the lineup on the same day as the series, making it one of the most last-minute roster changes. It was rumored that Fissure was actually very unhappy with the team, citing lack of motivation and therefore, unwillingness to play in the playoffs. It would be a pretty messy split between the organization and the player, at least from the fans’ perspective. Still, the Los Angeles Gladiators would end up losing, and Fissure would end up leaving the Gladiators for Seoul Dynasty.
A Lion and its Claws: Roar and Decay
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Congratulation! 💗
Decay & rOar
@LAGladiators
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| | pic.twitter.com/C3WEs4LjC3— Team Griffin (@TeamGriffin_) October 25, 2018
Roar and Decay are both coming from Korean Contenders team, Kongdoo Panthera. Roar was the main tank of the team, specializing in Winston and Reinhardt. Decay was an important DPS player on the team, who plays a very good Genji, Tracer, Widowmaker, and Zarya. The team has been looking for a replacement for Fissure for some time, and these two are some of the best on the market.
Now, the Los Angeles Gladiators’ would have three very capable DPS players in João Pedro “Hydration” Goes Telles, star player Lane “Surefour” Roberts, and Decay. The flexibility the team has on offense will be great for their chances next season, as they have multiple talented players who can fill multiple roles. Meanwhile, Roar will be joining Hyung-seok “Bischu” Kim as the front line of the Gladiators. With these two additions, Los Angeles is looking like a possible contender for next year’s crown.
With the addition of Roar, this may have sealed the Overwatch League fate of Byung-ho “Panker” Lee, who has been playing in the Overwatch Contenders. He is a talented tank player who many were expecting to join the Overwatch League this season. However, it seems that the Gladiators trust in Roar more. This may mean that another team will pick up the 21-year-old, as he may be looking to join a roster on the big stage.
What are your thoughts on Roar and Decay joining the Los Angeles Gladiators? Let us know what you think in the comments below! If you want more Overwatch League coverage, check us out here!
