Stage 4 of the Call of Duty League kicks off with the OpTic Chicago Home Series on May 27, and there are some incredible matches on the docket. The wild, confusion-riddled rollercoaster that was Stage 3 ended with a great Major. Now, the CDL looks to continue that momentum in Stage 4. That certainly won’t be difficult with the caliber of matches that are set to take place.
The Stage 4 groups feature several intriguing storylines, which only add to the anticipation of each match. All of this is kicked off in the virtual environment of the Chicago Home Series. And there are three matches that no Call of Duty fan should miss over the weekend.
1. London Royal Ravens vs. Dallas Empire
On paper, this match seems like it should be an easy sweep for Dallas. However, the Empire made an interesting roster move ahead of Stage 4, dropping Tyler “FeLo” Johnson for former LA Guerrillas player Reece “Vivid” Drost. This puzzled the community, as FeLo was the replacement for Cuyler “Huke” Garland.
Flipping to the London side, the Ravens also made a series of roster moves. The team dropped Alex “Zaptius” Bonilla and benched Zach “Zed” Denyer after the Major to promote Alex “Alexx” Carpenter to the starting roster. The team will also likely promote substitute Marcus “Afro” Reid as well.
The Brits are coming back. 🇬🇧✈️🇺🇸
We are delighted to announce that @Alexx1935 will be returning to resume his role on the starting roster.
In addition, @DominateJB will be returning to his role as Coach, with @AstrosInMyAfro joining up with the squad. #LRR pic.twitter.com/pEmBf8ZQiu
— Carolina Royal Ravens (@RoyalRavens) May 18, 2021
All of these roster changes make for an intriguing match on Friday, May 28. Will Dallas return to form with Vivid or will London continue their hot streak with a new roster?
2. Seattle Surge vs. LA Thieves
Another series with some new rosters, Seattle vs. LA is certainly one of the top matches to watch at the OpTic Chicago Home Series. Both teams announced a new roster on Monday, May 24, with Seattle signing Nick “Classic” DiCostanzo and LA benching Huke for TJ “TJHaLy” Haly.
We haven’t been seeing the same level of consistency as a team and, with Stage 4 starting, we decided to make the tough call to bring Teej back and improve upon where we last left off with him. https://t.co/0SIqj9cDTF
— Jordan Kaplan (@JKap415) May 25, 2021
The Surge’s move was expected but LA’s came out of nowhere. The team just acquired Huke for a reportedly huge buyout and, after a couple of weeks, they bench him. Putting the reasoning for the move aside, the match between Seattle and LA is now must-see TV.
Seattle hasn’t won a series in over a month but LA is coming into the match with a new roster. Could this make for the upset of the year? Fans can find out on Saturday, May 29.
3. OpTic Chicago vs. Atlanta FaZe
Of course, the marquee matchup of the event rounds out the list. OpTic vs. FaZe in any esport is always intriguing but it’s especially prominent in Call of Duty. Atlanta FaZe, the winners of the Stage 3 Major, take on the home team Chicago to finish the home series.
The expectation for this match is that FaZe will win, as they look to be the best team in the CDL. However, OpTic had an impressive Major, going 3-1 and only losing to the Toronto Ultra. Both squads have momentum heading into this match and each is feeling the pressure to win.
Chicago needs to prove that their last match against FaZe, an embarrassing 3-0 sweep, was either a fluke or a result of controversy. Atlanta, on the other hand, must continue to prove that they’re the best in the CDL. These weaving storylines come to a head on Sunday, May 29.
