As Stage 2 reached its midway point upsets began to fill the week of Overwatch. Not even Mert would have predicted the string of results that came in. Florida Mayhem played two fantastic series, narrowly winning one and losing the other. All season the former Misfits team had been hinting at a return to former glories, and this was the week it finally happened. While the results were admittedly against two sides struggling in Stage 2, you cannot be too picky with your results when you sit in eleventh place. On the reverse side of fortunes Houston Outlaws and Boston Uprising continued their fall into the lower half of the table and Dallas Fuel could not catch a break.
The real story of Week 3 however, is the rise of the LA Gladiators. They currently sit third in the stage after an outstanding week, only dropping one map despite playing two of the top four teams from Stage 1. The signing of Fissure has already paid off, with the Korean main tank looking incomparable in the Gladiators frontline and they now find themselves in a great position going into the Stage 2 playoff race.
Game of the Week: Florida Mayhem v Dallas Fuel
The fuse has been slowly burning, but the Florida Mayhem bomb has finally exploded, in this stellar series that allowed them to not only double their total Overwatch League wins but claim their first victory in six weeks. What this series lacked in clean and precise executes it made up for in creativity and chaotic team fights.
Each team had their moments, and each player their highs and lows but as with a lot of great games the mistakes on both sides made it all the more enthralling. Neither team could ever gain control of the game, and it made every messy team fight all the more nailbiting. This match may not be the master class of Overwatch we have been treated to in the past but that shouldn't ruin the most entertaining game of the week.
Other notable games:
Florida Mayhem v Houston Outlaws
Florida Mayhem was finally able to follow up their entertaining entrances with some on the server. After a stage and a half of struggling with pacing and dives, they finally cracked the puzzle. More competent and coordinated engagements allowed TviQ and Logix the space they have been craving all season.
On the other side of things, Jake had a series to forget for the most part making several unforced errors but improved towards the end. Alongside the rest of the Houston Outlaws team, they refused to let the series go. Making it a scrappy but thoroughly captivating affair, as both sides traded maps. Again, not the most perfect game strategically but definitely worth a watch.
London Spitfire v LA Gladiators
During Stage 1, the LA Gladiators struggled for consistency, only securing victories against the teams around them. Going into their game against the Stage 1 champions, no one expected much from the LA team but this time they had Fissure. The former London Spitfire tank has been a revelation since joining, reminding the world he is one of the best Winstons. Those who watched APEX will already know what he is capable of but now Fissure is on a team where he is the star for the first time. With greater focus and resources than ever before he has raised this team from the lower third to potentially playoffs.
For Spitfire they started with Hooreg as they often do against the weaker teams. However, a slow start meant birdring was soon brought off the bench. It was too little too late though, and by the time Spitfire could adapt the series was beyond them. The game may not have been the closest but seeing the elevation in play from LA Gladiators makes this series a fascinating watch, well worth checking out for what could turn into an incredible turn around from Stage 1 for the LA Gladiators.
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