Overwatch Contenders teams cause big upsets in OWL knockouts
After three weeks of intense competition in both the APAC and North American regions, six teams have secured their spots for the coveted Overwatch League Midseason Madness global tournament. The qualifier rounds saw surprising victories and losses alike.
Tier 2 teams score big upsets
For the first time in Overwatch League history, teams from the second-tier division Overwatch Contenders competed in the APAC bracket, facing off against Overwatch League teams.
They promptly delivered notable upsets as Sin Prisa Gaming clinched a close victory over season 4 champions Shanghai Dragons.
Another upset happened when Dreamers, a tier 2 team comprising of former OWL players and rising talent, took down both Seoul Dynasty and the first seed Guangzhou Charge, sending one of the East region's favourites home packing.
Despite these unexpected outcomes, Seoul Infernal and Hangzhou Spark prevailed with both showing off their flexibility throughout their respective bracket run and should be no pushovers coming into the Midseason Madness.
In the North American competitions, Florida Mayhem turned the tables on Los Angeles Gladiators with a 3-2 victory, just days after a 3-0 loss to the same team.
Atlanta Reign and Houston Outlaws had already directly qualified through impeccable 8-0 and 7-1 season records respectively, with the Outlaws only losing a match against the Reign.
Boston Uprising earned their spot by overcoming Washington Justice and the Gladiators and taking the first chance for them to advance to the finals in the knockout stages.
Knockout aftermath
Just hours after the conclusion of the bracket stages, several APAC Contenders players, including Spectra, Finale, Probe, TOPDRAGON, and Marve1, are actively looking for mid-season opportunities in the Overwatch League, expressing their aspirations through their social media channels.
Meanwhile, the first teams are already en route to Seoul, South Korea, eagerly preparing for the grand tournament. The Midseason Madness marks the first international event after the season's grand finals in November last year.
In a noteworthy turn of events, none of the six participating franchises have previously won a stage or season title in any of the previous five seasons of the Overwatch League. This ensures that this year's Overwatch League Midseason Madness will crown a first-time champion.