It is a major shock in the LPL. Bilibili Gaming fell 3-1 to Team WE in the playoffs, in a series that looked heavily in BLG’s favor on paper. On one side stood BLG, winners of First Stand, champions of the first LPL split and coming off a dominant 12-2 regular season. On the other was Team WE, last in the Ascend Group with a disastrous 1-13 record, forced to go through the play-ins just to reach this stage.
But Team WE proved they were not here by accident. After already taking down LNG in a tense 3-2 series, WE stunned BLG with unexpected aggression and confidence. The standout performer was Monki, who looked particularly dominant throughout the series, especially in Game 1 on Naafiri. Up against Xun, he completely took over the map and finished with a remarkable 12/1/3 individual scoreline.
For BLG, this defeat only adds to what has become a strangely shaky run. The team had already been eliminated from the China qualifiers for the EWC, and their only remaining path to the main event in Paris is now to win these playoffs outright. On top of that, an MSI spot is also on the line, making this loss even more damaging.
-1920x1281.jpg&w=3840&q=75&dpl=81c9fbd8470459145e42a73c55970bd03a5b5b43)
BLG now drop to the lower bracket, where they will face EDG, who were swept 3-0 by Anyone’s Legend. Meanwhile, Team WE continue their unlikely run and will meet AL in Round 2 of the upper bracket. After a disastrous regular season, WE have suddenly become the team no one saw coming — and the team everyone now has to take seriously.
