Team Reject Dominates to Win SFL World Championship
SFL World Championship matches saw Team Reject claim victory on Sunday, confirming them as the undisputed global champions.
Key Takeaways:
- Team Reject ran a flawless group stage campaign with a 4-0 set record.
- Bandits secured second place after eliminating Ninjas In Pyjamas in the standings.
- Fuudo and Leshar were the heavy hitters for Reject during the Grand Finals sequence.
The Road to the Global Title
The battle for international supremacy brought together the top teams from Japan, North America, and the EMEA region. Team Reject represented Japan with a powerhouse roster featuring Tokido, Fuudo, Daigo, and Leshar. They faced off against North America's Bandits and EMEA's Ninjas In Pyjamas.
During the initial group stages, Team Reject established absolute dominance. The Japanese squad ran a flawless campaign by accumulating 120 points and an undefeated 4-0 set record. Their path included crucial tiebreaker victories. Tokido stepped up as the reserve player to clutch wins against NIP's AngryBird on Day 1 and Bandits' ChrisT on Day 2. Leshar also contributed massively with consistent wins against Phenom and ChrisT.
Meanwhile, the battle for second place was fiercely contested. Bandits and Ninjas In Pyjamas both struggled against the might of Reject. They ended the group stage tied with a 1-3 set record and 70 points each. Bandits ultimately edged out Ninjas In Pyjamas based on tiebreaker rules. The North American squad relied on strong performances from MenaRD and Booce Lee to secure their spot in the Grand Finals.
Grand Finals Battle Log
The Grand Finals utilized a first-to-70 points format. This meant the three-set sequence kept restarting until one team reached the threshold. Every third set awarded 20 points, while standard sets were worth 10 points. Team Reject systematically dismantled the Bandits roster to take the crown and hit the exact 70-point mark needed to win.
| Reject Player (Character) | Bandits Player (Character) | Result | Points Earned |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reject|Tokido (JP) | Bandits|Caba (Guile) | Reject wins 2-1 | 10 (Reject) |
| DRX|Leshar (Ed) | Booce Lee (Terry) | Reject wins 2-1 | 10 (Reject) |
| Reject|Fuudo (Ed) | WBG|MenaRD (Blanka) | Reject wins 3-1 | 20 (Reject) |
| DRX|Leshar (Ed) | WBG|MenaRD (Blanka) | Bandits wins 2-0 | 10 (Bandits) |
| Reject|Daigo (Akuma) | ChrisT (Ken) | Bandits wins 2-1 | 10 (Bandits) |
| Reject|Fuudo (Ed) | Booce Lee (Terry) | Reject wins 3-0 | 20 (Reject) |
| DRX|Leshar (Ed) | Booce Lee (Terry) | Reject wins 2-0 | 10 (Reject) |
Group Stage Final Standings
The group stage featured a double round-robin format. Each team played against the others twice. Teams had to declare their player order and character picks when playing as the Away Team. This gave a massive strategic advantage to the Home Team. Ties in points were settled by match records and game differentials.
| Team | Set Record | Match Record | Points | MD | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Reject | 4-0 | 9-5 | 120 | +4 | +6 |
| 2. Bandits | 1-3 | 5-8 | 70 | -3 | -2 |
| 3. Ninjas In Pyjamas | 1-3 | 6-7 | 70 | -1 | -4 |
A Historic Victory
Team Reject's phenomenal performance cements their legacy in the competitive scene. Securing the grand prize after an undefeated group stage run demonstrates their unmatched preparation and adaptability. Fans will undoubtedly be watching closely to see if this legendary roster can maintain their iron grip on the competition in next season's Street Fighter League.