DRX Shocks the World - Defeats T1 to Win Worlds 2022
A journey that begins every January inevitably draws to a close each November. This year, the two teams that have run the gauntlet that is the League of Legends World Championships are both from South Korea. Worlds 2022 will see Faker and T1 square off with Deft as he leads DRX. For T1, the storied champions are looking to lift the Summoner's Cup for the first time in five years. For DRX, immortality is on the line as they look to become the first play-in qualifier to ever win Worlds.
Opening Ceremony - The Most Ambitious Yet
Riot Games has become legendary for the opening ceremonies of the Grand Finals. Four years ago, our jaws hit the floors as holograms of K/DA took the stage and performed their hit 'POP/STARS.' Since then, Riot has sought to outdo itself each year and create a bigger spectacle. And this year, they promised their opening ceremonies would be their most ambitious yet.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 05: Rapper Lil Nas X performs at the League of Legends World Championship Finals on November 05, 2022, in San Francisco, California.
Photo by Kelly Sullivan/Riot Games Inc. via Getty Images
Despite a 15 minute delay, Riot certainly lived up to their promise. The opening ceremonies featured GOT7's Jackson Wang performing 'Fire to the Fuse,' and were headlined by Lil Nas X performing this year's anthem: 'Star Walkin.'' Between the incredible graphics technology, pyrotechnics, holograms, costuming, dancing, and the music itself, Worlds 2022 is definitely putting the Super Bowl on notice.
Game 1: T1 Looks Unstoppable
T1: 1 DRX: 0
Well, that certainly isn't what DRX had in mind for their storybook journey to Finals. Despite Pyosik and Zeka getting first blood on Faker, T1 looked absolutely dominant in the first game of the night. An early Drake steal was just the harbinger of things to come, as their lead ballooned to 7.5k gold by the 25 minute mark.
Faker showed why he's called the best in the world, proving to be an absolute menace on Azir. To DRX's credit, they seemed to settle down in the mid game, and made a couple of big plays that could have threatened to get them back in the game. It was not to be, however, as T1 effectively bullied DRX away from Baron and claimed it with ease at 27 minutes.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 05: Spectators cheer at the League of Legends World Championship Finals on November 05, 2022, in San Francisco, California.
Photo by Kelly Sullivan/Riot Games Inc. via Getty Images
Last week, DRX was dominated in the first game by GenG before settling down and sweeping the next three. They'll need to repeat that trick here if they want a shot of winning.
Game 2: Could It Happen Again?
T1: 1 DRX: 1
Last week, DRX faced off against GenG as the underdog. They got surgically demolished in the first game before they powered back to win three in a row and take the victory. T1 has to be wondering if this could possibly happen again.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 05: A general view inside Chase Center during the League of Legends World Championship Finals between T1 and DRX on November 05, 2022 in San Francisco, California.
Photo by Kelly Sullivan/Riot Games Inc. via Getty Images
To be certain, game two was not nearly as dominant for DRX as it was last week. This game might be one of the best of Worlds, as both teams traded leads throughout. After falling behind 3-0 early, DRX powered back to take a big lead in the midgame. T1 didn't blink, however, utilizing smart play and perfect mechanics around objectives to deadlock the game.
Disaster struck for the winningest team in League of Legends history as they lost three people at a late game Baron. DRX didn't bother going for the Elder Drake, instead knowing they had the win in their hands and pushing down mid.
Game 3: Jungle Diff
T1: 2 DRX: 1
As much as Pyosik was a key player in DRX's shocking defeat of GenG last week, Oner has shown that he is even better this week. Time and time again this series, we saw Oner with miracle steals around objectives. Nowhere was this more apparent than in game three.
CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO - NOVEMBER 03: Moon "Oner" Hyeon-joon of T1 (L) and Hong "Pyosik" Chang-hyeon of DRX pose at the League of Legends World Championship Media Night on November 3, 2022, in San Francisco, CA.
Photo by Colin Young-Wolff/Riot Games
T1 Oner had two more amazing objective steals, the first on an early Drake, but the highlight came in the late game. With Faker dead, DRX tried to force a Baron. Zeka used a stolen Azir ultimate to force T1 away, but Oner dove through and managed to snatch the Baron kill away.
Minutes later, DRX once again forced at Baron after winning a major team fight, but Gumayusi stole it away with a miracle shot on Varus to force the series to match point. If DRX is unable to come back in the series, those two stolen Barons will haunt their dreams until October 2023.
Game 4: Queue Up Silver Scrapes
T1: 2 DRX: 2
Four games weren't enough, so instead, we'll play a best of one. In one of the most incredible finals in League Worlds history, DRX and T1 are tied at two games apiece with one to go. DRX have come all the way from the play-in stages, the first team to ever do so, and now stands one game away from immortality.
DRX played their strongest game of the series so far in the fourth match. They built an early lead and just continued to add onto it, securing objectives and kills all over the map. Pyosik came screaming back with a Maokai pick that allowed him to set up kills all across Summoner's Rift.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 05: A spectator looks on during the League of Legends World Championship Finals between T1 and DRX on November 05, 2022 in San Francisco, California.
Photo by Kelly Sullivan/Riot Games Inc. via Getty Images
So who will win the final game? When you're the underdog, your goal is to force a best of one. Longer series tend to favor the better team, but in any given game, crazy things can happen. Silver Scrapes inbound!
Game 5: DRX Stuns T1 and the World
T1: 2 DRX: 3 (Winner)
In what will assuredly be remembered as one of the greatest finals in the history of League of Legends, DRX stunned T1 to win Worlds 2022. It marks the first time a play-in qualifier has ever made it to the finals, much less won it. For Deft, his first Summoner's Cup couldn't have come at a better time, as all expectations are that he will retire at the end of the season.
DRX put on one of the greatest shows of resilience in League of Legends history. Throughout the tournament, they've been considered the underdog and have had to claw their way back from the brink of elimination time and time again. That was never on greater display than it was tonight, as DRX got knocked down repeatedly, only to get back up and keep fighting.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 05: Members of DRX celebrate after defeating T1 in the League of Legends World Championship Finals on November 05, 2022 in San Francisco, California.
Photo by Kelly Sullivan/Riot Games Inc. via Getty Images
For T1, it's going to be a tough pill to swallow. Their first finals appearance in five years did not end the way they'd hoped, and they'll have a long off-season to think on coming up short tonight.
The Oneplus Finals MVP winner is Kingen, and it's well deserved, especially after game five. All series long, he found ways to put the team on his back. An argument could be made for Zeka, who stood up to not only Chovy, but also Faker at Worlds. However, Kingen is well-deserved of MVP. Congratulations to Kingen and to DRX.
