Second-seeded Peyton “Dez” Tuma became the sixth multiple belt winner in Madden Championship Series (MCS) history, beating top-seeded Henry “Henry” Leverette 24-14 in the Ultimate Madden Bowl final on Monday in Redwood City, Calif.
Dez, a 17-year-old from Newport Beach, Calif., already became the youngest MCS event champion in history when he won the Madden Ultimate Thanksgiving in November. This time he fought past five-time belt winner Henry, the reigning Madden Bowl champion, for the title.
The latest victory, in the series’ premier event, was worth $250,000. Henry received $150,000 as the runner-up.
“Going into it, I talked to people who played Henry, and you’ve got to start the game confident,” Dez said postmatch. “That’s like the biggest key. I started the game like it was just any other game. … I’m just playing a regular online head-to-head game like it was somebody else. …
“Henry’s obviously the best player in the game on the competitive scene. But I really did feel like going into the game that I was going to win. …
“I looked (online). Nobody picked me. I was the only one who thought I was going to win. That was my motivation.”
Dez developed his winning style of sending five pass rushers at the opposition in the middle of the season.
“Especially in this game where defense is hard to play as is, if you give people enough time, they are going to find the right (pass),” Dez said. “If you just send pressure every play, they are human, they are going to make a mistake once in a while. That’s just my philosophy.”
Regarding the victory, Dez said, “It means everything. Football’s been my life literally for 17 years. I grew up playing, I grew up watching and now I’m playing (Madden). … What John Madden means to football, it means everything being the face, I guess, of the competitive scene. …
“If you had told me last year when I was watching Henry (beat) Wesley in the final that I would be here next year, I’d say you’re out of your mind, but it’s been an amazing ride.”
Ultimate Madden Bowl prize money
1. $250,000 — Peyton “Dez” Tuma
2. $150,000 — Henry “Henry” Leverette
3-4. $100,000 — Jacob “Fancy” Worthington, Shay “Kiv” Kivlen
5-8. $55,000 — Jacob “Cobo” Clause, David “David” Tempellini, Christopher “Cole” Anthony, Daniel “Dcroft” Mycroft
9-14. $30,000 — John “Mr Football 88” Britt, Noah “Noahupnxt” Johnson, Jack “JackOregon” Hodson
–Field Level Media