The Los Angeles Guerrillas emerged from the losers bracket to win the Call of Duty League Major 2 title, beating the Atlanta FaZe 5-2 in Sunday night’s grand finals.
Entering Sunday’s action, Los Angeles had the longest path of any of the four teams still standing. The Guerrillas defeated the Florida Mutineers in Round 4 of the losers bracket, exacted revenge on the Boston Breach in the losers final and stunned favorite Atlanta in the best-of-nine grand finals in Prior Lake, Minn.
The Guerrillas were the No. 6 seed after the conclusion of the Group Stage and immediately dropped into the losers bracket when Boston defeated them 3-0 in the first round. They went on to win six matches in a row to earn the crown and the $200,000 top prize.
The Guerrillas started the day with a narrow 3-2 win over Florida. The Mutineers ran away with the first map, winning 250-95 on Gavutu Hardpoint, but Los Angeles countered with a 6-3 win on Tuscan Search and Destroy. The Mutineers went ahead with a 3-2 win on Gavutu Control, and the Guerrillas were faced with a do-or-die.
Los Angeles then won 250-202 on Berlin Hardpoint to force a fifth map, and pulled it out 6-5 on Desert Siege Search and Destroy.
Meanwhile, Atlanta defeated Boston 3-0 in the winners bracket final to reach the grand finals. The FaZe notched wins of 250-125 on Gavutu Hardpoint, 6-3 on Desert Siege Search and Destroy and 3-2 on Tuscan Control.
Boston fell into the losers bracket finals, and Los Angeles won the rematch 3-2. This time the Guerrillas opened up a two-map lead with wins of 250-239 on Berlin Hardpoint and 6-1 on Bocage Search and Destroy. The Breach fought back with a 3-2 win on Tuscan Control and a 250-221 result on Tuscan Hardpoint. But the Guerrillas clinched it with a 6-2 triumph on Berlin Search and Destroy.
That allowed the Guerrillas to reach the grand finals and meet Atlanta, the 2021 CDL champions and runner-up at Major 1 of the new season.
The FaZe opened with a 250-135 win on Gavutu Hardpoint before the Guerrillas rattled off four wins in a row. They took Bocage Search and Destroy 6-4, Gavutu Control 3-2, Tuscan Hardpoint 250-227 and Desert Siege Search and Destroy 6-1.
Atlanta got back on the board with a 3-2 triumph on Tuscan Control, but it was too little, too late. Los Angeles clinched its major victory with a 6-4 win on Berlin Search and Destroy.
Call of Duty League Major 2 prize pool, point distribution:
1. Los Angeles Guerrillas — $200,000, 65 CDL points
2. Atlanta FaZe — $120,000, 50 CDL points
3. Boston Breach — $80,000, 40 CDL points
4. Florida Mutineers — $40,000, 30 CDL points
5-6. OpTic Texas, Seattle Surge — $20,000, 20 CDL points
7-8. Los Angeles Thieves, London Royal Ravens — $10,000, 10 CDL points
9-12. Minnesota Rokkr, New York Subliners, Paris Legion, Toronto Ultra — no prize money, no CDL points
–Field Level Media