The Call of Duty League Major V kicked off Thursday with the Florida Mutineers, Minnesota Rokkr, Atlanta FaZe and host Toronto Ultra winning their first-round matches.
That quartet moved on to Round 2 of the winners bracket, while the four losing teams moved into the elimination bracket and will play again Friday.
The Mutineers pulled the big surprise of the day by sweeping top-seeded OpTic Texas 3-0. Eighth-seeded Florida won 250-134 on Al Bagra Fortress, 6-2 on Mercado Las Almas Search and Destroy and 3-2 on Himmelmatt Expo Control. Kenyen “Capsidal” Sutton had a match-high 73 kills for Florida with a plus-1.33 kills-to-deaths ratio.
Texas was the only team to go a perfect 5-0 during qualifying.
The fifth-seeded Rokkr came from behind to defeat the fourth-seeded Boston Breach 3-2. Minnesota opened with a 250-193 win on Embassy Hardpoint before Boston vaulted ahead with wins of 6-4 on Mercado Las Almas Search and Destroy and 3-1 on El Asilo Control.
The Rokkr drew level with a 250-230 result on Al Bagra Fortress Hardpoint, then clinched the match by taking Breenbergh Hotel Search and Destroy 6-5. Kevin “Fame” Bonanno had 84 kills and Englishman Ben “Bance” Bance added 83 kills for the winning team.
The second-seeded FaZe cruised past the seventh-seeded Vegas Legion 3-0, winning 250-179 on Embassy Hardpoint, 6-1 on El Asilo Search and Destroy and 3-1 on El Asilo Control. Austin “SlasheR” Liddicoat had 60 kills on a whopping plus-1.88 K/D ratio for Atlanta.
Third-seeded Toronto enjoyed the comforts of home and won 3-2 over the sixth-seeded New York Subliners. Toronto opened with a 250-156 win on Mercado Las Almas Hardpoint, but New York answered 6-3 on Breenbergh Hotel Search and Destroy. The Ultra led again with a 3-2 win on Breenbergh Hotel Control, but the Subliners tied it back up, 250-138 on Embassy Hardpoint. Toronto’s 6-3 triumph on Embassy Search and Destroy clinched the match.
Charlie “Hicksy” Hicks of England had 95 kills and the only positive K/D ratio for Toronto (plus-1.13). All four Subliners players finished with ratios in the green despite the loss, with Paco “HyDra” Rusiewiez of France going for a match-high 101 kills.
The tournament continues Friday with five matches:
–OpTic Texas vs. Los Angeles Thieves (elimination Round 1)
–Boston Breach vs. London Royal Ravens (elimination Round 1)
–Vegas Legion vs. Seattle Surge (elimination Round 1)
–New York Subliners vs. Los Angeles Guerrillas (elimination Round 1)
–Legion-Surge winner vs. Subliners-Guerrillas winner (elimination Round 2)
Call of Duty League Major V prize pool and points distribution
1. $200,000, 65 CDL points
2. $120,000, 50 CDL points
3. $80,000, 40 CDL points
4. $40,000, 30 CDL points
5-6. $20,000, 20 CDL points
7-8. $10,000, 10 CDL points
9-12. no money, no CDL points
–Field Level Media