MSI Rumble Stage concludes

A truly memorable MSI continues, with the Rumble Stage coming to an end. The top four teams progress to the single-elimination knockouts.

The Rumble Stage of MSI 2022 had no shortage of shocks, upsets, and storylines. While the four teams that progressed to the next stage are the four most predicted, the Rumble Stage certainly unfolded in a way nobody could have expected.

G2 progress despite collapse

There is no better way to describe G2’s Rumble Stage than a Tweet from the account ‘Lol Esports Images That Precede Unfortunate Events’.

After Day 2 of the Rumble Stage, G2 looked unstoppable. They had beat both T1 and RNG; their win streak stood at 24 games; Europe’s hopium levels were at a record high.

Then Day 3 happened. In the second match of the day, G2 was thoroughly out-played by the 1-3 PSG Talon. Then they lost the top spot in the standings to RNG after the LPL representatives beat them in the penultimate match of the day. Things went from bad to worse as G2 continued to lose, dropping both games on day 4 and then losing the opening match of day 5 to the 1-7 Saigon Buffalo. A win against Evil Geniuses stopped the bleeding but G2 will very much limp into the semifinals with a 5-5 record.

RNG remain tournament favourites

Defending MSI champions RNG staked their claim as tournament favourites with an exceptional showing in the Rumble Stage. After their loss to G2 on their first day, the LPL side went on a seven-game winning streak to take firm control of the group, and the right to select their opponent in the semifinals. While the Stage ended with a loss to T1, there is no doubt that RNG are the team to beat.

Of particular note, the bot lane duo of Chen “GALA” Wei and Shi “Ming” Sen-Ming have been especially pivotal to RNG’s efforts, establishing themselves as one of the best tandems in the game.

Furthermore, RNG has done all of this remotely, having played the entire tournament from their headquarters in China due to local travel restrictions.

T1 stumble, EG exceed expectations

T1 and Evil Genuises have had very different Rumble Stages to what people were expecting. After two days of play, both teams found themselves at 2-2. While this may have been the expectation for the North American side, it was a shock to see the team that had dominated the LCK Spring split languishing in mid-table.

When the teams met on Day 4, T1 had improved to 5-2 while Evil Geniuses sat at 3-3. It was then that Evil Geniuses, whose only wins had been against Saigon Buffalo and PSG Talon, beat T1.

Evil Geniuses finished the group at 5-5 while T1 managed to take second place with an X-X record. Evil Geniuses became the first North American side to reach the knockout stages of MSI since Team Liquid in 2019.

MSI continues with the knockout stage on May 27.

Header: Riot Games