VCT Masters Tokyo: Valorant Champions’ winner and VCT LOCK//IN finalist got an early exit

In a stunning turn of events at VCT Masters Tokyo, LOUD faced an unexpected demise as they were mercilessly dominated by Edward Gaming in the lower brackets round 1. The upset resulted in LOUD’s untimely elimination from the tournament, leaving spectators in disbelief and creating a major upset in the competition.

LOUD suffered a 2-0 defeat against EDward Gaming

The match kicked off on the map of Lotus, a surprising choice by LOUD. Opting to gamble on their opponent’s weakness rather than relying on their own strengths, LOUD’s strategy backfired. They aimed to surprise Edward Gaming with unorthodox gameplay through their agent composition, but it proved disastrous. In contrast, EDG stuck to its tried-and-true composition, which paid off handsomely. The first map was won by EDG with a 13-6 score.

Moving on to the second map, Fracture, LOUD displayed a more aggressive approach that yielded positive results during their attack side. However, during the second half, they became vulnerable to EDG’s counter-attacks. LOUD was caught off-guard multiple times by Zheng “ZmjjKK” Yongkang’s exceptional operator skills, earning him the title of a formidable beast. Erick “aspas” Santos showcased commendable performance across both maps, receiving equal support from Felipe “Less” de Loyola. Unfortunately, their collective efforts fell short in the end. The second map of Fracture was secured by EDG with a 13-10 score.

LOUD got eliminated from Masters Tokyo without winning a single map

The unexpected downfall of LOUD, the Valorant Champions 2022 winner and VCT LOCK//IN finalist came as a shock to everyone. Despite having a strong record against Evil Geniuses in the VCT Americas league, LOUD suffered a devastating 2-0 defeat in Tokyo. Their misfortune continued as they were unexpectedly thrashed by tournament underdogs EDward Gaming. Fans speculate that LOUD’s overconfidence and underestimation of their opponents played a significant role in their disappointing performance, leaving them with only two matches played in the event.

This means SO MUCH to @EDG_Edward 👏 #VALORANTMasters pic.twitter.com/qI6ME2Kdak

— VALORANT Champions Tour (@ValorantEsports) June 18, 2023

EDward Gaming creating a dream run

The journey of this team, coming from a region that joined the international Valorant Esports circuit relatively late, has been nothing short of a dream run. Initially considered underdogs in the tournament, they have now made a powerful statement by eliminating formidable former champions teams like T1, NAVI, and LOUD. This remarkable achievement is not only a testament to their skill but also a significant boost for Valorant esports engagement among Chinese fans.

According to dot esports, one notable highlight of the tournament was EDward Gaming’s victory over LOUD, which attracted the highest viewership, surpassing half a million viewers. Impressively, EDward Gaming had three out of the top six most viewed games in Tokyo, including their highly-watched group stage match against NAVI.

The team’s livewire duelist, Zheng “ZmjjKK” Yongkang, gained a substantial following due to his exceptional Operator Jett play, leading the tournament in various statistical categories. He was seen emotional after pulling the insane feat over LOUD.

❤️ pic.twitter.com/iv0zqR2kU4

— VALORANT Champions Tour (@ValorantEsports) June 18, 2023

EDward Gaming will meet against the loser of Fnatic vs Paper Rex on 20 June. This is going to be truly difficult but interesting to witness the clash.

Header: VCT Masters Tokyo