A flood of upsets: EU/APAC Monthly Qualifier Recap

You may be wondering, how exactly did we change our article format? 

Well, from now on, our articles will be less focused on each individual match but more on highlighting teams, players and specific matches to keep articles fresh and interesting. We hope you enjoy this new format! And now, on with the article.

East Asia

Most surprising team: Rival Esports

Rival Esports, who failed to qualify in last month's qualifiers due to a costly last-minute mistake by Mameshi, have returned in March stronger than ever. They not only successfully advanced to the monthly finals but also defeated Crazy Raccoon, the defending champion from February, with a score of 3-2 during the qualifying process. Mameshi, Terry, and I See have once again demonstrated their immense potential, despite last month's setback. Their impressive performance has fans excited to see what they will bring to the upcoming monthly finals. 

Most disappointing team: Crazy Raccoon 

As the defending champion, Crazy Raccoon only managed to qualify from the lower bracket for the March monthly finals. This unconvincing performance raises doubts about their ability to defend their title successfully. Additionally, in the quarterfinals, they will face ZETA Division, which includes Sitetampo on their roster. Although ZETA's performance in the February monthly finals was underwhelming and could even be considered disappointing, they remain the favorites to win the championship. If Crazy Raccoon cannot adapt to the current meta and regain their form in time, their chances of defending their title will be uncertain. 

Player to watch: Terry (Rival Esports) 

Among the three players in RVL, Terry was selected for one specific reason: tanks. Tanks like Hank and Ollie have gained significant advantages from the recent Hypercharge update and balance changes, making them meta brawlers in the current meta. As the primary tank player for Rival Esports, Terry has naturally become the biggest beneficiary of these changes. He can be considered the X factor for Rival Esports, and his performance will significantly influence how far RVL can progress in the March Monthly Finals. 

Matches of the MQ: NIWA vs Just Wanna Prove

In a thrilling showdown in the upper bracket of the East Asia qualifiers, NIWA, one of the teams from last month's monthly finals edged out Just Wanna Prove in a close 3-2 victory. NIWA came out strong, taking Sets 1 and 2 with good drafts, putting themselves on a  match point early. However, Just Wanna Prove refused to go down without a fight. They fought back in Sets 3 and 4, to even the series at 2-2, forcing a decisive fifth set. Although NIWA ultimately closed things out in Set 5, Just Wanna Prove's performance was still very impressive. Their ability to push one of the region’s top 8 teams to the set 5 highlights their potential for future months.

EMEA 

Most surprising team: Eclipsar Esport 

Just when we thought we had seen enough upsets in last month's qualifiers, EMEA reminded everyone once again why it is the most competitive region. Even SUP and TH, two teams that were expected to perform well, lost to newcomers Reverso Gaming EU and XPERION NXT, respectively. While the performances of both new teams were surprising, I believe ECP truly deserved their success the most. After being swept by world champions HMBLE in February, many people thought that ECP's previous promotion was just a fluke. However, this month, ECP not only qualified for the monthly finals again but also defeated TTM, REV, and even the defending champions, SK Gaming. While the crowd was pleasantly surprised, we must also acknowledge ECP's strength and commend them for their hard work. They have earned their well-deserved spot in the monthly finals. (edited)

Most disappointing team: Team Heretics 

It's hard to believe that a team with a star-studded lineup—featuring iKaoss, Drage, LeNain, and world-class coach Rol—would be eliminated in the monthly qualifiers. However, that’s exactly what happened. They first lost to Team Elektros with a score of 3-2 in the upper bracket, and then, surprisingly, they were defeated by XPERION NXT in the lower bracket. This loss significantly diminished their chances of qualifying for the Brawl Cup. Given the talent and potential of TH, this outcome is quite disappointing. 

Player to watch: XPERION NXT 

I'm finding it difficult to choose between three players in NXT, so allow me to break the rules for once. Tex, Arthur, and Amos, each of them performed exceptionally well in the monthly qualifiers. With a strong supporting staff, this new force definitely has the potential to become a dark horse in the competition. I’m not saying that the other new force in EMEA, Reverso Gaming EU, doesn't have the capabilities. Unfortunately, they will need to face the world champion HMBLE in the quarterfinals, a team that has been consistently strong throughout the monthly qualifiers. On the other hand, NXT is set to compete against FUT in the quarterfinals. Unlike HMBLE, FUT did not perform convincingly in the monthly qualifiers and barely managed to defeat Nemesis in a close match. With the guidance of their coach, Inso, who previously led the roster of FUT to win the world championship, NXT has a real opportunity to create some chaos for FUT.

Match of the MQ: SK VS LLC ESPORTS

An unexpected banger of a match, SK vs LLC Esports was a set 5 intense match off in the lower bracket with both teams fighting to qualify for the monthly finals. SK, the previous months winners ultimately claimed the win, but I would keep an eye on LLC Esports, as they showed much promise in this match.