Oceanic player Oubo, a relative unknown ranked outside the region’s top 50 placements heading into the OCE/NA Worlds Qualifier, has stunned the Teamfight Tactics scene with dramatic back-to-back wins to lock Oceanic representation at Worlds.
It was always going to be a hard ask for any Oceanic star to qualify for Worlds, especially considering the 24 qualifier spots were dominated by North American players. In the end, just four went to OCE representatives.
The first day of the two-day event served to whittle down those 24 players to a final eight, with points being accrued being based on placings in each game.
Matchups were decided by a traditional Swiss format and after five games, the top eight players based on points would advance to the second day.
Oubo earned his second day placing with a comeback victory in one of his more crucial battles in the qualifiers, though he did rank last out of the eight Day 2 qualifiers.
The OCE star rectified his fifth-place start on day one with a top spot Space Pirate composition, and a second-place finish off the back of a Mech build revolving around Viktor.
Just to make it through to the second day was already a big accomplishment for the OCE representative, who then had to play against seven NA hopefuls in the crunch-time final day.
From this final-eight, just two would advance. The first player to accumulate sixteen points from their games, as well as add a win to that collection, would go through in the top spot. The second would be the next highest ranking at that time.
Oubo started out in trouble, hitting last-place in the first match of the finals. He managed to right the ship somewhat in the next two games, however, stringing together a fifth-place spot and a top four finish.
However, that only netted him ten points. Even more worrying, four other competitors had already chalked up those magic 16 points, and were just hunting for the victory to seal the deal. It was going to take a miracle for Oubo to advance.
As it turned out, it was a day for miracles.
Oubo soon found himself in the final two against the other eventual finalist, North America’s MismatchedSocks. Socks had 16 points in his pocket, meaning a win would fire him — and a player just behind him — to Worlds. Oubo’s run would be over.
The Aussie wasn’t going to let that happen though. His carry Jhin (backed by Star Guardian and Protector comps, and sprinkled with Celestial and Mystic), was able to overrun Sock’s Blademaster build, and take the win.
The victory took Oubo up to the benchmark. The next game was for all the marbles.
Five players were all at the mark, and ready to take the title with a win. There were potentially plenty more games to be played, but the way the standings had worked out, this was basically the grand final of the whole OCE/NA Worlds Qualifier.
Win, you’re through. Lose, go home.
Oubo did not disappoint. Steering a Mech Infiltrator composition into the final two once more, he found himself again up against Socks and his Blademaster composition.
A strong final-round push clinched Oubo the win, along with the tournament title, a hefty $12,500 payday, and the Worlds chocolates.
“I proved we are not a “for fun” region. We’ll do even better next time,” Oubo said after the winning match, and added that he had to overcome the tilt of the opening match for most of the day before bagging his qualifying victory.
Oubo now prepares for his tilt at the World Championship in September. And, it seems, he can rest easy in triumph — it looks like he’s proved OCE is better than NA, at least for now.
More information about the TFT Galaxies Championship can be found on the LoL Esports website.
Imagery supplied
