LoL: Worlds 2020 | Damwon Gaming vs DRX Knockout Preview

Two of Korea's best teams are set to meet in the World's Quarterfinals.

The 2020 LoL World Championship is steadily approaching its climax. Through two weeks of intense Group Stage matches, eight teams stand above the rest. Now, they're set to go head to head in best-of-five series to see who's the best. The first Quarterfinal matchup that eager fans will see is Damwon Gaming versus DRX.

First off, we have potential tournament favorites Damwon. This team is incredible, they went 5-1 in their group, dropping only a single game to JD Gaming. This team can seemingly do it all; get leads in laning phase, skirmish well, split push effectively and team fight like gods. The mechanical prowess of the players is clear to see, especially so with Jang “Nuguri” Ha-gwon and Heo “Showmaker” Su. They're the solo laners of the team and definitely the main focal points, being exceptionally skilled with high carry potential. But the rest of their team are no slacks either and they're quite a formidable unit together.

On the other side is DRX. This squad is great, winning all of their games outside of their matches against other potential tournament favorites, Top Esports. As with any team at the World Championship, DRX boasts some amazing talent. The first name to come to mind is Jeong “Chovy” Ji-hoon. He's the team's mid laner and among the best in the world. Along with him is the young Ryu “Keria” Min-seok, a support with flair. Despite not having the same experience as some others at Worlds, Keria has shown up in a huge way with DRX. The way he controls lanes, roams and creates winning fights for his team is a treat to watch. And, of course, in the middle of it all is veteran Kim “Deft” Hyuk-kyu.

Prediction

While this matchup should be an exciting one, it'll likely be one-sided. For those who don't know, Damwon and DRX actually met in the LCK Summer Finals. Here, it was 3-0 sweep in favor of Damwon. As mentioned before, Damwon seems to be simply better than DRX pound for pound. Their individual skill is greater and so is their teamwork. Finding a way to beat out Damwon is so difficult because beating them in the early game is hard. But at the same time, outmaneuvering them in the late game is hard too.

In the end, Damwon will probably take the series in a clean 3-0. DRX has potential but drawing Damwon so early into the Knockout Stage was truly unfortunate for them. Sure, they might be able to take a game or two, but three is nigh impossible. Unless Damwon has an off day, DRX fans shouldn't expect too much from the series. DRX has to show a lot more to overturn their recent history with Damwon, while Damwon looks like one of, if not the best team in the world. But hey, they call them upsets for a reason.

Prediction: 3-0 Damwon

MVP: Nuguri