CDL Championship Weekend Preview: Minnesota RøKRR vs Dallas Empire

The next stage of the Call of Duty League will be the season finale: The CDL Championship Weekend 2021. The event will be taking place at the Galen Center in Los Angeles.

The most exciting part? The final will be open to fans. It has been over a year since the last event with fans, so it’s safe to assume they will bring the excitement to the final.

CDL Championship Weekend
imaged credit: Call of Duty League

The top eight teams from this season’s Call of Duty League will be competing in a double elimination tournament format. In the end, the top team is going to be crowned the champions for the 2021 season. The CDL Championship prize pool includes $1,200,000 for the winner and $2,500,000 overall.

These are the eight teams who will be going into the even along with a peek at the bracket for the weekend:

  • Atlanta FaZe – 1st
  • Toronto Ultra – 2nd
  • Dallas Empire – 3rd
  • OpTic Chicago 4th
  • New York Subliners – 5th
  • Minnesota RøKRR – 6th
  • LA Thieves – 7th
  • Florida Mutineers – 8th

Unfortunately, this means the season is over for the other four teams. This does not come as a surprise for most since these teams were consistently at the bottom most of the season.

There are some great matchups right off the bat, including one with two of the hottest teams right now: The Minnesota RøKRR and the Dallas Empire. Fans of esports betting should keep an eye on these two heading into the weekend.

Why Minnesota RøKRR Have a Chance to Win

Coming fresh off of their first-ever Major win, the Minnesota RøKRR has been turning heads. They surprised everyone when they came out on top in the Stage 5 Majors. RøKRR’s came out wanting to win and wanting to prove themselves. And prove themselves they did.

They knocked out each of the top three seeded teams, which are well above them in the standings. It’s good to add that they did it comfortably as well. In the final, they had a rematch against Toronto and climbed back from being down 0-4 to win it all. The Stage 5 Majors had plenty of excitement to go around.

What makes them stand out is their determination and their team play. They may not be the most flashy, but they know each other well and know how to complement each other’s playstyles. Having Eli “Standy” Bentz back will be a huge help as well. Having won Player of the Stage and leading his team to victory, Standy will play a huge factor in Minnesota’s chances of winning.

Why Dallas Empire Have a Chance to Win

The Dallas Empire is always one of the favored teams heading into nearly every Major. And for a good reason too. Atlanta and Toronto dominate the headlines, but Dallas has been making some noise. Especially in Stage 5 as a whole. While the Major was a disappointment, the previous weekends were far from it. They had won all but one.

The Dallas Empire, having won the CDL Championship last year, knows how to handle the pressure that comes with Championship Weekend. They have the experience that Minnesota does not. Many expected them to overtake, or at the very least challenge, the Atlanta Faze this year in CDL. That was not the case, but they still performed in every single Major.

Being in two out of five finals means you’re doing something right. What makes the Dallas Empire so good is not only the fact that they have some of the best players in the world but also how they utilize them. They will find ways to counter quickly and play to their strengths. With Crimsix and Shotzzy leading the line, they will be a force to be reckoned with.

Written by Michael Martinez