2022 Mid-Season Invitational Rumble Stage Results

Six of the best teams in League of Legends clashed, with only the top four able to move on to the Knockout Stage. Saigon Buffalo, T1, G2, Evil Geniuses, Royal Never Give Up, and PSG Talon had all managed to outlast the five other teams in the Group Stage; considering T1, RNG, and G2 had all maintained undefeated streaks, even well in advance of MSI, what would happen when these teams clashed?

Day 1

Day 1 of the Rumble Stage was opened with a nail-biting game between two of those undefeated champions, T1 and G2. While G2 was oriented toward a lethal teamfighting combo with Ornn, Diana, and Yasuo, T1 was focused on individual carries, picking Viego, Kennen, and Tristana. T1 took over the early game with clinical map control and rotations. However, they dropped the ball during the mid-game, as they lost an impactful fight around Baron Nashor. This allowed G2 to take Baron and get back in the game, which they eventually won.

The second match of the day had Evil Geniuses face off against Royal Never Give Up. Even though the game was initially slow and uneventful, it picked up its pace in the mid-game with constant fighting over Baron. However, RNG came out on top by securing both Baron and Elder Drake.

The third match, featuring PSG Talon playing against Saigon Buffalo, was an outright fiesta. Both teams were in the lead a few times, though each kept throwing their advantage. In the end, PSG Talon took the win.

Match four, pitting the two remaining undefeated teams in G2 and RNG against each other, started fiercely. Plenty of early-game skirmishes favored G2, who were able to successfully keep their lead, secure Baron, and close out the game with a phenomenal team fight.

Match five was a clear-cut win by Evil Geniuses against Saigon Buffalo, with Kacper “Inspired” Słoma’s high-caliber performance on Viego paying off immensely. The final game of Day 1 was reserved for a match between PSG Talon and T1. As anticipated, T1 quickly took over the game through top lane and took the win.

Day 2

Day 2 of the Rumble Stage was once again opened by G2, who elegantly countered EG with superior drafting and teamfighting. This was followed by a slow, controlled, and clinical supremacy of RNG against PSG Talon, and a decisive victory by T1 over SGB, with a full Ace, Baron, and another Ace on the way to the Nexus in under two minutes.

Game four was a plain and simple sweep of PSG by EG. The fifth game, T1 and RNG, was an ultimate clash that culminated with Chen “GALA” Wei’s Quadra Kill finally weighing the game to RNG’s side. Day 2 was concluded with another strong performance of G2 against SGB.

Day 3

The first game of day 3 was EG confronting the Korean Goliath, T1. Unsurprisingly, after a conventionally slow early game, T1 took control and closed the game with a textbook Baron play.

After T1’s flawless dominance over EG, G2’s game against PSG Talon was expected to be a similar one-sided sweep by G2. However, thanks to PSG Talon’s matriculate draft, cunning map rotations, and objective-oriented gameplay, PSG emerged victorious, ending the LEC powerhouse’s 24-game undefeated streak.

Amazingly, the third game of the day, between RNG and SGB, wasn’t completely one-sided.. SGB forced RNG to break a sweat, going head-to-head in team fights and map presence. However, SGB lost both Baron and eventually the game due to one poor rotation.

Expectedly, game four was an endless series of PSG Talon’s futile efforts to repel T1’s mighty forces. A dominant T1 were once again victorious over PSG, just as they had been two days before.

Game five was a nail-biter match between RNG and G2. Although G2 lost the game, the teams went toe-to-toe until the end. Finally, Day 3 concluded with an EG win over SGB, with an excellent team comp and top-ter fighting ability on full display.

Day 4

At the outset of Day 4, G2 met their newfound nemesis, PSG Talon. Still tilted from their previous  losses, G2 again dropped the ball against PSG Talon with inferior macroplay.

Game two between T1 and EG started as a traditional slow burner. However, EG’s remarkable synergy and teamfighting turned the match in their favor. The final nail in T1’s coffin was a Baron steal. This absolute gem of a game was followed by yet another spectacular match featuring SGB and RNG. Contrary to what you’d believe, the early- and mid-game were controlled by SGB, until they over-pushed with a Baron buff and gave their lead to RNG. Disciplined as they are, RNG used that small window of opportunity to take SGB down.

The thrill of day 4 continued to peak as T1 and G2, who were both at that moment 4-3 in the standings, entered Summoners Rift. The game was teeming with tension, with both teams opting for a controlled playstyle in the early game. However, both teams centered themselves around Drakes and focused on team fights as mid-game neared. Even though the teams were going head-to-head, T1 took the win.

The dust finally settled as game five, a match between PSG Talon and SGB, began. In this game, PSG Talon opted for a somewhat defensive and team-fight-oriented comp with Ornn and Rell. On the other hand, SGB aimed to counter their champions as early as possible with picks of Camille and Trundle; a strategy which secured them the win. The last game of the day was a match between EG and RNG, which RNG dominated.

Day 5

For the third time in five days, the opener for Day 5 was played by G2, facing off against SGB. Even though G2 put in enormous effort in the early game, Trần “BeanJ” Văn Chính’s jungle Gwen ran the show, carrying the game from the moment she got three early kills and signaling another loss for G2.

Game two, another clash between EG and PSG Talon, was an awfully constrained game in which the two teams went head-to-head until EG decided to take Baron, putting them in the driver’s seat to close the game.

Game three was a calm, cool and collected T1 win, as they never gave SGB breathing space or room for a comeback. Similar to the previous game, game four was a clear-cut win by RNG over PSG Talon, with the LPL representatives wrapping the game up with an impressive 19-kill lead just shy of 27 minutes.

Game five saw G2 and EG trying to outsmart each other with macro plays. However, G2 took Baron and came out on top due to bad EG rotation. The final game of the Rumble stage was a slow, elaborate game between T1 and RNG. As T1 acquired a minor lead, they choked out RNG and took the win.

2022 Mid-Season Invitational Rumble Stage Final Standings

PSG Talon and Saigon Buffalo have been eliminated from the 2022 Mid-Season Invitational. Which of the four remaining teams will triumph? The Knockout Stage begins on May 27th!