Bischu of LA Gladiators signs two-way contract with Contenders team

Los Angeles Gladiators off-tank Aaron “Bischu” Kim has signed a two-way contract to play for the Gladiators’ Contenders team, Gladiators Legion. 

“We’re lucky to have a player like Bischu, who can help work to be a leader and mentor for our Legion players, while still remaining a stalwart component of our main roster,” said company founder Rob Moore. 

This is an interesting announcement, since most Overwatch League players usually sign a two-way contract when they’re already in an academy team and are making their OWL debut. Many OWL players start out playing in Contenders for a few seasons before being signed on to main team rosters. 

The Gladiators Legion’s off-tank Nathan “frd” Goebel was recently signed by Atlanta Reign at the start of Stage 2, leaving the team a player short. Bischu’s two-way contract allows the OWL pro to play for the Contenders team on a temporary basis while still competing with the Los Angeles Gladiators in the OWL. 

“We couldn’t be more grateful to Bischu for stepping in,” Charlie Lipsie, Director of Esports, said. 

While this may be an unusual step for most pro OWL players, Bischu has been very open about the issues that have left him unable to practice and play throughout the beginning of Season 2. 

Bischu missed most of Stage 1 due to his ulcerative colitis, which had painful flareups leading up to OWL Season 2. The excrutiating cramps and constant bathroom breaks associated with the illness left Bischu on the sidelines.