LPL sweeps LMS and VCS in Rift Rivals, takes on LCK in finals
The LPL is heading to the grand finals of Rift Rivals 2019.
For the third year in a row, the LPL and the LCK are meeting in the final stage of the event. The Chinese side earned their spot there by sweeping the LMS and VCS team 3-0 in the semifinals.
Flash Wolves and JD Gaming were the starters for the best of five series. Throughout the tournament, Flash Wolves showed consistent improvement and against JD Gaming, they continued to grow.
The early game was dominated by Flash Wolves as they read the movements of JD Gaming jungler Seo “Kanavi” Jin-hyeok. Flash Wolves pressured the lanes and effectively utilized their ults.
Despite Flash Wolves’ strong start, JD Gaming turned the game around with a fight around the mid lane. JD Gaming repelled an offensive from Su “Hanabi” Chia-Hsiang on Kennen. It created the space necessary to win the team fight and go for baron.
Instead of forcing a team fight, Flash Wolves retreated into the base and let JD Gaming take the nexus and the win.
From there, Top Esports looked to keep the LPL’s momentum going by taking on MAD Team. The Taiwanese squad made some surprise changes to its starting roster as substitute top laner Tsai “Rock” Chung-Ting moved down to the support position with Ko “K” Kai-Sheng.
The early game was action-packed. On MAD’s side, mid laner Chen “Uniboy” Chang-Chu stayed aggressive and kept his team ahead.
The changes in the bottom lane would end up hurting MAD through the mid game. Top Esports took this time to stabilize the game and regain control.
Mid laner Zhuo “Knight9” Ding exploded later in the game. Across big and small skirmishes, Knight9 came out on top in every fight. Eventually, Top Esports aced MAD, secured the baron and pushed for the win uncontested.
FunPlus Phoenix jumped to the stage at match point. Only one game separated the LPL from the finals and Dashing Buffalo had the unenviable task of dragging out the series.
The third match of the day followed the same patterns from the games before. Dashing Buffalo dominated the early game and bottled up FunPlus.
As time went on, that lead eroded and FunPlus found the perfect team fight to hit back. That win translated into the baron buff and the win at 31 minutes.
It was an excellent showing from the LPL and one that has them looking fearsome heading into the grand finals. The series will open with a match between Kingzone DragonX and Invictus Gaming.
Read Also
Esports Betting
These Are Our Betting Tips for the League Championship Series Week 4
Ben Boland
The 2026 LCS Summer Split is in full swing, with the eight North American squads all vying for a chance to represent the region at this year's World Championship. With Worlds being on home soil, there is more than just a ticket to Worlds at stake. Each series in the regular season carries weight, as the standings will determine their seeding and potentially their fate in the playoffs. Week four ...
League of Legends
Caps To Be Announced As Third Inductee in the LoL Hall of Legends
Hannan Mundia
After Faker and Uzi were inducted into the Hall of Legends in 2024 and 2025 respectively, the European League of Legends player Caps will be the next to get the same treatment. League of Legends has been a cornerstone in the professional gaming scene for over a decade. In that time, a handful of players have managed to leave their mark for all future fans and fellow players to learn ...
Esports Betting
MLBB is the most-watched game from the EWC, and it’s hard to see another game beating it
Michael Hassall
The Esports World Cup 2026 has officially passed its midway point and viewership figures for the tournament have surpassed many expectations so far, as per Esports Charts. The viewership tracking site revealed new statistics for the event on Aug. 6, showcasing just how many games had set new records in viewership, including one name leading the way in views: Mobile Legends: Bang Bang. MLBB leads the viewership charts with the ...
League of Legends
LCK 2026 Rounds 3–4 Preview, Schedule, Predictions, and More
Hannan Mundia
2026 LCK Rounds 3-4 are slated to start soon, and this preview highlights the schedule, our expert predictions, and everything else you need to know before watching. The LCK has been upside down recently. Teams that were considered absolute powerhouses are seemingly falling off, while previous underdogs have been causing upset after upset. 2026 LCK Rounds 3-4 are starting soon, and the big question here is which team will reign ...
League of Legends
LEC 2026 Summer split preview, schedule, predictions, and more
Hannan Mundia
The 2026 LEC Summer split will be the deciding split to determine which teams can make it to the World Championship, and this preview aims to highlight everything you need to know about it. It isn’t a stretch to say that the LCK and LCP are the only two competitive League of Legends regions actually pulling their weight currently. The LEC did show potential at the start of the year, ...
League of Legends
How is League of Legends Classic different from the modern version?
Hannan Mundia
League Classic brings the classic League of Legends gameplay and design from when the game first came out, but how is it different from the modern version? The modern League of Legends mode is arguably in its best state in terms of popularity, with a study even reporting that playing LoL can improve brain function. Over a decade of gameplay and multiple marketing tactics by Riot Games have bumped up ...
League of Legends
Best Champions for every role in League of Legends Classic mode
Hannan Mundia
League Classic sees the return of League of Legends Season 3, but which champions were deemed the best during that time? League of Legends has gone through a lot of changes since it first came out. While the map and item-related changes naturally impacted the game's state, so did the many champion nerfs, buffs, and reworks. Multiple champions played completely differently in Season 3 than they do now. Since League ...
