Gears Pro Circuit Paris Open Groups
The Gears Pro Circuit returns to Europe for its first ever event in France with the $75,000 Gears Pro Circuit Paris Open. Below you’ll find the 12 teams that will start the event off in Pool Play.
Looking for more information about the event? Click here for tickets, schedule, and more.
Pool A
OpTic Gaming
Gilbert ‘Xplosive’ Rojo (Captain)Billy ‘MentaL’ Putnam, Jr.Justin ‘Kenny’ KennyAlex ‘SuMuNs’ AscencionNick ‘Icy’ Cope
Coach: Nicholas ‘Ashes’ Ridgeway
If they hadn’t already, OpTic Gaming have cemented themselves atop the Gears Esports food chain after winning the Atlantic City Open in near dominant fashion. Although they would drop a series to Team EnVyUs in the Grand Finals, the Green Wall remains nearly indomitable since picking up Nick ‘Icy’ Cope, and are once more the favorites heading into Gears Esports’ official Paris debut.
Splyce
Héctor ‘Dezonide’ Becerra (Captain)Daniel ‘Identivez’ SantillanaSahad ‘Involving’ JiménezCarlos ‘Advers’ PadillaReynaldo ‘ChaoZ’ Tosado
Coach: José ‘Choche’ Jácome
Splyce’s roster changes following January’s event in Mexico City appeared to pay off, with the Latin American champs returning to the top 7 for the first time since the Gears Pro Circuit Columbus Open in November. Looking to build on this success, Splyce will enter Paris with yet another roster shift, as Involving returns to the lineup in place of former captain Choche, who transitions into a coaching role.
BAM eSport
Jeremy ‘DarkfraG’ GomezPoicolet ‘ReaX’ RomainArmine ‘DyNaM’ ChamsChristopher ‘ChriisRN’ RalinMorizio ‘myxem’ Maxime
The final team to qualify for Pool Play, BAM eSport (formerly known as La Baguette) is a potpourri of experienced players from various French organizations that have found considerable success in their region since coming together. Although it remains to be seen whether or not this relative success will translate onto the international stage, the new French squad has perhaps the toughest road ahead of them after being drawn into a Pool with both OpTic Gaming and Splyce.
Pool B
Team EnVyUs
Jose ‘FraNChiS’ Mavo (Captain)Jamie ‘ToySxldier’ RiveraArody ‘Praized’ DipreJourdan ‘JRibs’ RibeiroBrian ‘Solurs’ Valenzuela
Coach: Ryan ‘RyanFoolz’ Summers
Not much needs to be said about the Boys in Blue. Although they failed to retain their title in Atlantic City, they have shown time and again that they’re more than capable of taking down the Green Wall, most recently doing so in Atlantic City Open Grand Finals to force a second, deciding match. Like their biggest rival, they are unquestionably one of the favorites heading into the Paris event.
Epsilon eSports
Will ‘Phelpzy’ Phelps (Captain)Ben ‘Hydrone’ CornwellMatthew ‘Krazed’ MacDonaldSam ‘Sam’ KingJay ‘jRaqe’ Mcmanus
Despite locking up their spot atop the European region for the remainder of the Gears Pro Circuit, Epsilon’s previously stable roster has been through a roller coaster ride since Atlantic City. Now that the dust has settled, however, the team remains largely unchanged since their last event, with only jRage joining the team in place of a recently departed Ash. Whether or not this recent roster change is what Epsilon needed to return to, or perhaps surpass, a top 7 finish remains to be seen; but one thing for certain is that it’ll be a baptism by fire for the newcomer, as Epsilon will have to deal with perennial contenders, Team EnVyUs, along with a revamped and scary looking E6, right out the gate.
Enigma 6
Dylan ‘Eternity’ Merrill (Captain)Matt ‘Hudsonz’ HudsonChris ‘Xcells’ HillKevin ‘Soto’ SotoQuirstin ‘Hesahtations’ Cabezas
Coach: Kristopher ‘Burger’ Burger
The E6 team making the trip to Paris looks quite a bit different than the one that finished 9th in Atlantic City, and certainly has the potential to be their strongest roster to date. Xcells and Soto, who co-lead a surprising BOT Empire squad to a 3rd place at the Columbus Open, have reunited and joined former Pedro Juan Jose standout Hesahtations to fill the void left by departed members Wildebeast and Phenomxnon, and the retired veteran Affinity. Although E6 wasn’t a team to be taken lightly before, as the old roster was certainly potent in its own right, the new E6 looks downright scary, and will be a team to keep an eye on in Paris.
Pool C
eUnited
Edwin ‘DeMo’ Perez (Captain)Tommy ‘Dispensa’ DispensaChristopher ‘Lava’ AndersonKaid ‘GODPLAYS’ SalehMichael ‘Zerpting’ Rodriguez
Coach: Jovon White
After slipping back to a 5th place finish in Atlantic City – their worst placing of the season – eUnited opted to part ways with Soto to make space for young rising star slayer Zerpting, who had most recently helped power Pnda Gaming through the Open Bracket to a top 10 finish in Atlantic City. Although the move may be considered by many to be an upgrade in respect to raw slaying power, there has been some concern that the team may now be overly encumbered in respect to that particular skill-set, and lacking the balance needed to topple some the best teams in the game. Nevertheless, with eUnited’s roster boasting some of the best slayers, along with perhaps the best support player, in the game, the sheer potential of this squad can’t be understated, and; if they’re able to pull together as a team, it shouldn’t be much of a surprise to anyone if they’re the ones hoisting the trophy once all is said and done on Championship Sunday.
Allegiance
Cameron ‘Giraffe’ Tarlton (Captain)Jeffrey ‘Jerppy’ SzewszakPatrick ‘Guishh’ DiazMalik ‘KraZ’ DavisAlec ‘ShocK’ Collins
Coach: Victor ‘Purpsy’ Rivera
Atlantic City did not go according to plan for Allegiance, who kicked off the event with a fairly brutal loss to an Xcells led Hazard Esports squad. Although they would recover to finish 7th overall, they have proven throughout the season that they are capable of much more, as they have all the tools and talent needed to compete with any other team on the Circuit.
Last Ride
Jack ‘Reaxion’ Oliver (Captain)Ronny ‘Ronslaught’ ThorpeAdam ‘COMBOH’ BurtAshley ‘Ash’ GriffinMathew ‘Crimsons’ Evans
Europe’s winningest Gears player is back, with Jack ‘Reaxion’ Oliver making his way back into Gears Esports for the first time since teaming with E6 in London. Now playing alongside a number of other veteran European players, Reaxion and company could be a team to watch out for in Paris.
Pool D
Echo Fox
Kyle ‘Kyle’ Mason (Captain)Joshua ‘Krash’ GalanRodney ‘Clouts’ VaughnFrank ‘Bull’ TibbsChristopher ‘Crushmo’ Lauzon
Coach: Noah ‘Prison’ Burkholz
Although they’ve always been amongst the best teams in the game, Echo Fox proved they were for real in Atlantic City, beating eUnited not just once, but twice (and in convincing fashion) on route to a 4th finish in the tournament (their best finish since the Soto/Xcells – Kyle/Clouts ‘trade’ with eUnited). The 4th overall seed going into Paris, Echo Fox will look to build on the confidence and momentum gained from this last event right away, especially in regard to their match with fellow Pool D team Ghost Gaming, who put an emphatic end to their amazing run in Atlantic City.
Ghost Gaming
Yadiel ‘Sleepytime’ Hidalgo (Captain)Christian ‘RushieZ’ RiveraHakeema ‘Keem’ GordonDemarco ‘Drix’ GainesDylan ‘Speedy’ Winston
Coach: Jacob ‘MvPR’ Acre
Despite emerging from the Open Bracket to take 3rd in Mexico City, many people weren’t expecting much from Ghost Gaming when Gears Esports made its way to New Jersey in March… and after the first day of competition in AC, those people were looking like they may be right. The same can’t be said for the rest of the tournament, however, as Ghost Gaming turned it around on day 2 and caught fire when it mattered, storming through the Championship Losers Bracket and taking out teams like E6, Allegiance, Hazard, and Echo Fox to eventually finish 3rd for the second time in as many events. Not satisfied with this placing, Ghost comes into Paris fresh off of a boot camp and with their eyes set on making their first Grand Finals appearance.
Vitality
Nicolas ‘Xorkos’ Abadie (Captain)Reda ‘Bagdad’ MahmoudiEnzo ‘Strikkers’ RecchiaKeny ‘Keny’ BonnotAnthony ‘PhysicX’ Masse
Coach: Jawed ‘guts AGAIN’ lakhilia
The best team in France come into their home event as potentially the best team in Europe, boasting a multiple 2K wins over the past few months. Although their roster has gone through some recent changes in this period, most recently with Phy returning to the lineup in place of former captain JeL – who has opted to step away from the game to focus on other priorities – the team continues to fire on all cylinders. Unfortunately, however, the hometown heroes have very rocky road ahead of them, as they will have to face two of the hottest teams coming into Paris, Echo Fox and Ghost Gaming, both of which whom placed in the top 4 in Atlantic City.
Looking for more information about the event? Click here for tickets, schedule, and more.
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