For a while, OpTic fans were left reeling from the news that Dashy would be dropped from the OpTic Texas starting line-up. This revelation then triggered a cacophony of rumours, allegations, and assumed leaks, with every insider claiming that they knew where Dashy would go and who would be taking his place. While the frontrunner for the OpTic spot seemed to be Pred, Texas shut down that potential, instead opting to sign Huke, pulling him across from the Los Angeles Guerrillas.
There has been a little bad blood brewing inside OpTic Texas for quite some time now. For those in the know, it comes as little surprise that Dashy was moved away from the squad, given his apparent reluctance to practice with the team when needed, opting instead to spend exorbitant amounts of time playing VALORANT. There were whispers that Arcitys might assume the role, and then Pred took pole position, but in the end, Huke secured the spot.
XEO Reunited
With Huke now on the starting roster for OpTic Texas, XEO is officially reunited. During the 2020 Call of Duty League season, when Dallas Empire stormed to victory, it was the XEO trio of iLLeY, Shotzzy, and Huke that proved to be instrumental in the team’s success. It has taken a long time to get back there, but the trio will now be reunited going into Major II. It’s a world championship-winning ensemble, but will the three competitors be able to pull off what they did in 2020?
For many fans, the right choice for filling Dashy’s vacancy would have been Seattle Surge’s Pred. Last year, Pred entered the League as a rookie, storming through the competition and dominating all-comers, securing a Major chip, and picking up awards for his performance. He’s already proving himself to be a world-class player, and he’s the first competitor in the League to ever come from the Oceania region.
Reportedly, in Pred’s own words:
‘Let’s just say everything that was possible to make it happen was attempted… It was attempted to the highest level. It just wasn’t possible. Done everything we could, it just wasn’t possible.’
He was speaking on the deal, which was reportedly going to be an unprecedented buyout, with OpTic Texas offering Seattle Surge an eye-watering sum for the young player. However, the deal wasn’t to be and going forward, Pred will remain with Seattle Surge. It’s not a bad thing, though – under Surge’s banner, Pred has proven to be a game-changing force, working alongside Mack, Sib, and Accuracy to already put forward the workings of a fantastic season.
On the 13th of January, the Major II Qualifying Stage kicks off, and we’ll see how Huke is gelling with his OpTic Texas squad.
