I feel like this is the proper order of how the teams stack up at Rift Rivals.
Fnatic - Not close. Probably won't lose a game. C9 - Only because the other 2 EU teams are having problems. P1 is bad and TSM can't play internationally. TSM UOL G2 P1
RR: NA vs EU As always, fun to make some suitable predictions and whatnot. Fnatic is too on fire as of late (even in their loss vs Roccat - still something to show, just overeager). I can't see them not making it to the final round unless UOL were to tie them. UOL is always a wildcard. You can never predict them properly. And I do think G2 will get their act together at least. But I still want to see their match vs Mysterious Monkeys before I start drawing conclusions as to how heavy they will be for Team Europe.
North America side, I'm expecting at least one upset win by P1 at the very least; probably to UOL. The rest of the teams haven't really caught my attention to radar. I'm only taking C9 vs TSM from last night with a mere grain of salt in the expectation pool here. Either of them could make the final round.
Winner: Europe - Fnatic
RR: LCK vs LPL vs LMS Among the 5 major regions, China is the only team that features a team that isn't absurdly faltering in their performance. That however depends on how low you choose to peg G2 on the bar - if that's a factor, then I'd use RNG with their unfortunate case being unable to field Uzi. With that however, y4 is remaining steady enough in the LPL competition. Along with the rest, Team WE may look weaker (or just about the same as they did in the Spring) but I'm willing to give benefit of the doubt; same to EDG in that matter. OMG is pretty much their kingpin team at the moment.
Taiwan and Korea are both fielding a team that suffers at the bottom of their standings - Machi (M17) and MVP. I would play the "Korea dominates everything" card but I'm actually not seeing anything that's truly intimidating of the teams that have been running among the top of the table. Of course there's the never counting out SKT part. But then you get to the never expecting KT or SSG to remain this super consistent force of power. Those feelings on top of the fact that SKT will be running their "5-Powers" roster which has looked exploitable as of late, while I still see them able to win, I don't see it as clean or dominant. I put them on level to the LMS representatives honestly for this event given FW, JT, and AHQ have looked or stayed to their form in their region (exception to FW however with their early split punishments and roster swaps)
I like this final however. If I read it right, it's a Bo5 in which no team can play twice. So what world could it be that SKT nets 2-0 vs either China or Taiwan, only to have the other Korean teams fail to show up and lose it all out in the end. Personally I just want to see the variety in competition.
Winner: Team China
RR: OPL vs LJL vs SEA While I may be watching this: I will not be making any kind of definitive predictions. I just want to see all of the 3rd place teams in action (funnily enough)
RR: TCL vs LCL | BR vs LAN vs LAS Will not be watching these but I will keep up with it the best I can
My prediction is one region will beat the holy F out of the other - I mean close to a clean sweep in the group stage between the teams, but when it comes down to the 1v1 Final the team/region that got destroyed in the group stage will win the 1v1.
