EN DE CN BR ES RU
Image
Icon

SlasheR Benched by LA Thieves Ahead of Stage 2 Major

Following a series of disappointing results, the LA Thieves has made the decision to bench Austin “SlasheR” Liddicoat, with... Pablo | 6. April 2021

Following a series of disappointing results, the LA Thieves has made the decision to bench Austin “SlasheR” Liddicoat, with the news coming shortly before the start of the Stage 2 Major. The 2016 world champion had been unable to find his best form alongside his teammates, with the American to be replaced by Zack “Drazah” Jordan.

Why the LA Thieves Benched SlasheR

During recent encounters agaisnt the London Royal Ravens, Atlanta FaZe and Los Angeles Guerrillas, SlasheR finished with a kill/death ratio of less than 0.87. The veteran CoD pro was particularly disappointing against the Royal Ravens, with his kill/death ratio having dropped to as low as 0.72 at one stage.

Drazah was the standout option for the LA Thieves, with the 19-year-old having shown his potential in Challengers of late. His teams placed first in three tournaments already this season, with the American having joined LA in November last year. He was previously on the books of OpTic Gaming LA, having made his name with Illusion Esports, Rebel Esports and UYU.

Can Drazah Step Up for the Thieves?

Drazah actually played alongside SlasheR for OpTic during Modern Warfare, with the duo having led the team to a strong showing at the Championship, despite struggling early on. The LA Thieves become the first team to ever bench SlasheR, who has been a Call of Duty pro since 2013. He kick strated his career with Team Ignite, before moving to the likes of FaZe Clan, 100 Thieves and Team Envy.

He rejoined the Thieves upon their return to the CoD scene, with his signing having been announced at the same time as Kenneth “Kenny” Williams. With the well-known player being a franchise player for 100 Thieves, many will have been surprised at the decision made by LA this week. With the Thieves set to take on the Paris Legion in the Stage 2 Major lower bracker on April 7, fans will not have to wait long to see how the recent changes pan out. The pressure will be on Drazah to perform in his first outing as a starter.