EPT(GSL Spoilers)
Hello, my friends, and let me tell you of Slayers_MMA
The Immovable Object versus the Unstoppable Force
Flash back to March, 2011, the ace match of the GSL Team League II finals. Team Incredible Miracle's IMmvp appeared to be untouchable. Gaining back to back wins over SlayersRyung and SlayersGanzi brought the IM team back from the brink of defeat, tying the score 4-4. Having sent out Ryung and SlayersAlicia in prior matches, Team SlayerS had one remaining weapon left to use: MMA.
The Immovable Object, Slayers_MMA already made clutch victories against the likes of oGsMC and STJuly. Dubbed the Legend Killer by Artosis, he seemed to be absolutely unshakable whenever his team needed him to make a stand. But how would he fare against IMmvp? Considered one of the best Terran vs Terran players in the entire world, mvp was one half of IM's golden pair of—now two-time—GSL champions.
After a match on Dual Sight that really must be seen, MMA took momentary advantage of an opening in mvp's tank line, rushes in, and destroyed the opposing army.
MMA would not move that day. SlayerS became the GSL Team League II champions.
For Our Utopia
Most considered team For Our Utopia (fOu) to be one of the weakest teams in GSL. Having never made it past the first round in both prior team leagues, fOu looked to be a complete walkover were they to face SlayerS.
Fresh from his all-kill against team ZeNex, Slayers_TaeJa went first in an attempt to repeat his prior feat. Alas, it was not to be, and he was quickly taken down by LeenockfOu. Far from an all-kill, the score was now 0-1 in fOu's favor.
But Boxer and Cella's team has a deep bench, and their next player GanZi defeated Leenock and ChoyafOu in two decisive games. The score was now 2-1 in SlayerS's favor.
fOu still had some cards to play, however, and sent out GuMiHofOu. GuMiHo would defeat GanZi, tying the score once again at 2-2.
At this point, SlayerS was forced to use their top tier players. Slayers_Alicia, Ryung, and MMA are considered the top three players of the team. Having shown some exemplary play against IM during the last team league finals, Alicia was chosen to taken down GuMiHo. A master Protoss, Alicia was labeled by Artosis as the best Protoss vs Terran player in the world. If anyone on SlayerS could stop GuMiHo and bring around a SlayerS victory, it was Alicia.
He lost. After a failed proxy Stargate put him at a game-long disadvantage, Alicia gg'd as wave and wave of Terran units hammered at his Protoss army.
The score was now 2-3 in fOu's favor. One more win, and fOu would follow in SlayerS' footsteps, and rise from one of the worst teams in the GSL to appearing in the finals.
You Shall Not Pass
This was not the first time in the team league that SlayerS faced sudden death should they lose another game. In GSL Team League March, oGsMC ripped through multiple SlayerS players before being finally stopped by MMA. Going purely by stats, MMA holds the single best record of any player in the GSL Team leagues. Remarkably stable in team league play, MMA has been the go-to player whenever SlayerS was against the wall.
This time was no different. MMA was chosen to face GuMiHo.
Again, MMA needed to win or face elimination from the league. And again, this crucial game was to be on Dual Sight.
Recalling the Dual Sight match between MMA and mvp during the last team league finals, the fight between MMA and GuMiHo was equally epic. Suffering from a supply and economy disadvantage for much of the game due to GuMiHo's constant blue-flame Hellion harass, MMA clawed his way to victory through sublime use of multi-pronged attacks. Showing just how much more solid his mechanics were, MMA pushed GuMiHo's relatively inexperience to the limits. Ultimately, GuMiHo could not match the intensity and all-encompassing harass of MMA, and gg'd.
It was one of the most remarkable comebacks of any game played in the GSL in recent memory.
Once more, tied. 3-3.
From Good Place to No Place
fOu had one more ace player to send: Code S member SCfOu.
Another Terran, the SC vs MVP match started out with both players executing mirror builds. Gas and barrack timings were nearly identical until MMA deviated by getting a second gas. Inspired by GuMiHo's blue-flame hellion usage, MMA attempted to pay fOu their own medicine. Unfortunately, the medivac carrying the Hellions to be dropped was left idle as a crucial moment, and a stray Viking blew it out of the sky.
After a series of back and forth skirmishes, supply counts remained consistently similar. Neither player would back down or cede advantage.
In the end, just as in his match against GuMiHo, it was MMA's mechanics that paved his way to victory. Loading his units into medivacs and feinting a drop, MMA lured SC's marines out of position and moved his army in for the killing blow. Unprotected Seige Tanks exploded all around SC's main, and after some token resistance, "gg" flashed on the screen.
4-3. SlayerS was in the finals.
It was closer than any had anticipated, and Boxer and Cella certainly had heart palpitations over the ebb and flow of the intensely contested series.
But in the end, when they had to make a stand, they did.
MMA did. Son of Boxer. The Immovable Force.
To America, and Beyond
MMA is one of the invited Koreans that will compete at MLG Columbus in early June. Watch him there! With Tasteless and Artosis also going to Columbus to help commentate, it should prove to be three days of unparalleled StarCraft II awesomeness.
