The Battle for Los Angeles marks one of the most anticipated matches in the Overwatch League season; a turf-war between the Los Angeles Gladiators and the Los Angeles Valiant. With both teams representing the League’s “home base,” it’s never uncommon to see purple or green jerseys in the stands, no matter what matches are being played. One can expect the audience to be filled to capacity, however, every time the two LA teams face off—bragging rights within the sole Overwatch League arena are up for grabs.
Los Angeles deserves a good match, @LAValiant. Come bring it. pic.twitter.com/Oks6Acp1A9
— Los Angeles Gladiators (@LAGladiators) April 12, 2019
Supporting the Gladiators as they roll into battle today is Benjamin “BigGoose” Isohanni, a DPS turned Main Support known for his spectacular Lucio play. A key member of the Gladiators’ roster since day one, BigGoose acknowledged the importance of the game. “It’s a nice rivalry we have,” he said. “[Winning] it would give our fans a bigger boost of confidence; who’s the king of LA right now.”
In the inaugural season, the Gladiators lost five of the six encounters, including a thrilling Stage Four Playoff Battle where they chose to go against the Valiant for one last game. However, this season, the Valiant come into the battle with only one win, with the Gladiators looking much stronger, undefeated thus far in Stage Two.
With such a difference in the standings, one wonders if this year’s Battle has any hopes of being as good as previous years. According to fans polled on the Overwatch League Twitter, the Gladiators are strongly favored to win. However, if there’s one thing that has been known to happen in rivalry games—no matter what the sport—it’s that teams can play up to the top of their abilities, especially at their home arena. Hailing from Finland, BigGoose has lived in Los Angeles for nearly two years now.
“It’s obviously a place I can relax and chill,” BigGoose said about Los Angeles. “It’s not quite home yet, but we’re getting there.” The Finnish phenom credited the fans of the Gladiators for helping him feel more welcomed in southern California. “I always see the same faces in the audience that support us; it means a lot to me.”
Although the rivalry game carries with it a lot of pressure, BigGoose said that the team’s game plan was not going to change much (if at any) for the game against the Valiant. “We prepare the same way for every opponent,” he said. “If we do that randomly, it’s just going to backfire, so we approach it normally.”
While being cool and collected may be a key part of the strategy for a support player, the Gladiators’ social media has gone all-in on the rivalry with a barrage of tweets ranging from fun prodding to brutal quips that make a Mortal Kombat fatality look tame.
What will come first:
— Los Angeles Gladiators (@LAGladiators) April 9, 2019
A better come back or your first win this season?
Very much the underdogs, the Valiant have been timid with their responses, but we’re hoping to see some more emotions and excitement (or at least an awesome entrance) come match time.
You can tune in and watch the Battle for Los Angeles, below, beginning at approximately 5:15pm PST.
Watch live video from OverwatchLeague on www.twitch.tv
(Feature Photo Credit: Robert Paul, Blizzard Ent.)
