Shanghai Dragons Wins the Overwatch League Summer Showdown

The Shanghai Dragons defeated the Chengdu Hunters at the Overwatch League Summer Showdown, making it the team’s second championship win during the 2021 season. Shanghai has one of the biggest turnaround stories in competitive esports with the team going 0-40 in the Overwatch League and setting the record for the longest losing streak in professional sports history at 42 losses. Since then, the organization has fully rebuilt itself and it is now one of the dominant teams in the Overwatch League. The win at the Overwatch League Summer Showdown comes shortly after the team defeated Dallas Fuel at the June Joust event.

Overwatch League Summer Showdown grand finals recap

Following the win at the Overwatch League Summer Showdown, the team has set a record for winning back-to-back stage or tournament championships at OWL. The only other team to have achieved the feat is New York Excelsior during the 2018 season.

The grand finals of the Overwatch League Summer Showdown kicked off with the Chengdu Hunters and Shanghai Dragons going at each other’s throats in Illios where the match kept going back-and-forth. Chengdu Hunters managed to dominate the later rounds in the map and took home the win.

Shanghai Dragons quickly turned things around at Temple of Anubis with a solid defence that prevented Chengdu Hunters from taking a full map capture. Dragons was able to quickly capitalize on its attack round and managed to secure a comfortable win. Eichenwalde told a similar story with Shanghai’s DPS players putting on an impressive display to secure a win.

Chengdu tried to switch things around at Route 66 but the team was unable to break through Shanghai’s defences. Shanghai managed to secure a 3-1 lead and it comfortably ended the grand finals at Nepal, where Chengdu accidentally stepped off the map during overtime, essentially handing the championship to Shanghai Dragons.

Shanghai Dragons will be taking home $100,000 USD as prize money while the Chengdu Hunters will receive $70,000 USD. Both teams have secured league points that will count towards the ongoing Overwatch League season leading into the playoffs later this year. There will be no matches held next weekend and players will directly face off at the Overwatch League Countdown Cup which will kick off on 30th July.