Grim: "Everyone's confidence is just at an all-time peak right now"

After a surprising upset victory over NAVI in Complexity's opening match at the BLAST Premier Fall Groups, Michael "Grim" Wince talked with James Banks regarding his individual performances, practice in North America, and the North American brawl between Complexity and Liquid.

Brother, you are taking some wild fights in a confident way. It's not like you are just swinging out and hoping for the best. I was watching JT do it at times, I saw you do it, FaNg as well, the whole time, so you have to give a special mention. Was there something in particular when it comes to NA practice that maybe you took away when fighting against other teams? Where was the time spent in Complexity?

We actually just flew here yesterday after playing the RMR qualifier. Which we won, so we actually have a lot of confidence right now because we pretty much destroyed every team in the qualifier. Everyone's confidence is just at an all-time peak right now. I personally played really well in that tournament so my confidence is really good too. I think that we are a momentum-based team and if we can get a couple rounds early or get into the game mentally, I think our individuals can pop off - everyone has really sick aim on the team. Even JT, like if you look at his stats they are low, but if you look at what he does for the team it is understandable. He always runs in first, dies for everyone. He'll take all the nades, get 1 HP, run in, die, and he just wants us to win. As a team player, he is underrated, and there needs to be a bit more respect for JT.

Sometimes the stats do lie and you do have to look at the little details that come out in these games. But I do want to say, with your own confidence this is probably the best I've seen you perform at an individual game. Is there anything that you've done in particular?

I've just been focusing on my mental game because there has been things about LANs that the game just doesn't feel the same for me as online and I think it's finally something that I've just figured out to just play with all this confidence. I was actually talking with NAF earlier and he told me "Everyone's in your server, you're just playing in it" or something like that. He was trying to hype me up and give me confidence. I'm looking forward to our match with him - hopefully, it will be a good game. I appreciate everything NAF's done for me and I think that he's a pretty good guy. But yeah, I've just been focusing on my mental for LANs and trying to play the same as I would online. That game I did and I am just going to try to keep doing it.

When it comes to NA practice, you spoke at the RMR it was a bit easier for you, but how does that practice look and the caliber of teams that you're going up against? Even with EG now, you've got up and downs with them that I'd just look at you and Liquid if I'm being honest.

Yeah, honestly, the practice has been a bit rough because Liquid has been in Europe and EG are in Serbia right now, so the practice has been limited. I think the best teams for us to be practicing are the EG Carpe Diem and Party Astronauts teams, but besides that when we're practicing in NA we are focusing on ourselves by doing the right strats, doing the right reactions, and right plays. I think that helps a lot with our confidence and making sure that we're all on the same plan in the game.

Now Liquid, your old team, I'm sure that you want to get the revenge in there. You have a smile on your face, you're feeling confident, but how tough do you think this game is going to be?

I think this game is going to be hard. They have a good trio of mid-round calling with nitr0, YEKINDAR, and EliGE - their calling is really on point. Everyone on that team has really nice mechanics. For us, I think we just need to transfer in our confidence from the last game and bring it into this game. If we play Liquid as if it was NAVI we are going to win as well. We just need to focus on our game and not too much of what they're doing and make sure to do our best and I think we can come out with a win.

Complexity ultimately faltered against Liquid in the North American derby, falling 14-16 on Vertigo. Complexity followed up this result with a rematch against NAVI, where Complexity were unable to replicate their form from their opening game as NAVI bested them 16-3.