Previewing the RMR | What to expect from Complexity v. Elevate

Heading into their opening match the PGL Major Copenhagen Americas RMR, Complexity will likely be pretty happy about drawing Elevate. While the latter team is normally a terror online with upsets against a number of NA teams, they've had the wind knocked out of their sails to a degree by having to field Adam "nbgee12" Zanzoul after Deni "dea" Ediev had his passport stolen.

While Complexity's players on paper would already stack up really favorably against Elevate, they now have a weak leak in the chain to exploit and are expected to win this match and head into the 1-0 pool.

My org is bigger than yours

This is a true David and Goliath situation, with all the tangibles and really the intangibles being against Elevate here. Complexity will have likely spent this week prepping this initial match, bootcamping at their headquarters, and overall having tons of resources poured into the RMR. Add that they have their full lineup, and Complexity should not be too worried about this match.

• Complexity has their full lineup, Elevate do not

• Complexity has two coaches, Elevate have zero

• The intangibles and experience favor Complexity massively

Upset potential???

Honestly, it will take a massive performance from Elevate and an equally massive collapse from Complexity for Elevate to take a BO1 against NA's best team. The main thing Elevate can hope for is to take Complexity by surprise, hoping that the latter team did not do much prep against their underdog opponents.

• nbgee12 will unfortunately be a liability, especially against a team like Complexity

• dare and snav will likely be the team's lifeline as their best-performing and highest-rated duo

• Elevate have played far more BO1 than COL recently, is that a silver lining?

Previous Matchups

Despite both teams being residents of the NA scene, they have surprisingly never played each other before.

Likely Vetoes

Keep in mind that the PGL Major Copenhagen Americas RMR uses a slightly modified pick-ban structure compared to ESL, for example. Under these circumstances, Complexity, as the higher seed, will likely choose to be Team B in the veto as it will allow them to choose the starting side on the remaining map.

• Elevate ban Inferno (2-9 past 12 months)

• Elevate ban Anubis (1-8 past 12 months)

• Complexity ban Mirage (0-2 past 12 months)

• Complexity ban Ancient (43.3% winrate past 12 months, Elevate's best map)

• Complexity ban Nuke (45.5% winrate past 12 months)

• Elevate ban Overpass (10-16 past 12 months)

• Vertigo remaining, Complexity picks CT-side (Higher CT-side won round distribution)

Analysis: As the more experienced team with a wider map pool, Complexity should feel pretty good heading into this BO1. There is not a ton of room for Elevate to maneuver, and added with the fact they've always been a looser team and have unlikely been unable to get nbgee12 up to speed on their protocols Elevate will almost certainly be stuck on a map where Complexity have a higher winrate.

Complexity and Elevate will face off at the Americas RMR on March 1st.