Preface: The S16 season has officially started, and the majority of players have been paying attention to the recent clashes. The first stage regular season in the LPL has wrapped up, showing a decent level of competition. Four teams—AL, BLG, JDG, and WBG—clinched early spots in the playoffs, matching most expectations. In the final showdown, WBG performed steadily, especially their mid laner, Xiaohu, who earned MVP in two matches against Rookie. His Ryze led the team to victory without dying once, prompting many fans to joke that Knight should quickly apprentice under Xiaohu. There was also a funny moment when WBG, despite a 16k gold lead, almost got reversed.

WBG's Spring Tiger Emperor Returns

Most players are still very interested in WBG, a well-known all-Chinese lineup. Their overall form this season was somewhat inconsistent, and their spot in the playoffs was not secured until the last match, making the clash with IG crucial. In the end, WBG lived up to expectations by sweeping IG 2-0, claiming victory in the final regular season game and locking in their playoff berth. Across these two games, mid laner Xiaohu became a hot topic among fans. His performance was solid, dying only once in two matches, and that death happened because a teammate overextended near the base.

In the first game, just three minutes in, both teams clashed in the river. WBG secured a triple kill for zero losses while Ning was left barely alive, gaining a huge advantage. From then on, the game’s pace heavily favored WBG. It seemed the push would be smooth, but at 39 minutes, despite a 16k gold lead, WBG failed to close out and IG managed a desperate team fight to secure Baron. Luckily, the gold gap was too large for IG to complete a comeback. Xiaohu’s Ryze went 11-1-15 and took MVP, with his sole death caused by a teammate’s reckless play near the high ground, which led to losing Baron.

The second game was just as thrilling, a true feast for viewers, with many joking it should be broadcast during the Spring Festival Gala. Early fights were bloody with constant kill exchanges, and IG gained some advantage. Xiaohu maintained a steady rhythm and even went on a killing spree at 33 minutes. A misplay in the Dragon Soul fight allowed WBG to stabilize after a narrow escape. The match dragged past 45 minutes before WBG secured an Elder Dragon fight win. Xiaohu’s Kassadin posted a 9-0-7 scoreline and earned MVP again, leading many to tease that Knight should become Xiaohu’s disciple.

Looking at ZuoShou’s recent match stats, his Kassadin proficiency seems quite low. In the first stage, he played Kassadin five times with records of 2-4, 1-3, 3-2, 10-2, and 1-7. He only won the game against IG, while the match versus AL became a clear weak point with no room for maneuver. Could it be that after the start of spring, Xiaohu is truly making a comeback? Previously known as the Spring Tiger Emperor, his performance and tempo before spring were lacking, and he didn’t achieve great results on that day. Maybe we can look forward to the post-New Year showdowns.

Farewell Thoughts

The first stage of the main competition has fully concluded. The most awkward situation involves Nip and WE teams, who are tied in both points and net score, forcing an online tiebreaker match, otherwise the Knight’s path opponents cannot be properly allocated. The hardest hit is probably EDG, who, despite having four wins like the other two teams, fall to the losers' bracket due to point differences, leaving them with only one life left.

Dear viewers, what are your thoughts on this situation?