T1’s Mic-Check Surprises the League of Legends Community
On the evening of November 3rd, the League of Legends community was taken aback when the mic-check from the quarterfinal match between T1 and AL was translated and widely shared. This mic-check revealed that Oner had never played the champion Dr. Mundo and he wasn’t even sure what this champion’s abilities were currently capable of. Nevertheless, T1 encouraged him to use it, and when the match started, Oner took a few minutes to read up on this champion’s information.
And the reality of the match proved that Oner’s Dr. Mundo was purely a tank and control champion but ultimately contributed to T1’s victory. Notably, the game in which T1 used this champion was the decisive game 5. In other words, T1 took a “gamble” with a champion that, while currently popular at this year’s World Championship, had never been used by their player in professional play or even in ranked matches.
– Oner: But I have never played Mundo, are we just picking it like this?
– Faker: Mundo is not hard to play at all
– Gumayusi: Just play like how Bengi used to play Nidalee
– Keria: Mundo will be really good for the Bot Lane
– Coach Tom: This champion is very easy to play
But it also shows the difference between T1 and the two direct rivals Gen.G and HLE
Before entering the 2025 World Championship, it wasn’t T1 or KT, but Gen.G and HLE that were the real heavyweights for the championship title. However, at the crucial moments, these two teams could not surpass themselves to secure victory. Mistakes due to haste, due to bans and picks, or the overly tense mentality of the players were the most important factors.
Looking at T1, this team, even when on the brink of elimination, still maintained a relaxed attitude, and the players trusted each other and understood how they needed to perform. Notably, as Doran shared, when wearing the T1 jersey, the strong mentality of his teammates helped him remain calm and much more confident.
In major tournaments like the World Championship, not only skills but also mentality can be the decisive factor in helping a team secure the ultimate victory. In this regard, currently, no one can surpass the reigning champion T1.