OpTic Texas Makes History with Back-to-Back Call of Duty League Championships

In a weekend defined by jaw-dropping turns and unrelenting intensity, OpTic Texas etched its name into Call of Duty lore by claiming its second consecutive CDL Championship in Kitchener, Canada. Facing a red-hot Vancouver Surge squad, the Green Wall emerged 5–3 victors in the best-of-nine Grand Final, proving once and for all that their 2024 triumph was no fluke.

No team had ever defended a world title in Call of Duty esports—until now. OpTic Texas not only became the first organization to secure back-to-back world championships, it also sits alone atop the podium with three total world crowns in its history. In doing so, they surpass even the storied runs of early OpTic rosters and cement themselves as the CDL’s first true dynasty.

Sweeping Through the Winners Bracket

From the opening whistle, OpTic looked untouchable. They refused to drop a single map on their winners-bracket journey, blitzing through Atlanta FaZe, Toronto Ultra and Boston Breach with surgical precision. Shotzzy and Huke’s submachine-gun duos set the pace early, turning Hardpoints into highlight reels and leaving opponents scrambling for answers.

Though billed as underdogs, Vancouver Surge delivered one of the most remarkable comeback stories in CDL history. After an opening upset loss to the Miami Heretics, they tore through the elimination bracket—knocking out the top-seeded LA Thieves, then dispatching Ultra, Miami again, and finally Boston—to earn a shot at redemption on the sport’s grandest stage.

Grand Final Showdown: Momentum Swings

The final series was an emotional roller coaster. Surge struck first, sweeping OpTic in a Search round and handing them their first map loss of the weekend. But OpTic’s dominance in respawn modes—anchored by Shotzzy’s map control and Dashy’s top-tier AR play—allowed them to swing the series back. After seizing match point with a crafty Search win on Hacienda, the Green Wall closed it out in a nerve-shredding Rewind Hardpoint, 250–215, to seal the 5–3 victory.

Records, MVPs and Milestones

Mercules, in his debut Champs appearance, shattered Matthew “FormaL” Piper’s 2017 K/D record, posting the highest kill-death ratio ever at Call of Duty Champs.
Anthony “Shotzzy” Cuevas-Castro, at just 23, became the youngest three-time Call of Duty world champion in history.
Coach Damon “Karma” Barlow collected his fifth ring—three as a player and two as a mastermind—underscoring his enduring impact on the game’s most celebrated teams.

With the mantle of back-to-back champions firmly in hand, OpTic Texas must now fend off the league’s hungry challengers: Can Atlanta FaZe recalibrate after a stinging defeat? Will LA Thieves rebound? And can Vancouver Surge channel this finals appearance into a sustained top-tier performance?

Meanwhile, Call of Duty’s narrative has a new chapter: the rise of a true dynasty where consistency and clutch execution reign supreme. For the fans, the question is no longer “Can they do it?” but “How long can this era last?”

What do you think this victory means for the future of the CDL—and which next-gen rival has the best shot at toppling the Green Wall? Let me know your thoughts below!