Royal Never Give Up went up against Suning Gaming Friday, taking a 2-0 sweep in Shanghai to finish up Week 8, Day 2 of the League of Legends Pro League.
After watching one of the league leaders in Newbee struggle earlier in the day, RNG made sure to show the world that it's still one of the best, if not the best, team in the LPL. Having lost to Suning back in Week 3, RNG certainly was out for blood on Friday, and it showed on the Rift.
Despite the first game being a bit of a meandering affair as far as LPL games are concerned, RNG still managed to flex its muscles before it was all said and done. Suning actually had a strong hold on the objective game through most of the game, having picked up three towers by 20 minutes for a slight lead. But then Suning tried to fight RNG and got cut down to size in the form of a 4-for-0 teamfight win in favor of RNG. That kicked off the snowball that eventually spelled the end for Suning. Not only did RNG finish up Game 1 in just 28 minutes, it then rode that wave of momentum into the second game where it systematically dismantled Suning in a 30-minute trouncing. The game was so lopsided that RNG nearly put together a perfect game to close the series, giving up just two measly kills.
Perhaps more reassuring for RNG fans than the win alone was the fact that it wasn't just the Jian "Uzi" Zi-Hao show. While the AD carry is normally RNG's main win condition, this series saw other members of the team step into the spotlight to emerge victorious. In Game 1, it was jungler Liu "Mlxg" Shi Yu's Maokai that earned MVP honors with his focus on getting his lanes ahead in their matchups. In Game 2, it was mid laner Li "Xiaohu" Yuan Hao who poured in the damage for a 6/0/3 KDA (kills/deaths/assists). That's not to say that Uzi sat by and watched as his Kog'Maw was the difference in the final teamfight of Game 1, but the fact that he's getting so much help will only bolster this RNG squad in the final weeks of the regular season.