A five-game show opened Fight Night Season 6 as Managrind's Realz met Puffin from the newcomers of Clarity Gaming.
After a versy short break from Season 5, ESGN's Hearthstone show returned for more action. For the sixth season, DogeHouse took pause for the first time since the show first started and the European powerhouse was replaced with another well-known name in professional Hearthstone, that of Clarity Gaming.
Although the format of the matches remains the same, a few minor changes were nonetheless implemented to Fight Night. The show will now air twice a week for five weeks, broadcasts every Tuesday and Wednesday. The "heartless ESGN wheel" is also gone and now it's entirely the teams' decision who will be sent out for each episode. This also means that all Fight Night bets will also be available on our matchticker all the time, allowing you to place your bets at any time.
For the first night, Managrind went with Realz, who's still to score his first victory in Fight Night, while Clarity decided to lead in with Puffin, of NA vs CN Invitational fame.
Full recap of the series can be read below, but those wanting to enjoy the series spoiler-free should head to the match page to watch the VODs (decklists are embedded there as well).
Realz's decks:
Puffin's decks:
Hailing from a 0-2 record in previous season, Managrind's Realz desperately searched for his first victory and last night he was inches away from getting it. Packing a miracle Rogue as his first deck, Realz took down Puffin's midrange Rogue after the Clarity player failed to get taunts up in time to stop the Leeroy combo and then proceeded to punish his rush Hunter as well, a match-up where Rexxar is considered heavily in the advantage.
Up 2-0, lights were almost out for Puffin as he only had his control Warrior to rely on. The possibility of a full comeback seemed farfetched, especially when Realz had two more decks to use not counting his still alive miracle Rogue.
Knowing he must keep his health as high as possible, Puffin threw out an early Armorsmith and started gaining armor, making it harder for the Rogue to go-off with each passing turn. Realz still managed to dish out a lot of damage thanks to a Poisoned Assassin's Blade but a lucky Harrison Jones was topdecked to destroy weapon's last remaining toughness and cripple Realz' damage output, eventually winning the Warrior the game.
The control battle of Warrior versus Handlock also went into Puffin's favor after a series of on-point Executes and Shield Slams and at this point Realz felt he was losing the series.
"I maybe have 5% chance of winning," the Managrind player said in a pre-game 5 interview, knowing his last deck was a frost Mage.
Indeed, nothing worked well for Realz in game five. Running an Antonidas-focused frost Mage, Realz had a tough time finding out that the archmage was on the very bottom of his deck. Not having enough burst to burn through Warrior's armor, Realz was defeated by a 3-2 comeback from Puffin.
With Puffin's victory, Clarity are one game ahead and they'll be looking to double it tonight as their newest recruit Chakki goes against his former team-mates and particularly Fight Night newcomer and renowned Priest player DuckwingFACE. Bets are now open.
