With BLG getting the last spot in the Knockout Stage at Worlds 2023, I spoke to jungler Xun following the match against G2 Esports.

Photo Credit: Colin Young-Wolff/Riot Games

BLG Xun – Impressed by G2 in the series

BLG had one hell of a roller coaster in this Worlds Swiss Stage, having played against powerhouses like T1 and JDG. After going 2-2, the match against G2 Esports was going to decide their fate at the tournament. After 3 hard-fought games, BLG was able to take down the LEC #1 seed. Xun took the time to praise the opponents:

They did really well in the late game with the side lane management and making picks in the second game, which led to us getting beaten. However, in the third game, we paid more attention to details and played well. Each of our players has its own unique style, and regardless of the upcoming matches, I believe we can perform really well.

In the first game of the series, G2 decided to go for the Kog’Maw-Braum bot lane combo. When asked whether BLG expected those two picks, Xun denied:

At that moment, we didn’t expect them to pick this combination because it’s not commonly seen in competitive play. Although it was a bit unexpected, we were able to handle it well because their power spike wasn’t as strong, and we picked an enchanter to answer it, which worked great.

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G2 is one of the few international opponents that BLG already had the opportunity to play against at MSI. I questioned whether Xun felt any difference compared to when they faced each other earlier this season:

I don’t think there’s a significant difference because they have always excelled in early invades, small-scale skirmishes, and Teleport flanks. Their overall coordination is good and they do really well in finding opportunities in disadvantageous situations, which left a deep impression on me. If we managed these aspects better today, it would have probably made the game easier.

Now that the Swiss stage is over, we talked about the new format and whether he had any particular thoughts on it:

Honestly, I don’t have strong feelings about the format because you will end up playing agaisnt strogn teams no matter what. It’s mainly about whether our overall performance and adjustments have reached their best, and that’s what concerns me the most.

The LPL curse is broken and expectations against Gen.G

Worlds 2023 has officially ended the LPL curse, with all four seeds making it safely through the Swiss stage. Considering it’s the region with the most amount of teams left, I asked Xun whether he thought the LPL is the strongest region this year:

As for whether it’s the strongest, it’s hard to say (laugh, editor’s note). You can’t really make a judgment until you’ve played against all the teams.

BLG will now be facing the LCK #1 seed Gen.G, one of the favorites of the tournament. Xun is also regarding them highly:

Gen.G is a strong and outstanding team in every aspect. We need to ensure that every player is in their best form to play against them. I believe we have decent chances of winning so it’s not looking too gloomy.

Before rounding off the interview, I asked the same question I gave to LNG Scout and WBG Crisp a few days ago about how he personally would deal with the pressure. Xun gave a really clear answer: “I just try to do things I enjoy or take a walk, “he said, “I try to relax a bit and not dwell on it too much.”

BLG will now face Gen.G in the Worlds quarterfinals on Friday, November 3, starting at 09:00 CET.

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