Perkz delivers on LCS promise, leads Cloud9 to Spring title: final placements & recap

Isaac McIntyre
Perkz leads Cloud9 to 3-2 victory over Team Liquid at Greek Theater in LCS Mid-Season Showdown grand final.

Luka ‘Perkz’ Perkovic delivered on his promise to “dominate North America,” leading Cloud9 to a hard-fought LCS 2021 Mid-Season Showdown victory with a huge game-five performance against Team Liquid at the Greek Theater.


  • Perkz, Zven combine for monster Cloud9 game five victory.
  • Cloud9 defeated Team Liquid in close 3-2 battle at the Greek Theater.
  • New NA champs now set to represent LCS at MSI 2021 in Iceland.

The Mid-Season Showdown grand final went the distance at the Greek Theater on Sunday evening, with Cloud9 finding a surprise game-five edge over Team Liquid to book their tickets to Iceland in May, and lift their second NA title in two years.

The difference, in the end, was superstar mid laner Perkz.

The Croatian commander was nigh-untouchable in the game five decider, finishing 10/2/6 on Sylas and dealing 32.6% of the team’s overall damage. His dominance, and a cheeky lane swap by Cloud9’s bot lane and Aussie top laner Fudge, sealed the deal for the newly-crowned MSS champions.

Perkz delivered on his promise to "dominate North America" in his very first finals series.
Perkz delivered on his promise to “dominate North America” in his very first finals series.

It was a hard-fought battle to get to the big finale, however; the two North American heavyweights traded major blows in the opening four games.

Liquid — who were playing with substitute jungler Armao — drew first blood in a 48-minute slug-fest. C9 answered back in kind, just seven minutes faster, in game 2. TL’s own European mid lane star, Jensen, sparked his side to a second game win on his Orianna pick.

Cloud9 marched through the final two games to lift the trophy.

“This was really important to me, because I want to compete against the best international teams, and go to MSI next month,” Perkz said. “To do that, I had to win NA, so that’s what I did. It feels really good to be able to do that here.”

Cloud9 are now set to represent the LCS at MSI 2021 in May.

Cloud9 now prepare for their first ever MSI campaign.
Cloud9 will now prepare for their first ever MSI campaign.

LCS 2021 Mid-Season Showdown: results & schedule

The opening round of matches took place on March 20-21. Two upper-bracket matches were contested, with the losers dropping into the lower bracket battles, which was then held on March 27-28.

The Finals weekend, hosted at the famous Greek Theater in Griffith Park, Los Angeles, was held on April 10-11.

Day 1 (Upper Bracket Round 1) — Saturday, March 20

Match PDT EDT GMT AEDT (March 21)
TSM 1-3 Liquid 1 PM 5 PM 8 PM 7 AM

Day 2 (Upper Bracket Round 1) — Sunday, March 21

Match PDT EDT GMT AEDT (March 22)
Cloud9 3-0 100 Thieves 1PM 5PM 8PM 7AM

Day 3 (Lower Bracket Round 1) — Saturday, March 27

Match PDT EDT GMT AEDT (March 28)
TSM 3-1 Evil Geniuses 1PM 5PM 8PM 7AM

Day 4 (Lower Bracket Round 1) — Sunday, March 28

Match PDT EDT GMT AEDT (March 29)
100 Thieves 3-0 Dignitas 1PM 5PM 8PM 7AM

Day 5 (Upper Bracket Round 2) — Saturday, April 3

Match PDT EDT GMT AEST (April 4)
Cloud9 3-1 Liquid 12PM 4PM 7PM 5AM

Day 6 (Lower Bracket Round 2) — Sunday, April 4

Match PDT EDT GMT AEST (April 5)
TSM 3-1 100 Thieves 12PM 4PM 7PM 5AM

Day 7 (Lower Bracket Final) — Saturday, April 10

Match PDT EDT GMT AEST (April 11)
Liquid 3-1 TSM 12PM 4PM 7PM 5AM

Day 8 (Mid-Season Showdown Grand Final) — Sunday, April 11

Match PDT EDT GMT AEST (April 12)
Cloud9 3-2 Team Liquid 12PM 4PM 7PM 5AM

LCS 2021 Mid-Season Showdown: teams

All six competing LCS teams have now submitted their playoff lineups, with the roster lock for the competition coming at the conclusion of the regular season.

Team Top Jungle Mid AD Carry Support
100 Thieves Ssumday Closer Ryoma FBI Huhi
Cloud9 Fudge Blaber Perkz Zven Vulcan
Dignitas FakeGod Dardoch Soligo Neo aphromoo
Evil Geniuses Impact Svenskeren Jiizuke Deftly IgNar
Team Liquid Alphari Santorin Jensen Tactical CoreJJ
TSM Huni Spica PowerOfEvil Lost SwordArt