Scump calls out Clayster for “backpedaling” on Dallas Empire trash talk

Chicago star Seth ‘Scump’ Abner has taken aim at James ‘Clayster‘ Eubanks and the Dallas Empire for “backpedaling” on their pre-CDL London trash talk, after the two locked horns in the league’s first tournament weekend.

The Chicago vs Dallas rivalry has enveloped the Call of Duty League. Star-studded rosters on both sides marked the matchup as a potential title-decider, but after success in London and Minnesota, it looks like the Huntsmen have come out on top.

The Scump-led Chicago lineup edged Empire 3–1 in their first meeting at Copper Box Arena, before the eventual winners proved victorious again in a 3–0 sweep in the final. Soon, fans were ribbing Dallas on social media for their losses.

Clayster wasn’t having it, especially considering he felt his team had lifted their game, and hit back at the critics in a passionate rant. The social media tirade soon drew the attention of Scump, however, who accused Empire of “backpedaling.”

• Read more: Clayster hits back at Dallas Empire critics after London

“DaLLas [sic] started this feud, and now is backpedaling,” he wrote on Twitter, and shared an image of Mike ‘Hastr0’ Rufail commenting on power rankings. “Don’t dish it if you don’t want a negative response after. Victim role is weird!”

Clayster replied almost immediately, asking the newly-crowned London champion who he was talking about when he said “backpedaling.” Scump suggested the online negativity “wouldn’t be as bad” if the Empire hadn’t heaped on the trash talk ahead of the matchups.

“How is that backpedaling?” the Clayster responded. “Where exactly did I talk trash? I stated facts, and I’ve really stayed out of it for the most part. Alec [Arcitys] is like a brother to me, and I’m friends with you. I’ve got no beef, and nothing to say, yet I’m getting dumpstered on the bird by the cult following.”

• Read more: CDL London results and final placements

During the conversation, Clayster also added the Huntsmen stars, including Scump and fellow former OpTic Gaming megastar Matthew ‘FormaL’ Piper, had fanned the flames by using the “influence and power [they] have over fans.”

Scump agreed that his first use of “backpedaling” for Clayster may have been a bit off base, especially considering the rivalry had first sparked from comments by Ian ‘Crimsix’ Porter, and had been set ablaze after their first meeting.

He didn’t, however, see eye to eye on Clayster being able to shrug off his team’s trash talking ahead of the matchups. While Eubanks may not have been personally throwing barbs at the Huntsmen, he was simply “guilty by association.”

“I agree it wasn’t so much you, but it trickles down to you, unfortunately. With all the hype and confidence y’all built online it was inevitable that if you lost it would be bad,” Scump said, and suggested it had “become the narrative” for both teams.

• Read more: Top six moments from CDL London

“Seems like your whole team talks trash when they do these hype pieces and take little jabs at us,” he added.” Guilty by association, in this case, James. Negativity comes with the position y’all took since day one.”

Clayster argued that the “narrative” was only due to Scump and Crimsix, and that there had been no “backpedaling” at all.

When do Chicago and Dallas face off again?

While it looks like Scump and Clayster aren’t set for any personal battles in or out of the CoD servers—Eubanks even ended the conversation by congratulating the King—the ever-growing Huntsmen vs Empire war seems far from done.

Unfortunately for Chicago fans who are keen to see their team extend their winning record, and Dallas fans who want to see their roster hit back with a vengeance, the grudge match will be put on ice over the next month.

• Read more: When is CDL Atlanta? Schedule, teams, more

While the CDL resumes in a fortnight at the Gateway Center Arena in Atlanta, Dallas Empire is one of four organizations set to miss that weekend. The same holds true in a month, with Chicago absent from Week 4 in Los Angeles.

The next time the two star-studded rosters are slated to potentially meet comes in Week 5, when Empire hosts their first CDL homestand. 

With the home side and the Huntsmen locked into opposite brackets, they will both need to make it to the playoffs for a chance to face off. If they do, however, that maybe one of the most explosive fixtures in the competition’s inaugural year.