Not many expected EDG to be in the title fight this year either.
In their inexorable march to the world championship, the Chinese juggernauts only lost one match.
Despite getting knocked down to the lower bracket, Heretics thrived under the pressure of constant threat of elimination.
The do-or-die game four at Bind kicked off with Heretics scoring the first two rounds as the defender side.
Both teams then traded rounds until back-to-back wins in rounds 9 and 10 gave Heretics the lead at 6-4.
A determined EDG then racked up three-straight rounds in response to try and force overtime.
He also had 24 assists throughout the series against 72 deaths.
Zhang Smoggy Zhao also pitched in with 71 kills and 44 assists on a series-best 63 kills.
Finally, in-game leader Wang nobody Senxu added 59 kills and 33 assists on 69 deaths.
