Jonno is a writer for Esports Insider and has been part of the team since 2019. Over the past ten years, he's written for several outlets including Gfinity, GGRecon, and Radio Times. As an avid sim racer, he aims to provide insight on one of the fastest growing sectors in esports.
Olivia Richman is a seasoned esports journalist who has worked with Inven Global, Esports Illustrated, Esports.gg, and more. As an editor and writer at Esports Insider, she loves telling unique esports stories, especially within the FGC. When not working and gaming, Olivia loves collecting Kirby plush, eating sushi, and driving her cars at the track.
This year’s Esports World Cup (EWC) saw OpTic Gaming complete a successful title defense, much to the delight of the capacity crowd in attendance. After winning in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 last year, the North American organization successfully lifted the trophy in Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 .
While success at Call of Duty’s highest level heavily relies on excellent teamwork and communication, there are instances where a burst of individual brilliance can turn the tide of a match in favor of a team.
In the case of the Green Wall, Anthony “Shotzzy” Cuevas-Castro produced a clinical performance with the submachine gun in hand, scoring 655 kills across the entire tournament. On several occasions, Shotzzy’s skill proved the difference on the main stage. With that said, here’s a breakdown of five high-impact plays that enabled the Green Wall to stand tall in Paris.
Known for his ability to extract everything from Call of Duty’s movement mechanics, Shotzzy immediately showcased his skills in OpTic’s group stage encounter with Project Notorious . The opening Hacienda Hardpoint saw the defending EWC champions establish a comfortable lead over the Challengers roster.
He's in flow @Shotzzy pic.twitter.com/krSP0AcOk6
The fourth Hardpoint saw Shotzzy immediately break through any kind of defensive hold thanks to two swift kills from the Boathouse side. Instead of looking for cover or additional support, the three-time Call of Duty League (CDL) champion bounced above the rock to eliminate a third opponent with clinical precision.
After scoring the third kill, a push towards the upper balcony overlooking the center of the map and the next objective followed. While the play concluded with the third kill over the top of the rock, the immediate focus towards the next objective and the opponent’s next spawn point demonstrates complete understanding of Black Ops 7’s inner workings.
Image Credit: Esports World Cup Succeeding as a submachine gunner in Call of Duty esports heavily relies on securing space on the map and roaming a specific area in order to stop any kind of opposing strategy being executed.
The deciding Sake Search and Destroy against 100 Thieves in the winner’s semi-final was the perfect example of Shotzzy’s relentless pressure to force the opposition into unfavorable scenarios. A round three ace was just the start for Shotzzy, who scored the final kill thanks to some excellent teamplay from his squadmates.
While he didn’t earn any scorestreaks, the teamwork displayed proved too much for the Thieves.
Pressure didn’t stop there. Complete control of the B bombsite halted any kind of attacking play from the opponents, forcing them wide and straight into the crosshairs of the perfectly positioned assault rifle players.
100 Thieves couldn’t handle Shotzzy’s pressure. After nine rounds of play, the ev…