Marvel Rivals Ignite Grand Finals day one: Citadel Gaming and REJECT make Group Stage statements

The Marvel Rivals Ignite Grand Finals in DreamHack Atlanta kicked off last night with several intense match-ups across 10 games on the opening day.

Two teams, in particular, stood out as EMEA’s Citadel Gaming toppled 100 Thieves, while Asia’s REJECT secured a win against ENVY.

Esports Insider breaks down the first round of matches during the Group Stage of Marvel Rivals‘ biggest event of the year.

Teams are split up into two groups of six participants. The top four in each group will qualify for the Playoffs.

These are the day one results of the Marvel Rivals Ignite Grand Finals:

Following the results of day one, REJECT and Citadel Gaming are at the top of their respective groups with two wins each. Rosters Aconyx, OUG, and Crazy Raccoon, on the other hand, have experienced a rough start with two losses each, placing the teams at risk of elimination.

Fans witnessed an unexpected turn of events as Stage 1 Asia Champions REJECT secured a win against ENVY, one of the strongest rosters in America.

Against ENVY, the team claimed a 2-1 win on the first map, Hell’s Heaven, and followed with a narrow 3-2 win on Central Park, scoring 2-0 against the Mid-Season Final runner-up.

In addition to defeating Aconyx earlier that day, REJECT has made an explosive start to its Marvel Rivals Ignite Grand Finals run.

This is a surprising turn of events for the Asian representative, considering how REJECT only placed eighth in the Mid-Season Finals. If REJECT can continue this momentum and this level of performance against similarly strong opposition, such as Virtus.pro, it may prove to be the dark horse of the Grand Finals.

The day ended with a highly anticipated showdown between Marvel Rivals Ignite Stage 2 Americas champion 100 Thieves and Stage 1 EMEA champion Citadel Gaming.

100 Thieves claimed first blood as it prevailed 2-1 on Krakoa, positioning itself to secure its second win of the day. However, Citadel Gaming bounced back, winning 2-1 on both Yggrasill Path and Symbiotic Surface to take the series and showcase EMEA regional strength.

After defeating both 100 Thieves and Crazy Raccoon, Citadel Gaming has already positioned itself as one of the favourites to win the competition.

The second day of the Group Stage will feature 10 new matches between the world’s top teams, which will be livestreamed on the official Marvel Rivals YouTube and Twitch channels. The first set of matches will commence on October 28th at 4PM GMT.

In Group A, Virtus.pro will play twice, facing off against REJECT and ChopperMag. If Virtus.pro can take down the Asia Stage 1 Champion, then it can perhaps live up to its reputation as one of the best teams in the world.

Group B has a plethora of exciting matchups to look forward to. All eyes will be on Natus Vincere as it plays against 100 Thieves as well as its long-standing EMEA rival, Citadel Gaming.