Who won League of Legends Worlds in 2022?

The 2022 World Championship is widely regarded as one of the most iconic tournaments in esports history. It delivered one of the greatest underdog stories ever seen in Riot Games' flagship title, League of Legends, culminating in what many consider the biggest upset in the tournament's history.

Against all expectations, DRX completed a miraculous run to defeat the legendary T1 in the Grand Final and lift the Summoner's Cup. To reach that point, DRX had to battle through months of adversity, first qualifying via the League of Legends Champions Korea (LCK) Regional Qualifier before beginning their Worlds journey in the Play-In stage.

It was a story of resilience, perseverance, and belief from a roster that overcame every obstacle in its path. Against all odds, DRX etched their names into League of Legends history with one of the greatest Cinderella runs esports has ever seen.

The 2022 LCK Summer Split featured ten teams battling through the regular season for six playoff spots. DRX scraped into the playoffs with a 9-9 record, claiming the sixth and final seed. Their playoff run, however, was short-lived, as they were eliminated in the opening round by Liiv SANDBOX.

To reach the biggest tournament of the year, DRX still had one final hurdle to overcome: the Regional Qualifier. Starting in the lower bracket, they first faced KT Rolster before earning a rematch against Liiv SANDBOX. Both series went the full five games, with DRX narrowly coming out on top each time, a fitting preview of how their unforgettable World Championship run would unfold.

The 2022 DRX roster consisted of six players. First was toplaner Hwang "Kingen" Seong-hoon, who to this day has only this Worlds on his résumé. The same goes for his jungler, Hong "Pyosik" Chang-hyeon. Developed by the organization, Pyosik was accompanied by substitute jungler Lee "Juhan" Ju-han, who saw some playing time due to the team's struggles at certain points during the season.

In the midlane was a young player who was about to shake up the most competitive lane in the history of the game: the Korean midlane. That player was Kim "Zeka" Geon-woo, who was coming off a difficult stint in China. The botlane featured two much more experienced players, but with two very different stories.

First, the legendary AD Carry, the player who attended the same school as Lee "Faker" Sang-hyeok but never managed to reach the same heights: the iconic Kim "Deft" Hyuk-kyu, an absolute Korean legend whom the Summoner's Cup had always refused to embrace.

He was joined by the only world champion on the roster, probably the only support to have truly challenged the GOAT (Ryu "Keria" Min-seok) of the role: Cho "BeryL" Geon-hee, who was coming off a World title in 2020 and a runner-up finish in 2021, as well as four LCK trophies.

DRX dominated their Play-In group with a perfect 5-0 record, defeating five teams that no longer exist in their former form: Royal Never Give Up, MAD Lions, Saigon Buffalo, Isurus, and Istanbul Wildcats.

Later in the Main Event, they were drawn into a group alongside GAM, Top Esports, and the now-defunct Rogue. DRX went on to finish first in the group after winning a tiebreaker against Europe's first seed. If there's one thing that still hasn't changed four years later, it's TES' tendency to disappoint and fall short on the international stage.

The Knockout Stage was a succession of increasingly improbable moments, filled with stunning victories and unforgettable games that forged the legacy of this DRX roster. It was a run that ensured the team would never be forgotten by esports fans.

Their journey began in the quarterfinals with a legendary best-of-five against EDward Gaming, led by Park "Viper" Do-hyeon and Lee "Scout" Ye-chan. DRX pulled off a dramatic reverse sweep after EDG held three match points.

The series featured several unforgettable moments, including Deft's attempted backdoor in Game 2, which was denied just a few auto attacks away from destroying the Nexus when an inhibitor respawned.

The deciding game was just as memorable. Zeka completely took over the game on Sylas, repeatedly solo killing Scout's Akali, while Pyosik secured a clutch Smite steal on the Dragon Soul, paving the way for DRX to complete one of the greatest reverse sweeps in League of Legends history.

The semifinals saw DRX take on the formidable Gen.G. Throughout the series, the DRX players rose to the occasion against Park "Ruler" Jae-hyuk and company. Pyosik delivered one of the defining moments of the match around the Elder Dragon on his Kindred, a champion he would later choose for his Worlds skin. Meanwhile, Zeka once again put on a phenomenal performance on Akali.

Finally came the Grand Final, which many still consider the greatest best-of-five in the history of competitive League of Legends. It was a thrilling five-game battle at the Chase Center, San Fransisco, between the most successful organization in the game's history, T1, led by the game's most iconic player, Faker, and DRX. To this day, it remains the fourth most-watched best-of-five series in LoL history.

The undisputed MVP of the final was Kingen. His Aatrox performance remains one of the most dominant displays ever seen on the Worlds stage. That DRX roster will forever be remembered as one of the most iconic teams to lift the most prestigious trophy.

Deft finally fulfilled his destiny, while Zeka began writing his own legacy that day. As for BeryL, he cemented his place in history by becoming the only player to win the World Championship with two different organizations without ever playing for T1, Lee "Duke" Ho-seong having won the Worlds with T1 and Invictus Gaming.