Back to Games, Abu Dhabi Mall - Skirmish 2 (July 18, 2026)
B2G Unleashed Skirmish 2 wasn't just another Saturday at Back to Games - it was the final chance to punch a ticket into the GNL Top 16, and the community showed up to make it count. Full tables, five rounds of Swiss, a Top 8 cut, and a finals battle that went the distance.
THE DUBAI CONTINGENT ARRIVES
The story of the day started before a single match was played: Blockvault made the trip up from Dubai, and they came to play. Good to see Roy (BV Toldea), Adriane (BV yycc), and Cristiano out there representing the crew all day. BV Whale (Collin) brought the room to a standstill with an unconventional Jhin midrange build - the kind of left-field list that had the whole venue leaning over to watch. BV Nodo, piloting Irelia, didn't just show up for the vibes, he ran the table straight into the finals.
SWISS GRINDS IT OUT
Five rounds of Swiss separated the contenders from the pretenders. Collin (4-0-1) topped the standings on Jhin, with Faisal (4-1-0) close behind on Master Yi. Mohannad (3-0-2, Irelia), Rashed (3-0-2, Annie), and Nithin (3-0-2, Diana) rounded out the middle of the pack, while Gabriel (3-2-0, Diana), Naveen (3-2-0, Rengar), and Cristiano (3-2-0, Pyke) claimed the final Top 8 spots.
GIVEAWAY CHAOS: THE AHRI PLAYMAT
Before the cut kicked off, B2G ran a live raffle for a rare Ahri playmat, and the room lost it when Cody's name got called. He didn't miss a beat: "I'll take it!" Pure pandemonium.
TOP 8 - CUT TIME
Naveen's aggro deck ran straight through BV Whale's Jhin midrange, 2-0 - the run ends here, but that deck will be talked about for weeks
Faisal cruised past Cristiano, 2-0
Gabriel outlasted Rashed in three, 2-1
BV Nodo ground his way past Nithin, 2-1
SEMIFINALS
BV Nodo defeated Naveen, 2-0
Gabriel defeated Faisal, 2-0
THE FINAL: GABRIEL vs. BV NODO
This is the one everybody stuck around for. The Dubai visitor who'd steamrolled his way to the final, up against the home crowd's top seed - Gabriel on Diana, BV Nodo on Irelia. It was a rollercoaster.
Game 1 went to BV Nodo after Gabriel, visibly gassed after a long day of Swiss and cut, misplayed his way out of an early advantage. Down a game, Gabriel took Game 2 riding the loser's-advantage of going first again. Then came Game 3, and the moment of the tournament: BV Nodo hit a triple Scuttle Crab, effectively drawing dead at the worst possible time. Gabriel pounced, completed the reverse sweep, and closed it out 2-1 to take the title, sending BV Nodo back to Dubai with a runner-up finish and a story he'll be telling for a while.
With this qualifier now closed, the GNL Top 16 field is locked in — and it all comes to a head this Saturday, July 18th. See you there.