2018 Madden Ultimate League: Meet the Competitors

It’s finally here, the 2018 Madden Ultimate League, the first ever competitive gaming sports league of its kind. The best Madden competitors of the entire season faceoff in this final EA Major to determine the season’s champion.

The skill set in this group is the best competitive Madden has ever seen. The battle within this talent pool is next to none as these are the best players in Madden. Let’s take a look at these elite players.

Michael “Skimbo” Skimbo

Skimbo is the reigning MCS champion and has his eye on becoming the best Madden player of all time. He started this season with a boom, winning the first EA Major of the season, the 2018 Madden Classic. His level of preparation is difficult to match, making him a name to watch in every competition. He recently lost to Eric “Problem” Wright in the Club Championship, but Skimbo’s goal is to be a repeat Madden champion.

Raidel “Echo Fox Joke” Brito

Energetic, vocal, and entertaining, Echo Fox Joke or just “Joke” combines excellent reads with high-level stick skills. He fell to Skimbo in the 2018 Madden Classic Finals and made an early exit at the Club Championship. Joke’s elite-level play, and his outspoken nature, make him an entertaining competitor and a major threat to the opposition.

Drini “Drini” Gjoka

Drini made huge waves during the 2018 Madden Challenge. He made adjustments after the group stage and steamrolled his way to a Challenge win with outstanding defense and top-tier running game. Drini was upset in the Club Championship, but he never sleeps on a loss. Look for him to make an explosive impact early on.

Shay “Young Kiv” Kivlen

Kiv is an explosive player. If you let Kiv control the pace of the game, his high-powered passing attack can put the game out of reach quickly. Kiv was a finalist in the Madden Challenge, but ultimately fell to Drini’s absurd second half onslaught. He then missed out on representing the Seattle Seahawks after losing to Killer Mike. If Kiv can shake off the tough losses, his passing prowess can shake up the Ultimate League.

Eli “Trueboy” Clayton

Trueboy is consistently one of the best in competitive Madden. He’s a frequent face in EA Majors, but has been the victim of some early exits. This season, True didn’t make it beyond the groups stage of the Classic, didn’t qualify for the Challenge, and was eliminated just one game into the Club Championship. Despite a rough season, True remains one of the best around and can potentially win it all when it’s done.

Trae “Tweez” Bapes

A fan favorite, Tweez was a virtual unknown before the 2018 Madden Classic. Qualifying for the Classic strictly through Live Events, Tweez had almost no presence in Online Ladders. Regardless of experience, he was a star in the Classic, nearly taking out Skimbo in an OT matchup that was one of the best of the season. What he lacks in experience, he more than makes up for in stick skills.

Chris “Dubby” McFarland

Dubby is one of the top Madden competitors in the world. He’s routinely at the top of MCS Standings and has won a Madden Bowl in the past. Friend and sparring partner to reigning champ, Skimbo, Dubby is looking to bring championship glory to his hometown of Philadelphia.

Joel “JoelCP” Porter

JoelCP is known for epic trash talk backed by tremendous Madden skill. Even without qualifying for the Classic, JoelCP could be heard jawing at Dubby from the crowd. That level of talk continued into the Challenge, when JoelCP eliminated Dubby in an epic faceoff. No matter the opponent, a matchup with JoelCP is bound to entertain.

Eric “Problem” Wright

Problem is one of the biggest names in competitive Madden. Much of the community considers him to be the G.O.A.T. While some of Madden’s newest competitors might want to argue that statement, Problem’s approach to defense is unmatched. A win in the Ultimate League would cement his status as the greatest in the game.

Taylor “SpotmePlzzz” Robertson

Winner of last season’s Madden Classic, SpotmePlzzz has the skill to completely take over any Madden tournament. It’s been a while since he’s won an EA Major, but his potent offensive talent paired with his skill on defense makes him one of the toughest opponents in competitive Madden.

Michael “Noble Prodigy” Scott

Prodigy has a natural talent for Madden, but has had a tough go in EA Majors this season. He fell just two games short of qualifying for the Madden Classic after losing to Dubby in online elimination. He rebounded in the Challenge, making it to the final four, but ultimately lost during Drini’s championship run. He’ll need to shake off the tough loss if he wants to make an impact in the Ultimate League.

Stephen “Noble Stevey J” Javaruski

Stevey J has put together a quality season. As one of the only players not playing as the Seattle Seahawks, Stevey J placed in the top 5 in the Madden Classic. He was putting together a decent run in the Club Championship as well before falling victim to Musafa Jones. How far will his methodical approach to the game take him into the Ultimate League?

Kent “Dot City K-Aus” Auslander

Dot City K-Aus is one of the top-ranked Madden competitors this season. He made it to the elimination round of the Classic before losing to Skimbo. The Ultimate League will actually be his first EA Major appearance since, as he lost in an upset to JSthebest to rep the Baltimore Ravens in the Club Championship. Despite the rough road, the Virginia product has the skill to overrun the competition.

Jahmal “Musafa Jones” Daniels

Musafa Jones was a relative unknown in the Madden competitive scene before the Club Championship. His electric offense and passion for Madden made him a standout in the crowd, taking him all the way the Club semifinals before losing to GOS. He has the skill to beat anyone, and the Ultimate League is the perfect place to show it.

Hassan “GOS” Spall

GOS represented the Washington Redskins well, winning it all in the recent Madden NFL Club Championship. He not only won, but he beat Problem in the Final. With a gigantic upset under his belt, GOS will look to continue his huge momentum swing deep into the Ultimate League.

Abbot “Blocky” Lopez

He didn’t make the deep run in the Club Championship that he had hoped, but that doesn’t mean he’s not highly skilled. In fact, Skimbo openly admits that he’d never prepared for any opponent more than he did for Blocky in the Club Finals. A dangerous player, Blocky will shake off the recent Club Championship and deliver outstanding gameplay throughout the Ultimate League.

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