LCK Cup 2026 Playoffs Match Review: DNS Narrowly Miss Out on Victory

The last time FearX and DN SOOPers faced off, FearX emerged victorious. That series took place during the LCK Cup Super Week. At the time, BFX dominated for a 3-1 win. Today, DNS pushed BFX until the end of the LCK Cup series. They had a chance to create an upset, but failed at the final hurdle. DNS moves down to the Lower Bracket, while BFX will face T1 or Gen.G Esports in Round 2 of the LCK Cup.

LCK Cup 2026 Playoffs: FearX Versus DN SOOPers Match Review

Zaahen in League of Legends played in the LCK — Image of Zaahen, courtesy of Riot Games

Game One Draft

DN SOOPers – Blue Side

Ambessa
Nocturne
Orianna
Yunara
Rakan

FearX – First Pick

Aurora
Jarvan IV
Azir
Ezreal
Bard

Game One Summary

The Mid, Jungle, and Support of both teams battle around the mid-lane. DNS pulls the trigger first with the Orianna Nocturne combo. The First Blood kill goes to Clozer, while Peter survives on low health. The mid-game remains even with the teams trading kills.

BFX tries to contest the Rift Herald, but they are too late and split off. DNS secures the objective and turns on the Azir and Jarvan IV. Clozer dies, causing BFX to chase. Diable makes a critical mistake with his Arcane Shift, allowing DNS to turn and clean up the fight. DNS slams BFX in every fight opportunity. The lead continues to grow and crests 10k gold before they take the Baron. deokdam earns a Pentakill on DNS’s Baron push, and they end the game to lead the LCK Cup series.

Total Apex Ratings

FearX

Clear – 5
Raptor – 4
VicLa – 4
Diable – 4
Kellin – 4

DN SOOPers

DuDu – 8
Pyosik – 8
Clozer – 8
deokdam – 9
Peter – 8

Player of the game – deokdam

Game Two Draft

DN SOOPers – Blue Side

Gnar
Wukong
Cassiopeia
Corki
Alistar

FearX – First Pick

Renekton
Lee Sin
Ryze
Sivir
Karma

Game Two Summary

VicLa burns both Summoner Spells to set up a gank on Clozer. The play is successful with VicLa earning First Blood. Pyosik makes an impact after his first back. He earns two kills in the top lane and then burns both flashes in the bot lane. Those plays are the last value DNS gets from the mid-game. Raptor takes over the Rift, and BFX wins the first skirmish with flawless mechanics. Raptor has seven kills at 15 minutes. The game slows down until the Hextech Soul Point fight.

Clear and Kellin misposition and die, allowing DNS to get the Drake. Raptor dies after the BFX chase, but fortunately for BFX, Peter gets the shutdown. The game becomes scrappy on the Baron. BFX attempts to force the objective but prefers to turn away from finishing it. Clozer saves the play for DNS by catching Diable with his ultimate. BFX wins the fight, but they can not take the Baron. The Soul and the game go to BFX’s hands to tie up the series.

Total Apex Ratings

FearX

Clear – 6
Raptor – 8
VicLa – 7
Diable – 7
Kellin – 6

DN SOOPers

DuDu – 5
Pyosik – 6
Clozer – 6
deokdam – 5
Peter – 5

Player of the game – Raptor

Game Three Draft

FearX – Blue Side

K’Sante
Pantheon
Ahri
Xayah
Poppy

DN SOOPers – First Pick

Gwen
Vi
Akali
Jhin
Leona

Game Three Summary

The First Blood kill goes over to Raptor as he combines with VicLa to kill a flashless Clozer. The early game is relatively bloody, including two solo kills for Clozer on VicLa. He is the only player for DNS to have a gold lead. BFX blows the game wide open on the Rift Herald fight. It was on a knife-edge, but BFX earns the objective, five kills, and two Towers. DNS tries their best to recover the game, but they are too far behind. BFX wins the Baron fight and pushes to end the LCK Cup game.

Total Apex Ratings

FearX

Clear – 7
Raptor – 8
VicLa – 7
Diable – 7
Kellin – 8

DN SOOPers

DuDu – 5
Pyosik – 4
Clozer – 6
deokdam – 5
Peter – 4

Player of the game – Raptor

Game Four Draft

FearX – Blue Side

Rek’Sai
Xin Zhao
Taliyah
Kalista
Renata Glasc

DN SOOPers – First Pick

Zaahen
Dr. Mundo
Zoe
Caitlyn
Neeko

Game Four Summary

Diable and Kellin put pressure on deokdam early, burning his Flash. Raptor ganks level three to earn the First Blood kill for Diable. DuDu has a significant advantage in the top lane. He builds it without any assistance from his team. He solo kills Clear early and then gets First Blood Tower at 10 minutes. DuDu controls the map; whenever he goes, BFX has to avoid.

The one piece of good news for BFX is that Diable has a significant lead. But how much can he carry against a fed Zaahen? DNS’s indecisiveness allows BFX to punish when they force Baron. They catch two members and move over to secure the objective. DuDu and Pyosik hard carry the Chemtech Soul fight and end the game.

Total Apex Ratings

FearX

Clear – 3
Raptor – 5
VicLa – 6
Diable – 6
Kellin – 6

DN SOOPers

DuDu – 9
Pyosik – 8
Clozer – 6
deokdam – 5
Peter – 5

Player of the game – DuDu

Game Five Draft

DN SOOPers – Blue Side

Jax
Rammus
Smolder
Miss Fortune
Smolder

FearX – First Pick

Sion
Zac
Galio
Aphelios
Thresh

Game Five Summary

Game five is Pyosik’s turn to gank bot lane early. Unfortunately, the First Blood kill goes to Peter. The action in the early game centers around the bot lane. It starts in favor of BFX, but DNS fights back to keep the gold relatively even. The gold lead for BFX lies on Diable, which is exactly where they want the gold. The first Drake fight is a dominant win for BFX, allowing them to start stacking Drakes. DNS finally catches Diable; however, in the ensuing chaos, it turns into a 4-for-4 trade. Raptor wins the smite battle on the Infernal, and it is looking grim for DNS.

Peter finds the engagement on Diable to give themselves a chance. Pyosik forces an unnecessary play, leading to his and deokdam’s deaths. BFX secures the Baron and further kills. BFX is uncoordinated on the Elder Drake fight. They lose five members and the objective. DNS tries to end the game, but it is the wrong call. BFX catches Clozer on their second Baron siege and ends the LCK Cup series.

Total Apex Ratings

FearX

Clear – 5
Raptor – 6
VicLa – 6
Diable – 7
Kellin – 9

DN SOOPers

DuDu – 6
Pyosik – 4
Clozer – 5
deokdam – 4
Peter – 6

Player of the game – Kellin

Series Summary

BFX Beat DNS 3-2 in the LCK Cup Playoffs — Image of BFX beating DNS, courtesy of the LCK/Riot Games

DNS started the LCK Cup series with a game one victory. They looked like the DNS that we saw win against Nongshim Redforce and KT Rolster. But it was back to reality with the second and third games of the series. Except for DuDu, they struggled to compete with BFX.

Heading into game four, BFX had picked a draft that needed them to be ahead early. They managed to find a lead for Diable; however, DuDu won in isolation. No one on BFX could deal with DuDu, and he carried DNS to a fifth game in the series. DNS had the opportunity to take a surprise victory. They won an Elder Drake fight against Infernal Soul, but they got ahead of themselves. Instead of playing slowly, they played for the end, and it failed.

Total Apex Series Ratings

FearX