Esports weekend review: OpTic triumphs in Black Ops 7, M. Zubair wins Tekken 8, Karmine Corp extends flawless run

Jon Nicholson, Freelance Writer

Last Updated: 10/08/2026

Another thrilling weekend of esports action has come to an end, with several tournaments crowning their respective champions. 

OpTic Gaming emerged victorious in the final Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 event of the year, All Gamers’ M. Zubair cemented his place at the pinnacle of Tekken 8, and Karmine Corp continued to dominate the LEC Summer split with another flawless week.

As the 2026 Esports World Cup (EWC) enters week six and domestic leagues approach the end of their regular seasons, here are the biggest talking points from another action-packed weekend of esports.

CoD BO7: The Green Wall stands tall at EWC 2026

After missing out on victory at the CDL Championship, OpTic Gaming headed into Black Ops 7’s swansong with a point to prove. They entered Paris priced at 2/1 (3.0), giving them only a 33.3% implied probability of defending their EWC 2025 title — and OpTic defied the odds to win it all again.

OpTic finish a statement run through the bracket

The defending champions navigated Group B with relative ease. Throughout the group stage, Anthony ‘Shotzzy’ Cuevas-Castro led the charge, displaying incredible mechanical skill to gain the upper hand over the opposition.

Round one of the upper bracket produced a rematch of the CDL Championship final. To the surprise of many, OpTic swept FaZe Clan with a comfortable 4–0 victory, with Shotzzy’s relentless slaying making the difference once again.

100 Thieves, priced at 9/4 (3.25), put up much more of a fight. All seven maps of the best-of-seven were required to determine a winner, but an MVP-worthy 2.13 K/D ratio from Shotzzy on Sake Search and Destroy sent the Thieves packing and OpTic into another grand final.

SHOTZZY CALLS GAME pic.twitter.com/UShjLUSzUn

— OpTic Scump (@scump) August 8, 2026

OpTic secure back-to-back EWC titles

The EWC grand final marked a historic moment for OpTic Gaming. For the first time since 2011, the Green Wall had reached every grand final of the season, with only Team Heretics standing between them and another EWC title.

After four maps of the best-of-nine, nothing could separate the two sides. A well-rounded team performance on Raid Search and Destroy restored OpTic’s lead before another highlight-reel showing from Shotzzy on Den Overload put the Green Wall within one map of victory. 

Naturally, Team Heretics refused to go down without a fight. A 1v3 clutch from Jose ‘ReeaL’ Manuel Fernandez on Den Search and Destroy gave the all-Spanish roster hope of extending the series. 

Despite their best efforts, OpTic’s superior slaying power ultimately proved the difference. Cuyler ‘Huke’ Garland racked up 37 kills on Den Hardpoint to seal a 250–183 map victory and complete the 5–3 series win, justifying OpTic’s status among the leading championship contenders at EWC 2026.

BACK-TO-BACK, @OpTic WIN IT ALL AGAIN

COD BO7 AT EWC26 CHAMPIONS 🏆 pic.twitter.com/V7GqfjJz6Y

— EWC Extra (@EWC_Extra) August 9, 2026

Tekken 8: M. Zubair completes miracle run at EWC 2026

Regarded as one of Pakistan’s finest Tekken 8 talents, M. Zubair began his EWC campaign in the last chance qualifier. From a field of 444 competitors, he successfully navigated the upper bracket before defeating Numan Ch in the grand final to secure a spot at the main event.

Zubair opened the group stage with an impressive 3–1 victory over two-time EWC champion ULSAN before suffering his only defeat of the tournament, a 3–0 loss to Keisuke. Facing elimination, he responded by dominating AO’s Victor with Paul in a 3–0 sweep to secure a place in Stage 2.

M. Zubair eliminates Arslan Ash from EWC 2026 pic.twitter.com/Aq7v6ZFwvk

— Moonsault Slayer (@VolSkimmer) August 8, 2026

M. Zubair sweeps eight-time EVO champion

Victory over THE JON set up a clash against Tekken legend Arslan Ash. However, in one of the tournament’s biggest surprises, M. Zubair brushed the eight-time EVO champion aside 3–0 to book a place in the playoffs. 

An excellent performance on Dragunov against Raef in the quarterfinals made the difference, with four of M. Zubair’s wins coming through well-timed, high-damage combos. 

Arslan Ash was waiting again in the semifinals, but the rematch was nothing like their earlier group stage encounter. This time, the best-of-nine went the full distance. Dragunov’s relentless pressure proved pivotal as M. Zubair edged out a 5–4 victory to earn a place in the grand final.

M. Zubair Remember the name.

From the grind to the biggest stage —
he didn’t just compete… he became champion. 👑

EWC 2026. Tekken. One winner.

And it’s him. 🏆🔥#AlGamers | #AGGlobal | #DreamBeforeGlory I #EsportsWorldCup | #EWC26 pic.twitter.com/fC0Lb4dVWR

— All Gamers – AG Global (@AGGlobalEsports) August 9, 2026

M. Zubair completes miracle run in grand final

Zubair looked unfazed against LowHigh in the grand final. Another world-class performance on Dragunov saw him dominate the best-of-nine, sweeping the series 5–0 to complete a Cinderella run from the last chance qualifier right up to championship glory.

In addition to the huge $250,000 first prize, M. Zubair also earned a bonus $50,000 after being awarded the Jafonso Award, an accolade given to players who win an EWC title after advancing through the LCQ. 

LoL: Karmine Corp continues LEC dominance

Week 2 of LEC Summer 2026 saw Karmine Corp remain at the top of the Summer Standings after sweeping both NAVI and Team Heretics. Now, a further 2–0 sweep over Fnatic extended the team’s unbeaten run to six series in Week 3, strengthening their position as the early favourites for the split.

Priced as low as 7/100 (1.07), Karmine Corp have quickly established their dominance in the best-of-three.

Alan ‘Busio’ Cwalina’s Bard recorded an impressive 15 assists en route to victory in the opening game. Busio followed that up with another 16 assists on Renata Glasc in game two, where Karmine Corp’s teamfights and objective control suffocated Fnatic to clinch a comfortable 2–0 sweep. 

From the early laning phase right through to late-game setups around Baron and Dragon, Karmine Corp never looked to be in danger of dropping a game. As it stands, G2 Esports is the only team remotely keeping pace, sitting in second place with a 4–1 series record and a 75% game win rate.

With just three weeks of regular-season action remaining, Karmine Corp remain perfect in series and boast a remarkable 92% game win rate. GIANTX, Shifters, and SK Gaming are now the only teams standing between the French organisation and a flawless split.

Jon Nicholson, Freelance Writer

Jonno is a veteran esports journalist with over a decade of experience in covering the world of competitive gaming. Since starting in 2014, he’s covered the biggest events for outlets including Esports Insider, GGRecon, Gfinity, and Siege.GG. When he’s not writing, he can be found sim racing with varying degrees of success.

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