Houston Outlaws vs LA Gladiators: The Last Two Years for LA Gladiators Have Been Quite Memorable

• In the last five matches, Houston Outlaws have won four and lost one. The only loss came in the last one, and it was against LA Gladiators
• The LA Gladiators are also coming into this match after a loss against Florida Mayhem. They have won three out of the last five matches
• The last time these two teams faced off in a West Qualifier of the Overwatch League, Houston Outlaws defeated LA Gladiators 3-2

Houston Outlaws vs LA Gladiators Pick

Pick: LA Gladiators to win

Houston Outlaws vs LA Gladiators Predictions

2022 has been a tough year for Houston Outlaws, with some agonizing exits from the Overwatch League competitions. However, a big positive was their position just before elimination. In 2021, Houston Outlaws finished eighth in the Regular Season, and their best finish came in the Overwatch League 2021 - Play-in Qualifier. They were eliminated in the semifinals by Washington Justice.

In comparison, last year was a tad better for Houston Outlaws. They finished sixth in the Regular Season and finished third in the Playoffs. 2023 started with their first Pro-Am appearance, and they reached the semifinals before getting eliminated by their next opponents - LA Gladiators. In the Spring Stage Open Tournament, Houston Outlaws will be out to cause some major shocks and damage.

Meanwhile, the last two years for LA Gladiators have been quite memorable. The team started 2021 by winning the Steel Series Invitational tournament. Six months and a couple of disappointing Overwatch League disappointments later, they won the Countdown Cup after defeating Chengdu Hunters 4-3. In the third Regular Season, they finished fourth and reached the quarterfinals of the Playoffs.

Last year, they got off to a flyer after winning the Kickoff Clash and Midseason Madness of the Overwatch League 2022. That gave LA Gladiators a total of $575,000 in prize money. They also notched their best-ever finish in the Regular Season by finishing third. The 2022 Playoffs outcome was the only disappointing result as San Francisco Shock beat them in the Round of 16.

LA Gladiators have already beaten Houston Outlaws in the Overwatch League 2023 - Pro-Am this year. However, after emerging victorious in the semi-final, LA Gladiators went on to lose 4-2 against Florida Mayhem in the final. The frustration of finishing second-best in Pro-Am could drive them to a second successive victory over Houston Outlaws this year when the two teams meet in the West Qualifier of the Overwatch League 2023 Spring Stage Open Tournament.

Viol2t Arrival Is a Big Boost for Houston Outlaws

Over the past couple of months, Houston Outlaws have roped in a couple of new faces for the new year and the new challenges. Last month, Gargoyle left Florida Mayhem to join Houston Outlaws.

The other move came a month before that when Viol2t ended his five-year stint at San Francisco Shock and switched sides in February this year. Viol2t was one of the Support Role Stars in the Overwatch League 2020.

Since 2020, he has won three championships and finished as a runner-up thrice. He was a part of the team that won the May Melee, Countdown Cup, and Playoffs Grand Finals in 2020. In his penultimate year with his former team, Viol2t experienced three runner-up finishes.

Viol2t has played 10 hours and 6 minutes, during which he has a record of 839 eliminations and 320 deaths. He has caused 2,79,305 damage and has a healing statistic of 4,47,370. His arrival brings a much-needed spark to Houston Outlaws.

New Faces to Bring Cohesion or Confusion for Gladiators?

LA Gladiators were rampant last year, nabbing two championships and enduring just one poor finish in the 2022 Playoffs. The new year has also gotten off to a decent start after the team finished second-best behind Florida Mayhem in the Overwatch League 2023 - Pro-Am.

This year, between January and March, LA Gladiators have roped in seven new faces to revamp their roster. Four out of the seven have already been drafted into the active squad as the team aims for their first title this year.

This year, Reiner, skewed, SPACE, Danteh, Yaki, Babel, and Kai have jumped on board. The latter four are in the active squad. Tank and DPS player Danteh made his LA Gladiators debut against Florida Mayhem in the Pro-Am disappointment.

In the next encounter, he will be up against his former side Houston Outlaws. His total game time for his former team was almost 8 hours, during which he was responsible for 914 eliminations while causing 3,83,159 damage. Hero deaths were limited to 285.

How to Watch Houston Outlaws vs LA Gladiators

• Teams: Houston Outlaws vs LA Gladiators
• Location: United States of America
• Time: Saturday, April 29 at 2 pm ET
• How to watch: Twitch