Heating up: Dallas Fuel confirms first signings for Overwatch League (OWL) roster in 2023

Familiar Faces

The reigning Overwatch League (OWL) Play-Off Champion Dallas Fuel has begun their march to defend their crown. They began with the retention of some familiar faces, namely the Damage Duo, Kim “SP9RK1E” Yeong-han and Kim “Edison” Tae-hoon. Both players impressed the league with their performances in Play-Offs, with “Edison” especially coming out ahead against Kim “Proper” Dong-hyun in the finals matchup. Furthermore, tank Choi “Hanbin” Han-been returns as well, having wowed critics and fans alike with his stalwart defence and plays.

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All three players were announced over the weekend in celebratory posts from Dallas Fuel’s official Twitter account. Returning championship winning coach Yun “RUSH” Hee-won has been successfully re-signed as well. The response for the defending champions has been nothing short of congratulatory as fans anticipate another year of success for the Fuel.

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New Supportive Pillars

In search for a surge of new power, the Fuel has looked towards Contenders for some fresh well…fuel. Kim “Bliss” So-myung sees his debut rise to the main league, coming from O2 Blast. His team recently won the Overwatch Contenders 2022 Pacific Showdown, Run It Back: Korea, as well as both Summer Series in 2022. A hotly anticipated addition to the league, it will be exciting watching his performance in 2023.

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Joining “Bliss” is veteran flex support Lee “MCD” Jeong-ho, who reunites with former Elemental Mystic teammates “SP9RK1E” and “Hanbin”. Having achieved great success with Elemental Mystic in 2019-20, “MCD” has spent the last two years teetering between success and disappointment. A historically strong support, he has achieved a mix bag of success on Hangzhou Spark, and Boston Uprising.

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Sad Departures

Legendary DPS player Kim “Doha” Dong-ha has departed from the Fuel after spending nearly two years with the organization. An alum of Elemental Mystic as well, “Doha” has achieved great success over his career, from a blistering debut in Contenders, to a string of top placements on the Fuel including a third place in 2021 Play-Offs, 3rd in Summer Showdown 2021, 2nd in the 2022 Kickoff Clash, and 1st in both 2022 Summer Showdown and Play-Offs.

Moreover, dedicated supports Han “ChiYo” Hyeon-seok and Kwon “Fielder” Joon see their transfer to Atlanta Reign. Both players were instrumental in setting up the team for great success with excellent supportive elements. With their departure to Atlanta Reign, it is uncertain if Dallas Fuel can retain that same level of power output from their star DPS players. Time will tell.

In the wake of their historic 2022 championship win, the Dallas Fuel management announced every player has entered unrestricted free agency. As mentioned, “Doha,” “Fielder,” and “ChiYo” have departed, with the latter two snapped up quickly by a floundering Atlanta Reign looking to revamp their roster in 2023. However, other departures have also plagued the Fuel in 2023, with main tank Lee “Fearless” Eui-seok headed for Houston Outlaws and other damage dealer Kang “guriyo” Min-seo awaiting offers.

The new Dallas Fuel roster as it stands is:

• Kim “SP9RK1E” Yeong-han (Damage)
• Kim “Edison” Tae-hoon (Damage)
• Choi “Hanbin” Han-been (Tank)
• Kim “Bliss” So-myung (Support)
• Lee “MCD” Jeong-ho (Support)

Image credit: OWL