[Top 10] Most Epic Moments in League of Legends Esports History

Updated:

15 Jun 2023

Although League of Legend’s games are somehow long and may extend to more than 30 minutes, some moments are meant to go down in history and remain unforgettable, showing the great skills and mechanics of the players.

In this article, we will mention the top 10 most epic moments in League of Legends esports history.

10. The XPeke Backdoor (IEM Katowice 2013)

Start at 2:46

Casters: "Wait, xPeke is teleporting! He's going for the backdoor! Can he do it? This is absolutely insane!"

League of Legend’s history has few moments that have captured the imagination of fans; one of the greatest moments is the legendary XPeke backdoor during the IEM Katowice 2013 tournament, where Fnatic faced off against SK Gaming in a hard match.

The Nexus was exposed and SK Gaming was distracted, where Fnatic’s midlaner, Enrique "xPeke" Cadeno Martinez, made a risky backdoor that got them the game that would forever be etched in esports history.

The xPeke backdoor was a moment of pure greatness and individual brilliance where it showcased xPeke’s quick thinking, great skills, and his ability to take advantage of every opportunity, which remains one of the most iconic and celebrated moments in League of Legends esports history.

9. Faker vs. Ryu Zed Outplay (All-Star Shanghai 2013)

Start at 00:03

Casters: "Oh, the outplay from Faker! The mechanics, the reflexes—it's all there! This is why Faker is considered the best in the world!"

Few duels in League of Legends have captured the attention and admiration of fans, and one of them is the iconic 1v1 matchup between Lee "Faker Sang-hyeok and Ryu "Ryu" Sang-wook, which took place during the All-Star Shanghai 2013 tournament.

At the time, those were among the best midfielders in the league, and this head-to-head clash between them became an iconic moment for Faker and showed his unparalleled mechanical skills.

Faker vs. Ryu Zed's outplay is said to be Faker’s legacy as the "Unkillable Demon King," where it showed his ability to outplay and outsmart his opponents with fast reflexes as fast as lightning and unmatched mechanical skills, which made him one of the greatest players in League of Legends history.

8. The Penta kill that sealed the victory (Worlds 2014 Quarterfinals)

Start at 00:05

Casters: "Oh my word! Imp with the penta kill! That was an absolute masterclass in AD carry positioning and mechanics! Samsung White is moments away from victory!"

In the high-stakes environment of the 2014 World Championship quarterfinals, Samsung White faced off against Edward Gaming in a series where one of them would advance to the next stage of the tournament and the other would get out.

In the final game, in an unforgettable moment that became the highlight of the tournament, the Penta kill was executed by Samsung White’s AD carry, Gy "Imp" Seung-bin, which made them win the game.

Imp’s plays in that team fight were great, along with his positioning and his mechanics that were flawless. The game-deciding Penta Kill took place, where Imp showed the impact of individual skill in shaping the outcome of a game.

This play left spectators in awe of Imp’s plays and highlighted the importance of precision, positioning, and timing.

7. The Baron Steal (MSI 2019 Finals)

Objective control is one of the most important aspects of League of Legends to win, and no objective holds greater significance than the Baron Nashor steal in 2019 in the Mid-Season Invitational (MSI) Finals, where Team Liquid and G2 Esports faced off against each other in a hard series until a miracle happened and the Baron steal took place, which was a game changer.

That baron steal by Jensen was extraordinary because it showed the timing and precision of his smite.

The miracle baron steal showed the importance of objective control and how it can change the game impact, such as the well-executed steal that Jensen made, which didn’t only secure the great buff for his team but also changed the whole game.

6. Five-Man Shockwave (Worlds 2016 Semifinals)

Start at 00:07

Casters: "What a shockwave! Faker catches all five members of the ROX Tigers! The coordination and execution from SK Telecom T1 are immaculate!"

It’s known in League of Legends that the perfect initiation can swing the momentum of a game in an instant. In the 2016 World Championship semifinals, ROX Tigers and SK Telecom T1 faced off against each other in a series that reached its climax in a team fight that would be remembered forever as the "Five-Man Shockwave."

The Shockwave was a game changer where Faker’s ability was showcased in how he could find the perfect moment to strike; this kind of play defines legends.

This play, when Faker played Sylas and stole Gnar’s ultimate to make a five-man shockwave, resulted in a breathtaking moment that changed the game in SK Telecom T1’s favor and made Faker one of the greatest players of all time.

5. Nexus Defence (Worlds 2017 Grand Finals)

Start at 00:42

Casters: "Unbelievable! Samsung Galaxy holds the line! The Nexus survives! This is a miracle defence!"

In League of Legends, the smallest decisions can have the greatest impact, as shown in the 2017 World Championship Grand Finals, where Samsung Galaxy faced SK Telecom T1 in a series that would go down in history. In the final game, an extraordinary moment took place where Samsung Galaxy managed to miraculously defend their nexus.

It was shown as an incredible display of composure and coordination from Samsung Galaxy where they refused to let SKT take down their nexus, and that’s what makes legends.

4. Reverse Sweep (Worlds 2018 Finals)

Casters: "Unbelievable! Invictus Gaming refuses to go down without a fight! They've completed the reverse sweep! They are the new World Champions!"

A reverse sweep happens when a team is down two games in a series but manages to come back and win the next three games, as was shown in the 2018 World Championship Finals, where Invictus Gaming and Fnatic faced off and Invictus Gaming found themselves down 0-2, but they came back and managed to make a remarkable reverse sweep to claim the championship title.

This was a historic moment for Invictus Gaming, where they showed the mental fortitude and resilience that are unparalleled when they came back from such a deficit and won three games in a row, which showed their skill and determination.

Invictus Gaming never gave up, and they showed the ability of their team to adapt as required to make their comeback.

3. Faker vs. Rookie Mid-Lane Showdown (Worlds 2018 Semifinals)

Casters: "Oh, the outplay from Faker! He baits Rookie in and turns the tables! This is the Faker we know and love!"

In the realm of mid-lane dominance, not many fights have captured the attention of the fans, but the clash between Faker and Rookie during the 2018 World Championship Semifinals went down in the history of League of Legends as the two titans of mid-lane were against each other.

Faker vs. Rookie represented a clash of titans where each player was showcasing their mastery of the mid-lane rolem. The intense back and forth, the calculated moves, and the huge talent on display made this moment one of the unforgettable highlights in the history of League of Legends esports.

2. The Caps vs. Faker Solo Kill (MSI 2019 Finals)

Casters: "Wait, Caps is going for it! The solo kill on Faker! This is unprecedented! Caps is making a statement!"

This was the time when two mid-lane legends clashed and the world watched in anticipation. In the 2019 Mid-Season Invitational (MSI) Finals, G2 Esports and SK Telecom T1 faced off in a thrilling series when there was a moment that stood out among the rest: the solo kill by Caps on the legend Faker, which built Caps’ reputation and stated that he is one of the best mid-laners.

It was a moment of brilliance from Caps to solo kill Faker, who was known as the mid-lane maestro, which showed Caps’ nerves of steel and extraordinary skill.

This was when Caps managed to play Ryze against Faker’s Sylas, which was a great moment as Faker was known to be one of the best Ryze players in League of Legends history.

1. The Uzi Pentakill (MSI 2018 Finals)

Casters: "Uzi is unstoppable! That's a pentakill! He's decimated the enemy team! This is Uzi at his absolute best!"

Every player dreams of killing out an entire enemy team, and that’s what happened in the 2018 MSI Finals, where Uzi fulfilled that dream in a moment of sheer dominance and mechanical prowess with his extraordinary Kai’sa plays.

The Uzi Pentakill highlighted the individual brilliance of a man who had long been known as one of the best ADCs in the world. It showed Uzi’s ability to carry the team to victory with his unparalleled mechanics and game sense, which made him an icon of the ADC position.

Uzi’s precision and positioning with Kai’Sa in the team fight were greater than anyone's; the way he navigated the chaos and secured the pentakill shows his great skills.