The second day of the group stage in the Circuitão, also known as the Challenger Circuit, League of Legends’ tier 2 championship, took place on Tuesday, March 18. The teams that made their debut were Dopamina E-Sport (DOP), RATZ, Rise Gaming (RSE), Stellae Gaming (STE), IDL, and Corinthians Esports (COR). As the dust settled, it was clear that this season was shaping up to be an intense one.
The First Week of the LoL Circuitão Comes to a Close
The first matchup was between the teams that rose from the Qualify stage. With a 2-0 win, Dopamina E-Sport emerged victorious, thanks in part to the skills of Micael “MicaO” Rodrigues, the team’s marksman who had fought for a spot in the Circuitão during the qualifiers. However, in a surprising turn of events, MicaO has once again announced his retirement. As of the next match, Caio “Kojima” Kojima will be taking over the role. The news of MicaO’s retirement sent shockwaves through the community, with the player himself taking to Twitter to bid farewell – again.
BIG MICAS OUT. (de novo)
— Micael (@micaOlol) March 18, 2025
The second best-of-three matchup saw Rise Gaming (RSE) face off against Stellae Gaming (STE), the new team that took over the spot previously held by Tropa Raizen. The duel ended 2-0 in favor of the newcomer, with Gabriel “Makes” Nemeth playing as Darius, his signature champion. The teams exchanged greetings on social media, with STELLAE tweeting:
Foi uma grande partida! A lei do ex pode ser dura as vezes 😭
Boa sorte no restante do campeonato 💪
— STELLAE (@StellaeGaming) March 18, 2025
The final showdown of the day pitted the ninjas against Corinthians Esports (COR). The hawks took an early 2-0 lead but suffered a tough setback in the second game, which led to a deciding third match. The thrilling confrontation lasted over 40 minutes and ultimately ended with Corinthians destroying the enemy Nexus and securing the win.
The first week of the Circuitão has come to a close, but the action will resume on Monday, March 24, as the teams return to the Rift for the continuation of the group stage. With a total of R$ 119,600 in prize money up for grabs, including R$ 48,000 for the champion, the stakes are high, and the competition is expected to be fierce. As the teams gear up for the next round of matches, one thing is clear – this season of the Circuitão is going to be one for the books.
