The Professional NXL Division features stronger competition than we’ve seen in recent years, a Division with a long list of off-season moves and team shakeups that have already made for an exciting start to the 2021 season. Through the conclusion of the Sunshine State Major (April 30th - May 2nd) Prelims - we saw Seattle Thunder, Edmonton Impact, Tampa Bay Damage and Los Angeles Infamous emerge undefeated and at the top of the pack heading into Sunday playoffs. The Wild Card round showcased a 2020 NXL World Cup Finals rematch between San Antonio X-Factor and San Diego Dynasty, Dynasty to win in that matchup (6-5) though this time would not end in Dynasty’s favor. X-Factor would come away as the winner of that head to head (5-4) in one of the most exciting games of the weekend (rewatch on GoSports.com) only to lose by the same fate to a dominant Edmonton Impact in the Quarter-Finals. Moscow Red Legion (6-1) over Seattle Thunder, Tampa Bay Damage (5-1) over Baltimore Revo and Los Angeles Infamous (4-3) squeezing by ac DIESEL would then set up the final four Pro Semi-Finals. The short rostered Russians, including newly acquired U.S. player, Michael Waring would fight until the final moments but fall short to a scrappy “Skeleton Squad” LA Infamous (4-3). After a (3-1) victory over Tampa Bay Damage, Edmonton Impact claims their seat in the first NXL Major of the season to face Infamous. Both teams struggled to set a pace, afraid of making errors, they played controlled and baited eachother to make moves. Neither team seemed in a rush - it became a game of “who would make a mistake first?”. Two teams that would push the envelope all weekend long, now in a test of endurance, patience and grit. As the clock counted down within a minute (0:59), an attack lead by newly added Matt “Fuzzy” Jackson would break the tie to give Impact the 2 to 1 lead. A full-blown center push by Siewers, Hall & Taylor for Infamous would eventually result in a minor penalty, drastically minimizing the chance of a tie as the clock hits 0:00 giving Edmonton Impact the Sunshine State Major Pro title and #89 Alex Goldman the MyFanwagon MVP “Golden Barrel” award. Edmonton Impact has now won their thirteenth Pro title since the 2015 NXL season.
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