INTERVIEW: FaZe aBeZy and Cellium Talk Dominance – ‘No One Can Beat Us’

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Atlanta FaZe clinched a decisive 3-0 win over Toronto Ultra, moving them one step closer at the CDL Madrid Major. This overwhelming triumph pushed Ultra into the elimination round where they’ll face off against the Royal Ravens – their final opportunity to continue in the tournament.

After the conclusion of a match, I had the opportunity to chat with Tyler ‘aBeZy’ Pharris and McArthur ‘Cellium’ Jovel from Atlanta FaZe. We discussed their impressive nine-game winning streak, their decision to play more aggressively this season, and how they managed to recover from a challenging start.

‘I Was Underperforming’

Atlanta FaZe got off to a rocky beginning in the 2025 CDL season. The team faced their first 0-3 loss during a qualifying round since May 2023, which was inflicted by the red-hot Carolina Royal Ravens, a squad that’s been performing exceptionally well this year.

Initially, FaZe suffered three consecutive defeats, then took a breather and managed to reverse their fortunes. Currently, they’re close to setting a near-legendary run of nine straight victories, barely giving up maps in any match they play.

I caught up with Cellium and aBeZy to chat about the change-up:

Cellium: I was struggling significantly in my performance previously. We had numerous discussions within our team about our strategies and perspectives, which undoubtedly contributed to our improvement during the break. Now, we all seem to be aligned and have built trust in one another.

Following the break and our victory against the Falcons, we held a team meeting where we discussed our strategies. Since then, we’ve been operating at full capacity, performing exceptionally well. As he put it, we have faith in each other no matter what situation we find ourselves in, and we’re playing with confidence.

The conversation shifted towards a remark by Drazah, who wasn’t in the discussion. In a previous statement, he mentioned ATL would challenge anyone at any moment, implying their approach has become more confrontational. I sought clarification from aBeZy and Cellium about this: is this indeed their new strategy?

Absolutely, you’re right. It seems to me that the team we face doesn’t really matter. If we’re performing at our peak, I believe there’s no team that can outmatch us.

Cellium expressed similar feelings, asserting confidently: ‘I truly believe we’re the top team at this moment, by far.’

On three separate occasions over the past two days, I’ve inquired about opinions from Call of Duty League experts regarding the crowd enthusiasm for this tournament in Madrid. So far, OpTic Texas and LA Thieves have concurred that European crowds outshine their North American counterparts, a sentiment echoed by Atlanta FaZe team members as well.

aBeZy: I think EU crowds are insane … Even this crowd is crazy.

As a gaming enthusiast, I’ve been fortunate enough to visit Europe twice, and both times have left me spellbound! The energy of the European crowds during gaming events is absolutely unparalleled.

Atlanta FaZe advances to face LA Thieves in the finals tomorrow night. If either team loses, they’ll move to the elimination round where they’ll compete against one of Toronto, Carolina, Miami, or Minnesota for a chance to progress further.

For more coverage of the Madrid Major, check out my interview with LA Thieves’ Scrap and Ghosty.

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2025-02-01 21:48