This weekend, the 2020 Smash Ultimate continues in Maryland as the next installment of the Glitch franchise kicks off with Glitch 8. Here are the biggest storylines to keep an eye on as the tournament unfolds.

Will the Seeding End Up Proving True?

Without a doubt, the biggest question mark heading into this weekend is the seeding of Glitch 8. While there’s an unquestionable amount of talent at the top of the tournament, the way in which the players up there are ordered does raise a few eyebrows. Enrique “Maister” Hernanadez leads the pack as the tournament’s first seed, while Samuel “Dabuz” Buzby and Gavin “Tweek” Dempsey promptly trail behind. While Maister has had some really solid results over the course of the past few months, placing him ahead of both Dabuz and Tweek is incredibly bold. Notably, top players like Nairoby “Nairo” Quezada, Tyler “Marss” Martins and Leonardo “MkLeo” Lopez are absent from Glitch this weekend, which might be the catalyst for a bit of an experimental shakeup at the top of the scene. Regardless, tournaments rarely play out exactly the way they’re seeded, but the fact that this is even a talking point heading into the second major US tournament of 2020 is distinctly noteworthy.

Will Maister Live Up to Expectations?

On the subject of seeding and an unexpected layout of the tournament, Maister most definitely has a lot of weight on his shoulders coming into this event as the top seeded player. Two weeks ago at Let’s Make Big Moves, Ezra “Samsora” Morris had been seeded first and ultimately missed out on the top 8 with a loss ultimately at the hands of Maister. Heading into this weekend’s affair, the master of Game & Watch has taken the mantle for himself and will look to prove that he’s a force to be reckoned with on a massive scale. Winning an installment of Glitch will most definitely boost his résumé here in the early portions of the game’s third competitive season. However, he’ll have to get past some of the best Ultimate players in the world on the way to the top, but with a combined record of 9-4 against the other players seeded in the top 10, there’s little reason to believe that he’ll struggle (keep in mind that Maister is 0-1 against Tweek and 0-2 against Dabuz, so things might get sweaty towards the back end of the bracket).

Can Dark Wizzy Continue His Hot Streak?

Throughout the past few tournaments, Rasheen “Dark Wizzy” Rose has been placing himself firmly in the spotlight and is blossoming into a genuine top player. With one of the hottest streaks in competitive Smash to his name, Dark Wizzy is on an absolute tear and is only getting more and more dangerous. He hasn’t placed outside the top 8 at a tournament he’s entered since October – that’s 6 consecutive PGR events. He’s on a ridiculous roll through the scene and it’s clear that he’s turning into one of the game’s best talents. This weekend at Glitch, don’t be surprised if Wizzy, who’s seeded 5th, actually exceeds those expectations.

Will Dabuz Finally End Up on Top?

Always the bridesmaid. Never the bride. This has been the case with Dabuz ever since Ultimate launched. Despite 31 entires into PGR-level events, Dabuz has only won two of them. Additionally, he’s never won a tournament that’s been more prestigious than a C-tier event. This weekend, however, he most definitely has his chance. Fresh off a 2nd place finish at Let’s Make Big Moves, Dabuz has a wide open field ahead of him, one that doesn’t feature longtime obstacles in players like Nairo and MkLeo. It’s worth noting that Tweek has edged Dabuz 9-5 in the win-loss column throughout the past year, but Glitch 8 presents as great of a chance as any for Dabuz to take the top spot at a relatively prestigious tournament.

Photo Credit: Nintendo, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, 2GGaming