At EA Play during E3 this year, EA held the finals for their Madden 16 tournament, and on Tuesday, June 14, it all came to a close as Frank “Stiff” Sardoni Jr. claimed the victory, earning him the title of Madden 16 champion.
Stiff’s hard work along with his fast-paced, risky style ultimately paid off, as he defeated current Madden Challenge champion Zack “Serious Moe” Lane, who is well-known for his defense in the quarterfinals before going on to defeat two-time Madden Challenge champion Eric “Problem” Wright in the final.
As a massive fan of the Chicago Bears, Sardoni Jr. utilized his favorite team with a unique fantasy lineup to dethrone Wright’s San Francisco 49ers 37-21 and win the championship belt created by EA Sports for the event.
In an interview with ESPN, Sardoni Jr. spoke about his love for the game. “[Football] is passion,” he’s quoted as saying while draping the belt across his shoulder. It’s clear that he not only admires the sport, but his newly found prize.
The Madden competitive scene has been around for some time now, though it’s only recently starting to gain attraction as an official eSport. “Stiff” is surprisingly new, with just 3 years of experience under his belt, making him quite the underdog. That didn’t stop him, as he eventually came out on top.
As for support from his family? Luckily, he’s received plenty. “My family supports me … [m]y soon-to-be fiancee supports me 1000 percent. That’s why I’m out here. She told me to come down here and have fun, and that’s what I did. My parents couldn’t be more proud.”
It’s good to see a relatively new player on the scene achieve such success, but even better to see that Sardoni Jr. has the support of his family. Of course, with the Madden 17 championship on the way with a prize pool of $1 million, he’ll also be partaking next year.
“I’m going to be playing Madden NFL 17,” he said. “Getting my game up just like I did this year and hopefully become victorious.”
If you haven’t seen the championship final yet, you can check out the video up top. Keep in mind that the video runs for just over an hour and a half.
What did you think of the Madden 16 championship? Let us know in the comments, and be sure to stay tuned to SGO for more Madden news and tips. Check out our YouTube for some great Madden 17 videos, including an interview with Madden 17 Creative Director Rex Dickson!
