The Overwatch League’s Los Angeles Gladiators has signed Lee “Panker” Byung-ho to a two-way contract for the 2019 season.
Panker previously played with Gladiators Legion, the Los Angeles Gladiators minor league team. The South Korean Overwatch tank player also competed on Team KongDoo Uncia and Toronto Esports before joining Gladiators Legion.
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“We’re happy to welcome Panker to part of the Overwatch League roster,” Gladiators director of esports Charlie Lipsie said in a statement. “We have at least two players in every position except main tank. He’s done an excellent job as main tank in our Contenders and will be a great back up.”
Two-way players in the Overwatch League participate in both League and Contenders matches. Two-way players count toward the Overwatch League’s 12-player limit and the eight-player Contenders roster. A two-way player will lose their two-way status if they’re played in more than two League matches per stage. A two-way player can’t play in a League and Contenders match in the same week.
Los Angeles Gladiators have made a few offseason moves, including the additions of Gye “rOar” Chang-hoon, Jang “Decay” Gui-un, and Riku “Ripa” Toivanen. Four players have since left the team: Ted “silkthread” Wang, who is now retired from Overwatch, Choi “Asher” Jun-sung, who joined Toronto Defiant, Luis “iRemiix” Galarza Figueroa, who’s now playing for Skyfoxes, and Baek “Fissure” Chan-hyung, who joined Seoul Dynasty.
The roster now has nine players heading into the Overwatch League’s 2019 season. The Overwatch League begins on Feb. 14 at Blizzard Arena Los Angeles. Los Angeles Gladiators’ first 2019 season match is scheduled for Feb. 14 against Seoul Dynasty—and that’s surely an exciting matchup for fans who want to see Los Angeles Gladiators take on Fissure’s new team.
