Aiming to defend their title in the League of Legends Championship of The Americas (LTA) Cross-Conference Playoffs, FlyQuest is set to face off against 100 Thieves next week in what promises to be an intense and thrilling best-of-three match. As the stakes rise, the team’s AD Carry, Fahad "Massu" Abdulmalek, opens up in this exclusive interview about his time in Brazil, the adjustments he's made to his mindset in his second year as a pro, and the areas FlyQuest needs to improve to stay at the top. Massu also offers his insights into the current state of the league, including his thoughts on the league format and what changes could be made for future splits.

How has your experience been in Brazil so far, especially with the crowd? We noticed some booing during the match—what was that like for you?

Fahad "Massu" Abdulmalek: "Brazil has been great so far. I really enjoy the food, especially how fresh fruits are here [laughs]. Regarding the crowd, I was honestly very surprised when they started booing, but it was actually enjoyable because it showed their passion for their teams. It wasn’t personal—just strong support for the home team. The energy in the studio was incredible, with noise levels almost on par with Worlds, despite the smaller venue. It was great to experience.

You secured a 2-0 win today and advanced to the semifinals. A few weeks ago, you lost to Cloud9, but since then, you've been undefeated. Do you think something changed after that match, or was it just an off day for FlyQuest?

Massu: There were definitely some changes after we lost to C9. It was a needed loss because we started getting in our own heads and weren’t fully focused as a team. After that, we had to take a step back and address our problems—how we communicated, and how we needed to make sure everyone was on the same page. Whether it was macro plans, team fighting, or lane assignments, we had to be more vocal in-game and share information. That was something we were lacking after coming back from Worlds, maybe because we were still warming up. So overall, I think the loss to C9 helped us a lot.

The LTA format has been a big topic of discussion, especially with no best-of-fives until the grand finals. How do you feel about playing in this split? Do you think changes are needed in the future?

Massu: I definitely think the system isn’t perfect right now. After this split, maybe Riot will take another look and see what needs to change. It does feel a bit weird that you play two best-of-threes—if you win, you go to playoffs, and if you lose, you’re out until April. I think there should be more matches or best-of-fives throughout like the LPL does. I'm a big fan of that format, so I’d definitely like to see more best-of-fives.

Your match against 100 Thieves next week is a best-of-three in a single-elimination format. If you lose, you're out until April, and even if you win, the finals are the very next day. How do you feel about the stakes and the pressure of this matchup?

Massu: Every match in this format feels like do-or-die, so losing any game is stressful. As for 100 Thieves, I think they’ve improved a lot since last season. In my opinion, they’re a team that can be pretty hit or miss depending on the day. I’m excited to play against them. Of course, it's a bit stressful knowing that a loss means elimination, but I try not to focus on that too much.

Are you confident you'll be able to beat both 100 Thieves and whoever comes next in the finals? Is FlyQuest making it to First Stand?

Massu: We're still very confident. We know we have a really good team—we just need to iron out our mistakes and clean up our gameplay. If we do that, we'll be a pretty strong team.

Last year was your rookie season. Are you seeing your second competitive year differently? Do you have new goals, especially after your Worlds experience?

Massu: The biggest difference this year is a shift in mindset. Going into my second year, I have to take on more responsibility both as a player and as a teammate. I can’t just rely on the team for support—I need to share my opinions, voice my thoughts, and contribute my own ideas about the game. I have to take on a bigger share of responsibility than I did last year, and that’s something I’m working on.

My goals have always been to compete internationally and place as high as possible—that hasn’t changed. Along the way, I’ve realized that sometimes we might play poorly, choke, or just lose, and I’ve come to accept that. For me, a successful split means making it to international competition because I feel it helps me improve a lot. Even if we don’t win the LTA or reach the level I expect, I’ll still be satisfied if I feel I spent my time well, learned a lot, and became a better player. But my main goal is always to perform well internationally.

How do you feel about Fearless Draft as an ADC? Do you think it's the future of League of Legends?

Massu: Before Fearless became a thing, I was pretty skeptical about it. But honestly, after playing this split and tournament, I really enjoy it. I like it a lot. Even though for botlane, the picks mainly change based on the tier list, like in game 1, the S-tier champs get picked, and then in game 2, you move on to the next ones.

I think especially in best-of-fives, the more unique picks come out. In the LPL, they play champions like Twitch, sometimes Sivir, and other champions. I think it definitely adds more versatility to the game and makes it a lot more fun to play. And from what I’ve read, it makes it more fun to watch as well. So yeah, I like Fearless so far.

Are we going to see the Twitch-Lulu combo from you guys soon?

Massu: Maybe, it depends honestly. I am definitely a big Twitch fan though.

Phreak recently mentioned that "ADCs are not weak," but noted that ADC players are unsatisfied with their role. He continued by saying, "If you're having a bad time playing ADC, it's a skill issue." What do you think about that?

Massu: I don't fully agree with him. I do think that in solo queue, it’s a lot harder to play ADC. ADC is a role that needs to be played around; it needs to be carried through the early game. You need to be really good to make an impact and get through on your own. But I think ADC is still relatively okay or strong because once you get your items and reach your spikes, you'll still be strong and usually the main damage dealer. So, I think it’s just harder to play and reach that point, which requires more skill.

Any closing thoughts for your fans?

Massu: Thank you all for watching our games. The Brazilian fans have been really nice. Even if we got booed on stage, it was very fun. So I'm looking forward to the next games.