Yilliang “Doublelift” Peng is one of the best AD Carry players in the NA League of Legends scene. He is perhaps only matched by Cloud9's Bot legend Zachary “Sneaky” Scuderi and the NA-newcomer Bae “Bang” Jun-sik. If you're a fan of NA League you know who Doublelift is. He was previously most known for his propensity for trash talk but that's all a distant memory now. Doublelift is a multi-local champion and has appeared in countless international tournaments.
He may still be cocky and gung-ho but he has the skills and the credibility to back it up. Let's take a quick look at the achievements of one of NA's most mechanically-skilled sons.
The prodigal Carry
Doublelift recently found a lot of success playing for Team Liquid following the team's massive overhaul. Doublelift dominated the NA scene under Team Liquid along with several legendary players in the region. TL secured numerous local titles with its lineup but was ultimately unable to overcome the best teams on the international stage. The dismal performances on the international stage eventually led to several key members of the mighty Team Liquid team to look for better chances with other teams. Doublelift followed suit when he transferred to Team SoloMid in April of this year.
The American Carry may have been successful on Team Liquid but he will always be known as the stalwart Bot commander of TSM. Prior to his many successes with Liquid, Doublelift was famous for racking tournament wins on TSM alongside fellow damage-dealer Søren “Bjerg” Bjergsen. Team SoloMid was an indomitable force in the NA scene around 2016 when Doublelift played for them. TSM would constantly butt heads with rivals Counter Logic Gaming for the top spot of the region.
The bulk of Doublelift's success can be found in his multiple NA titles. He has earned an estimated $306,475.81 in prize money across around 55 tournaments. Currently, Doublelift ranks 46th in earnings among all League of Legends professionals. He even ranks above Bjergsen who sits firmly on the 65th spot. It's a commendable achievement considering he has yet to win any world championships since his debut.
The key to success
Beyond the prize money and fame, Doublelift has honestly come a long way as a player and as a person. He started out as an arrogant player that was almost always expected to start hurling insults at enemy teams and players at any given opportunity. This is a deep dive back to his days on Counter Logic Gaming. There are still plenty of photos on the internet immortalizing his toxic words. Back in those days, he was easily dismissed because he had yet to win several champions that could silence any critics. Doublelift shared his unique view on why he chooses to trash talk enemies.
“If I hurt my pride because I trash-talked and we lost… It's okay. In the end, I am having fun and the viewers are having fun. It's not interesting if you aren't willing to bet something on the game.”
In a surprise twist, it would appear that there's more to the trash talk than fans initially perceive. Doublelift actively tries to put on an entertaining show for the viewers and his fans. It's a terrific balancing act of riling up the opponents and actually gunning for the championship. There's truly no other player better at finding success through gaining hatred than Doublelift.
He may not be successful on the international stage but he has earned nearly as much as several former world champions. Doublelift is merely two spots away from 2014 world champion AD Carry Gu “imp” Seung-bin. The NA region truly has a knack for creating immensely successful players that unfortunately fall short only in international tournaments.
Doublelift's future
Doublelift has not only showcased his abilities to win championships, but he has also proved to be a crucial piece of any team he plays for. Currently, he is still signed under Team SoloMid but his future prospects remain up in the air. There is no confirmation if he will still continue to play for TSM. He has also entertained the possibility of retiring from the competition completely following Bjergsen's decision to retire from the Mid lane.
A career that spans well over nine years is nothing to scoff at. Doublelift choosing to retire permanently would surely be a dagger at the heart of NA League of Legends but his 2020 Summer Playoffs win proves that he still has the skills to compete on the highest level. Fans can do little except wait for wherever Doublelift's career takes him next.
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