The Dive | Driven by Kia - A League of Legends Esports Podcast

The regular season is over and Spring Playoffs are finally here! On this episode of The Dive Driven by Kia, Azael, Kobe, and Meteos open with a deeper discussion about LYON’s in-game comms. While it may seem toxic to some, there’s a level of understanding between the pros- friendship & flaming can go hand in hand when players aren’t afraid to step on eggshells while communicating. How do you prefer to express yourself with your teammates?
Dhokla and Saint are still competing for LYON’s top lane spot, while FLY’s Gryffinn pulled out a Nasus jungle that hasn’t been seen in LCS pro play since 2013. Despite C9’s undefeated regular season, one of the rarer accomplishments in the LCS, the team is still trying to earn back fans’ trust after their performance at Americas Cup. Meanwhile, the top five teams all look dangerously competitive heading into playoffs, and even with Contractz bringing out his signature Olaf, SR still enters the bracket as the underdogs.
After breaking down last week’s matches, our hosts lock in their Round 1 Playoff predictions. Can FLY’s champion pool find a way past the seemingly unconquerable C9? And in the highly anticipated rematch between TLAW and LYON, will revenge be on the table?
Oh, and leave a comment for what Kobe should paint on Raz’s face on broadcast this Saturday. We’ll see you there!
Single-day tickets for Spring Finals are available now! Experience two days of high-stakes LCS action live at Arizona State University’s Mullett Arena. Click the link below to secure your spot!

https://lolesports.com/en-US/news/buy-lcs-spring-finals-2026-tickets-here

Timestamps:0:00 Intro

3:17 LYON comms

6:31 LYON vs FLY Recap

19:39 DIG vs SEN Recap

27:18 C9 vs TLAW Recap

42:22 SR vs DIG Recap

49:20 Playoffs Predictions: C9 vs FLY

57:52 Playoffs Predictions: LYON vs TLAW

1:09:23 Kia MVP + All-Pro Voting Now Open!

Get your single-day Spring Finals tickets here! https://www.ticketmaster.com/artist/1943936?venueId=205261&_gl=1*1j2xizo*_ga*MTU3NzQzODczOC4xNzc4NzI4MTcy*_ga_TEHJR60KD9*czE3Nzg3MjgxNzIkbzEkZzEkdDE3Nzg3MjgxNzIkajYwJGwwJGgxMTQyOTQyMDE3

To the new league players coming from Jynxzi’s tournament stream, hello! Welcome to The Dive Driven by Kia, hosted by none other than Azael, Kobe, and Meteos. This tournament illuminated the fact that there is so much to learn for newbies, while reminding veteran players of their love of the game— and how it can bring the gaming community together. With their years of League of Legends experience under their belts, our hosts gave tips and advice to those who are just starting their League journeys.

And as promised by Kobe, here’s the “Press R, Marlon!” clip: https://youtube.com/shorts/mTwsUQJlaXg?si=0RnGFB1FdJeZaJJP

During the weekly LCS recap, Kobe and Meteos broke down two key moments from the final game of an incredible series between TLAW and LYON. Those big clutch moments, the confidence to make the huge plays, and listening into the comms of game-changing moments… is that what it takes to be the most valuable player in the LCS? Regardless, this upcoming Saturday begins the last week of the regular season— the battle for first begins! Playoffs can’t come soon enough!

Finally, this jam-packed episode concludes with an overview of Patch 26.10. What do you think about the change to minion aggro?

If you’re looking for more LCS content after finishing this episode of The Dive Driven by Kia, check out the PROS episode our hosts referenced here: https://youtu.be/nFEFDCizlkA?si=EU3TwKNs5YMTfaMr

Timestamps:

0:00 - Jynxzi Tournament

7:35 - Tips for New Players!

15:00 - DIG eXyu’s Interview

27:39 - Remaking Scrims & Lyon Comms

44:07 - SEN vs SR Recap

53:59 - DIG vs DSG Recap

1:01:34 - FLY vs C9 Recap

1:13:03 - TLAW vs LYON

1:26:40 - Week 7 Predictions

1:40:28 - Patch 26.10

Don’t miss out on watching Spring Finals LIVE at ASU’s Mullett Arena! https://www.ticketmaster.com/lcs-spring-finals-twoday-bundle-tempe-arizona-06-13-2026/event/1900648DDD868888

On this episode of The Dive Driven by Kia, LCS roster changes are the opening subject- and for good reason! Srtty may or may not be a permanent addition for DSG, though we all know where Castle is headed. LYON’s top lane spot is up for grabs and, as our hosts said, part of being a pro is being replaced. While there are competing feelings in the excitement for Castle and recognition of Dhokla’s battle, one question remains: Who will be this year’s Kia MVP and claim a spot on Kia’s All-Pro team?

Azael, Kobe, and Meteos then recapped Spring Week 5, breaking down an impeccable Nexus fight that almost took a series to three games. Looking ahead, we’re moving into the last two weeks of the regular season. High pressure matches are ahead… who will make it to playoffs?

This week is DIG’s last chance to go to Arizona, so they better bring their A-game! Fans are also getting a rematch between C9 Blaber and FLY Gryffinn- time to see who is really king of the jungle.

Our hosts gave their predictions, but leave a comment letting us know whether or not you agree- we’re always curious to hear the thoughts of The Dive listeners! We’ll see you Saturday!

Timestamps:

0:00 - Intro + Roster Changes

16:28 - Kia All-Pro and Kia MVP

29:37 - Get your Spring Finals tickets!

31:40 - DIG vs C9 Recap

40:53 - DSG vs TLAW Recap

47:52 - LYON vs SEN Recap

1:02:02 - SR vs FLY Recap

1:12:51 - Week 6 Lookahead

Don’t miss out on watching Spring Finals LIVE at ASU’s Mullett Arena! https://www.ticketmaster.com/lcs-spring-finals-twoday-bundle-tempe-arizona-06-13-2026/event/1900648DDD868888

On this episode of The Dive Driven by Kia, MarkZ joins Azael, Kobe, and Meteos for a Roadshow discussion. The crew delves into the recent decisions made at the Riot Games Arena in Los Angeles, all made with a larger goal in mind: to bring you, the fans, the best LCS experience we can!

Our hosts then tackled the controversial “Off-Meta Banning,” breaking down the balance between creative champion picks and the pressure to stick to proven, win-rate-driven strategies. Another hot topic: Jynxzi’s first attempt at League of Legends under the guidance of content creator Tyler1. 

And, of course, Patch 26.9! With the start of a season, this update brought more freedom to role quests, impactful champion changes across ranked and pro play, and rune adjustments. Last but never least, episode 13 wraps up with a recap of Spring Week 4 and the hosts’ predictions on this next week of intense LCS matchups.

Got thoughts or questions? Leave a comment below! We’re always looking for more fan input & MarkZ might even return to answer a few…!

Timestamps:0:00 - Intro0:59 - Fan-less Arena & Roadshows with MarkZ14:48 - Off-Meta Banning33:11 - Jynxzi and Tyler142:20 - Patch 26.91:09:07 - DIG vs FLY Recap1:18:32 - SR vs C9 Recap1:23:16 - LYON vs DSG Recap1:31:50 - TLAW vs SEN Recap1:40:37 - Week 5 Predictions!

Welcome back to The Dive Driven by Kia! To begin, Meteos gives listeners a behind-the-scenes peek inside the QA team and the play testing they’ve done on the announced Season 2 changes. Alternate builds, more versatility and creativity, item adjustments- looks like we’re gearing up for an exciting next step in Demacia!

Next up: one of the hottest topics for high ELO-players: rank and MMR reset. With every reset comes the age-old debate… shorter queue times or perfect matchmaking? You can’t have both, so which would you choose?

Our hosts also recapped LCS Spring Week 3, where C9 and TLAW have solidified themselves as undefeated leaders. Sentinels, on the other hand, picked up their first win. Could this be the momentum they need to push toward playoffs? Teams like DSG, DIG, and FLY still have more to show, this stage is far from over! After breaking down last week’s matches, Azael, Kobe, and Meteos shared their predictions heading into Week 4.

DON’T FORGET! LCS Spring Finals tickets are on sale for all viewers! Claim your spot at ASU’s Mullett Arena to see which team will lift the trophy- we’ll see you there! 

https://lolesports.com/en-US/news/lcs-spring-finals-heads-to-asu-at-mullett-arena

Timestamps:

0:00 - Intro & Kobe’s lucky number

1:50 - Meteos’ Season 2 Thoughts!

17:30 - Rank Reset for Apex Players

27:46 - Short Queue Times or Perfect Matchmaking?

32:42 - Spring Finals Tickets are Live!

33:44 - C9 vs DSG Recap

48:33 - FLY vs SEN Recap

59:44 - SR vs LYON Recap

1:08:36 - TLAW vs DIG Recap

1:16:05 - Week 4 Lookahead!

Do YOU think a modern Masters player could go back to earlier League of Legends seasons and make rank 1?

This episode of The Dive Driven by Kia kicks off with that exact debate (and yes, Kobe is VERY confident he could do it). We’re also joined by special guest Raz, who brings fresh insights and opinions on Patch 26.8 and the latest dev updates- including Tahm Kench’s “adjustments” and the addition of WASD controls in ranked.

Turning to the Spring Split, our hosts break down Week 2’s matches and look ahead to Week 3, posing a striking question: are we training our rookies to play TOO safe?

Raz shared stories of his travel show experiences and the indescribable feeling of being in an arena packed with passionate League of Legends fans so… DON’T FORGET! LCS Spring Finals tickets go on sale on FRIDAY (4/17, for Mastercard holders only) and SATURDAY (4/18, for general sale). Claim your spot at ASU’s Mullett Arena to see which team earns the chance to represent LCS at MSI!

https://lolesports.com/en-US/news/lcs-spring-finals-heads-to-asu-at-mullett-arena

To wrap up this episode, our hosts answered a different question from our YouTube comments- shoutout to @MrDukejt for submitting! Keep them coming, we love hearing from you! 

Timestamps:

0:00 - Intro

1:52 - Reddit Mind Benders

12:39 - Dev Update + Patch 26.8

30:23 - Spring Finals Tickets

33:59 - DSG vs C9 Lookahead

46:25 - SEN vs FLY Lookahead

56:02 - LYON vs SR Lookahead

1:05:09 - DIG vs TLAW Lookahead

1:12:02 - Thoughts on Week 3/Current Top Teams

1:16:02 - Fan Question!

On today’s episode of The Dive Driven by Kia, we kick things off with fan questions! Diving into intriguing topics like which role feels the most different in pro play, Meteos’ take on a Lissandra jungle angle, how Fearless functions best on stage, and the big question everyone has been thinking: is C9 back?

From there, the crew breaks down Week 1 of the Spring Split, beginning with the Lock-In Finals rematch! Could C9’s win signify the start of their comeback, or was LYON just having an off day? Azael, Kobe, and Meteos share their takes and what it could mean moving forward. After addressing some of the biggest blunders of Week 1 across the region, our hosts wrap things up with their predictions for Week 2 and their hopes for the rest of the split (more post-match Castle interviews, please!)

Got any questions for the show? We’ll be picking more conversation starters to feature in upcoming episodes, so post them in the comments!

Timestamps:

0:00 - Intro

2:20 - DiamondProx on the Pro Lifestyle

8:03 - Fan Question Segment

34:52 - C9 vs LYON Recap

42:32 - Discussing TLAW

47:24 - Discussing FLY

54:36 - DIG vs SR Recap

1:03:49 - DIG vs LYON Lookahead

1:08:01 - Discussing DSG

1:20:09 - Discussing SEN

It’s no April Fools’ joke, The Dive driven by Kia is back! First, we look back at LYON and G2’s performances at First Stand. Next, Patch 26.7 is here and we’ve got everything you need to know, whether you’re playing on the LCS stage or playing against Scrub Daddy 400 in solo queue (Looking at you, Jojopyun). Farming supports are back. Kobe is no longer banning Graves. Cassiopeia has found her footing, or she would if she had any. We’ve also got updated LCS Power Rankings and a preview of opening weekend, starting with a Finals rematch between C9 and LYON.

LCS Spring Split starts this weekend and tickets are available now! Come see the games live at the Riot Games Arena in Los Angeles including a pre-game April Fools’ tailgate: https://www.tixr.com/groups/lcs/

Grab your April Fools merch here: https://merch.riotgames.com/en-us/

Timestamps:

0:00 - Intro + LYON at First Stand

11:57 - G2’s Finals run at First Stand

17:43 - Jojopyun on solo queue vs VOD review

27:04 - Patch 26.7, April Fools’ merch, Farming support changes

38:37 - Get your tickets for LCS Opening Weekend!

39:26 - LCS Spring Split Power Rankings

59:14 - LYON vs C9

1:01:09 - SEN vs DSG

1:06:37 - TL vs FLY

1:10:14 - DIG vs SR

On this episode of The Dive Driven by Kia we’re graced with a special guest; Commissioner MarkZ stopped by to chat about Spring Split details and help our hosts find the silver lining after Americas Cup. While NA teams didn’t have their best showing, there were important learnings and stress tests leading up to First Stand and MSI. There’s always a rebound angle, right?

And speaking of First Stand, the tournament kicks off next week! We’re looking to our leading Lyons to bring us to victory, though there’s definitely some TOUGH competition ahead of us from the other regions (looking at you, GenG!) 

Get ready for 6 straight days of double best-of-5s- more League of Legends than you could even dream of!

Finally, though there will be no new episodes of The Dive until April… you CAN keep up with our hosts as they may or may not taking over the @LCSOfficial socials to bring you content straight from Brazil during First Stand! We’ll see you there.

Timestamps:

0:00 - INTRO & Welcome to Mark!

1:06 - Americas Cup Review

10:01 - Americas Cup Takeaways

19:53 - Spring Split Primer

23:38 - First Stand Preview

25:06 - Lyon vs Loud

35:48 - GenG vs JDG

43:48 - BNK vs BLG

56:44 - G2 vs TSW

1:09:27 - Life Updates!

This week’s episode of The Dive Driven by Kia begins with a lengthy conversation about the play-off finals: Lyon vs Cloud9 Kia. After battling through three separate Bo5s this weekend, Lyon caused quite the upset in our hosts’ week one power rankings. Two teams have punched their tickets to the Americas Cup, while one powerhouse team is headed to First Stand… but it may not be who we originally thought!

Plus, the players will be working with the newest release: Patch 26.5. With plenty of item buffs, Kobe is looking forward to more flexibility in builds for a wide range of characters. There's also midlane nerfs, could it be enough to shake up the pro scene?

Finally, our hosts noted how many amazing fans of The Dive they were able to meet this past weekend! Seeing the energy and support at the live events means the world to both the casters and players. Thanks for coming by!

Timestamps:

0:00 - Intro

1:30 - Cloud9 vs LYON Finals Review

19:07 - Closer Look at LYON Saint

25:06 - Revisiting Power Rankings

28:06 - Americas Cup Lookahead

33:22 - Scrims vs Stage

39:35 - Patch 26.5