Sources: Riyadh Falcons Weigh Benching Pred Ahead of CoD Champs

The Riyadh Falcons are looking to shake things up in a last push toward a championship run. After a Top 12 exit at Major IV, the team’s old issues on LAN have resurfaced, undoing the momentum they built online and overshadowing a promising Top 6 finish at Major III. What once looked like a roster finally turning the corner has instead raised fresh doubts about whether this core can deliver when it matters most.

📸 Photo by @CODLeague

Sources now indicate that all-star SMG Amer "Pred" Zulbeari could be at risk of being sent to the bench just weeks before CoD Champs, a drastic step that underlines how serious the Falcons are about fixing their problems before the two biggest events of the year. The organization is interested in Ethan, the OMiT standout and Major IV Challengers LAN winner, though any move there would require navigating an expensive buyout and tough negotiations. Internally, there’s a sense the Falcons don’t want to be strong-armed by other organizations looking to squeeze them in a desperate window.

We can also confirm that Major I MVP Travis "Neptune" McCloud is on the Falcons’ target list, but his current buyout price is a major stumbling block. The team has done its homework on multiple options, yet every potential upgrade comes with financial and timing complications. Before Major III, internal issues already pushed management to run trials; despite mixed results, they ultimately stuck with the existing lineup, and for a brief stretch it seemed to be the right call. With familiar problems now back on stage, Riyadh finds itself at a crossroads: triple down on the core that got them here, or pull the trigger on a late-season overhaul and hope it’s enough to break through finally.