- Prorate won Ultimate Controller League 3 after beating Jesse 6-5 in a dramatic final, taking home KSh 20,000.
- The two-time defending champion Shaq was knocked out in the quarter-finals after losing 5-4 to Prorate.
- Jesse finished runner-up after an impressive run, while Harry Kappa took third place in the KSh 50,000 tournament.
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Ultimate Controller League 3 produced a new champion on Saturday after Prorate survived a dramatic final against Jesse, winning 6-5 after extra time to take the KSh 20,000 first prize.
But the road to the trophy was anything but straightforward.
The tournament attracted 32 players, with organizers starting in eight groups of four before moving the top two from each group into the knockout stage. Those 16 qualifiers were joined by the previous season’s finalists, Shaq and Prorate, creating an 18-player field for the next stage.
ALSO READ: Ultimate Controller League Season 3: Dates, KSh 50,000 Prize Pool, and Registration Details
And once the bracket opened up, the tournament delivered exactly the kind of storylines Kenyan FC fans love.
The defending champion fell.
Jesse put together a serious run.
And Prorate went all the way, overcoming his toughest rival and a dramatic final to claim the title.
Shaq’s Three-Peat Dream Ends in the Quarter-Finals of Ultimate Controller League 3
Shaq came into Season 3 with a target on his back. He had won the first two editions of UCL, making him the player everyone wanted to beat as the competition moved into FC 27.
ALSO READ: Ultimate Controller League edition 2: Shaq Defends His Crown After Crazy Final Against Prorate
But this time, his run ended before the final.
Prorate had already beaten Mohabi 8-3 in his opening fixture and followed that with a 6-3 victory over Marlone.
Then came the match against Shaq.
The two have had plenty of competitive battles, and Prorate has previously found Shaq a difficult opponent. This time, however, he came out on top, winning 5-4 to knock the two-time champion out in the quarter-finals.
ALSO READ: Shaq Wins Ultimate Controller League Season 1, Beats Collo Gamer in All-Phoenix Final
That result immediately changed the shape of the tournament.
Shaq’s attempt to win three consecutive UCL titles was over, while Prorate had sent a clear message to the remaining players.
He was not coming to finish second again.
Prorate Ripped Through the Knockout Stage
After eliminating Shaq, Prorate continued his run with a 7-3 win over Sam Jr in the semi-finals.
That booked his place in the final against Jesse, who had also put together an impressive campaign.
Prorate’s route to the trophy was particularly demanding because he faced several major names along the way:
- Mohabi: 8-3
- Marlone: 6-3
- Shaq: 5-4
- Sam Jr: 7-3
- Jesse: 6-5
Five wins in the final stage, with the defending champion among his victims.
It was the kind of tournament run that deserved a trophy.
But Jesse had one more challenge waiting for him.
Jesse’s Run Was Just as Impressive
Jesse had already been one of the standout performers during the group stage, topping Group D with seven points.
He then carried that momentum into the next bracket, beating Jojo Depay 5-4, Lil Pip 6-3 and Harry Kappa 8-7.
The victory over Kappa was particularly important because it showed Jesse could survive tight games against the tournament’s strongest players.
After an earlier meeting with Prorate in the semi-final stage, Jesse fought his way back into the final to earn another chance at the trophy.
That set up a rematch between two players who had both survived a demanding tournament.
And this time, the championship would be decided over 90 minutes, extra time and a finish that had everyone watching closely.
Prorate vs Jesse: A Final That Went to the Wire
The final was arguably the most entertaining game of the tournament.
Jesse came out strongly and at one point led 3-1, putting himself in a position to take control of the championship.
But Prorate refused to let the game slip away.
He fought back, dragged the match into extra time and eventually moved ahead in a contest that kept swinging between the two players.
Then came the moment that almost changed everything. In the 120th minute, Jesse appeared to have scored a late equaliser that would have taken the final to penalties.
The goal, however, was ruled slightly offside.
That left Prorate’s narrow lead intact.
The final ended 6-5, giving Prorate the UCL Season 3 title after one of the most dramatic finishes of the tournament.
For Jesse, it was a painful way to lose after coming so close to forcing penalties. For Prorate, it was a major moment: he had beaten the two-time champion, survived a tough knockout run and then held off one final challenge to lift the trophy.
Ultimate Controller League 3: The 32-Player Group Stage Set the Scene
Before the knockout drama, the tournament began with 32 players divided into eight groups of four. The top two from each group progressed.
The 16 qualifiers were:
- Group A: Ceaser Phoenix and Brayovin Santiago eHub
- Group B: Fox and Wayne SC
- Group C: Marlone 77 and Regullus Leijona
- Group D: Jesse Phoenix and Prince Phoenix
- Group E: Sam Jr Phoenix and Tank SC
- Group F: Harry Kappa and Temuna Jr Santiago eHub
- Group G: Lil Pip Homeboyz and Mohabi Leijona
- Group H: Lord7 Homeboyz and Jojo Depay
Marlone, Sam Jr and Lil Pip all finished their groups with three wins from three matches, showing their form early in the day.
The knockout field then expanded to 18 players when Shaq and Prorate, the previous season’s finalists, joined the group-stage qualifiers.
You can view the group-stage results and standings on the official Challonge page here:
View UCL Season 3 Group Stage on Challonge
UCL Season 3 Prize Money
The tournament had a total prize pool of KSh 50,000, rewarding the top five finishers:
- 1st: Prorate, KSh 20,000
- 2nd: Jesse, KSh 15,000
- 3rd: Harry Kappa, KSh 10,000
- 4th: Sam Jr, KSh 4,000
- 5th: Prince, KSh 1,000
Prorate claimed the biggest share, Jesse earned KSh 15,000 after reaching the final, and Kappa secured third place.
Why Prorate’s UCL Season 3 Win Matters
This was more than another tournament trophy.
Shaq had won the first two editions, and another victory would have given him three consecutive UCL titles. Instead, Prorate stopped that run and claimed the championship himself.
He did it by beating some of the strongest players in the field, including Shaq and Sam Jr, before surviving a final in which Jesse came within seconds of forcing penalties.
For Jesse, the runner-up finish was still an impressive result after his run through the group stage and knockout bracket. Kappa also left with third place after one of the more competitive routes through the tournament.
But the headline belongs to Prorate.
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