#10 JoeDecieves: Top 20 Players of Black Ops 6

The #10 Player of the Black Ops 6 season is the rising SMG Star, Joseph “JoeDeceives” Romero of the Toronto Ultra.

After having a breakout season with the LA Thieves in Modern Warfare 3, JoeDeceives joined the Canadian Franchise with the goals of making Tournament Sundays and being in the hunt for Championships. Leading the team with a 1.08 K/D on the season, Joe was the star, leading the way for the Ultra. The year ended on a high, having a 1.18 K/D during the EWC run, showing Joe showed up when it mattered most. While they didn’t take home any hardware in Black Ops 6, Toronto achieved three 3rd place finishes and never placed lower than Top 6. This success was directly linked to the impact JoeDeceives had over the year.

Season Review

The Toronto Ultra entered the 2025 CDL season with lofty expectations after closing out Modern Warfare as one of the league’s most consistent forces, highlighted by winning the opening Major of that year. Retaining their proven core of Tobias “CleanX” Juul Jønsson and Jamie “Insight” Craven alongside an experienced coaching staff, Ultra were viewed as legitimate title contenders from the outset. Signing JoeDeceives from the LA Thieves gave Toronto a very strong SMG Duo, one that could compete with the best. Rounding out the roster was Ben “Beans” McMellon, a strong damage-dealing AR.

Toronto started hot in Stage I, powering through the online qualifiers with a 6-1 record to claim the 2nd seed heading into Major I in Madrid. Their team chemistry and respawn fundamentals looked sharp early, but the opening Minor saw a stumble, a 2-3 loss to Minnesota in their first match. At the Major, they opened with a sweep over Vancouver Surge before falling 0-3 to Atlanta FaZe in Winners Round 2. Dropping to the Lower Bracket, Ultra were edged out in a Map 5 heartbreaker by Carolina Royal Ravens, finishing Top 6. Despite the early exit, their form in Hardpoint and Control hinted at bigger things to come.

📸 Photo by @CODLeague

Stage II qualifiers showed they had moved on from Madrid. Toronto went 5-2 with a 15-12 map count, battling through a tough schedule to secure the 3rd seed. Their Search & Destroy looked solid, but Hardpoint struggles and inconsistent slaying held them back. This was evident in the Minor, where they dismantled OpTic Texas 3-0 before being swept by Vancouver Surge.

Heading into Major II in Texas, the Ultra suffered a shock 0-3 loss to New York in their opening match, but what followed was one of the most impressive Lower Bracket runs of the season, sweeps over Gentle Mates, OpTic, Boston Breach, and LA Thieves, propelled them to the brink of the Grand Finals before a 1-3 loss to Vancouver sealed another 3rd-place finish.

Stage III brought another strong online campaign, with Ultra finishing 4-1 for the 5th seed. Their Hardpoint resurgence was pivotal; they posted a 7-2 record, leading the league in win percentage (77.8%) and boasting a staggering 52.6% break rate. Hopes were high entering Boca Raton, but Major III began just like the previous one: an opening loss, this time to Miami Heretics.

📸 Photo by @TorontoUltra

Yet again, Ultra rallied through the Lower Bracket with wins over Gentle Mates, Minnesota, Boston, and a revenge victory over Miami. However, history repeated itself as Vancouver ended their run 3-1, giving Toronto their second straight 3rd-place finish and further solidifying their spot among the league’s elite.

By Stage IV, Toronto was one of the most battle-tested squads in the CDL. A 3-2 record and 10-8 map count in qualifiers secured their fourth straight Upper Bracket start. But their recurring weakness, struggling in opening Major matches, struck again at Dreamhack. An early loss to OpTic sent them to the Lower Bracket, where wins over Gentle Mates and Royal Ravens set up a clash with LA Thieves. A 1-3 defeat ended their run in the Top 6, fueling doubts about whether this core could break through for a title.

At Champs, Toronto entered as a dangerous dark horse but couldn’t make the leap. They started with a 3-1 win over Carolina but were swept by OpTic in Winners Round 2. Vancouver Surge then delivered the knockout blow in a 0-3 loss, leaving Ultra with another Top 6 finish.

📸 Photo by @syrupfx

The Esports World Cup in Riyadh offered one last shot at silverware. Prior to the event, Toronto made a roster change, replacing Beans with rookie Abe. With their mix of experience and cohesion, Ultra cruised through pool play with wins over Vegas Falcons and Boston Breach. In bracket play, they dominated the Challengers squad OMiT 3-0 before falling to Vancouver in the Semifinals. They closed the tournament on a high, beating Miami Heretics in the 3rd-place match to end the year with yet another Top 3 finish.

Toronto’s Black Ops 6 season was defined by consistency, resilience, and near misses. They placed Top 6 or better at every Major, recorded four Top 4 finishes, and ended the year with a strong podium showing at EWC. The offseason focus now shifts to finding the final pieces needed to turn deep runs into championships.

How Good Was JoeDeceives in 2025?

Hardpoint

His best mode of the season, JoeDeceives took a major step forward in Hardpoint in BO6. The star SMG ended the year with a 1.11 K/D in the mode, but he led the League with a 1.17 on LAN. His per-10-minute data on LAN included 27.8 kills, 3290 damage, and 73.3 seconds of Hill Time. Joe is all over the record book as well, holding these records in Hardpoint:

- 3rd most kills in a single map at 48 (Done it twice)
- 5th most kills in a single LAN map at 45
- 2nd highest K/D in a single map at 2.55
- 5th most damage in a single LAN map at 5,328

In terms of pure output, Joe led the League with 9 maps with 40+ kills this season, doing it in 10.3% of his maps played. Showing how strong he was on the objective side, JoeDeceives had 24 maps this year with over 100 seconds of hill time, tying for the 2nd most in the League. His stats have a strong argument that Joe should be the Hardpoint Player of the Year.

Statistically, Ultra was one of the CDL’s most balanced teams. They finished 3rd overall in Hardpoint with a 52-35 record (59.8%), held the 2nd-best break rate (32.9%), and ranked 4th in holds (72.8%). On LAN, they improved slightly to a 26-16 record (61.9%). At EWC, they hit peak form, going 6-2 with a league-best +51.9 average margin and ranking 2nd in both rotating (62.7%) and breaking (40.0%).

Search & Destroy

Historically, JoeDeceives has been known for very strong Search & Destroy play. This season, Joe had another great season, but his respawn modes slightly outshone his SND. Finishing the year with a 1.02 K/D overall, the star SMG added 0.70 kills per round and an opening duel win rate of 44.2%. Joe did play worse on LAN. He dropped to a 0.94 in LAN matches, going down to 0.68 kills per round. Going into next season, his focus will be on improving his SND play while keeping the respawns at an elite level.

📸 Photo by @CODLeague

Search & Destroy was a tale of two halves. They opened the season 10-6 in Stage I and 12-5 in Stage II, but slumped to a 12-22 record in the second half. Their defensive struggles stood out; they allowed plants in 63.7% of defensive rounds (11th) and converted retakes just 35.5% of the time (8th). Still, their 10-3 record in Map 5s showcased their composure in high-pressure moments.

Control

Control was a fantastic mode for Joe this season, ending the year with a 1.06 K/D in the mode. His per-10-minute data was fantastic, adding 22.6 kills and 2,759 damage to go with 2.4 ticks per attacking round. He improved on LAN, going to a 1.10 K/D with 2.7 ticks per attack, showcasing his elite play in both slaying and the objective. Looking at the record book again, Joe holds the 2nd-most kills in a single-control map, going off for 41 kills against Carolina at Champs. Being a consistent star player for Ultra in the mode, JoeDeceives was in the running for Control Player of the Year.

In Control, Toronto quietly excelled despite bigger names stealing the spotlight. They went 32-22 overall (18-9 on LAN), ranking 3rd in win rate and 3rd in both attack (46.3%) and defense (65.1%). Their 4.1 average ticks per attack ranked 2nd in the league, and they shone at EWC with a 4-1 Control record, underscoring their versatility in all three modes.

A look ahead to Black Ops 7

JoeDeceives heads into Black Ops 7 as one of the most sought-after young stars in the CDL, despite being under contract with the Toronto Ultra. Multiple powerhouse teams, including Gentle Mates, LA Thieves, and Atlanta FaZe, have reportedly explored the possibility of acquiring his contract. Still, Toronto’s CEO has made it clear that he will not be moved. Instead, the Ultra plan to build their Black Ops 7 roster around Joe, solidifying him as the franchise centerpiece. With rumors linking Toronto to potential additions like ReeaL, aBeZy, Kenny, Drazah, and CleanX, the organization is aiming to surround JoeDeceives with elite talent capable of contending for a championship.

📸 Photo by @CODLeague