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Yesterday we had the final four, but only two can play in the grand finals.
Deagon here alongside big time and Athena, what a day it was full of matches.
I mean, it was crazy. I feel like yesterday had a little bit of everything,
but ultimately it's that dominance for North America.
Those two teams making it through to the final by hook.
All I'm going to say is I told you so.
Yeah.
Well, let's start with that first series.
Yeah.
Oh, that was it. It was such a fun series to watch with a hundred
Clutches online felt like that last map. It was neck and neck. I think it was a nine-four lead
Nongshim and all of a sudden they walk in and they bring it over the finish line
It was such a close game though. Nongshim playing absolutely phenomenally. Yeah, it just came down to the entirety of the end
I mean absolutely. I feel like Nongshim
They just didn't have the class the composure to get it done when it mattered most
I thought they played brilliant Valorant.
I can't wait to see them play in our third place game,
but ultimately, that's not where they want to be.
They do miss out on the shot on the title.
Yeah, but it's good to see them regain some of that form
from Master Santiago, making cap it off
with that third place match against BVL,
because it was BVL and NRG doing battle
in our second semifinals.
And as we alluded to, went the way of the North American squad,
the reigning world champions looking to put
EWC title winners to their names as well.
Yeah, look, for me, I think BBL, they were so in control of that game, they won the first map,
then the second one goes all the way to overtime, but NRG, I feel like they have such great class,
such composure in these big moments, it's easy to see why four of these five players have lifted big,
big trophies before, and I feel like that helped them get across the line now.
I mean, two times IGL, winner of champions. He's kind of good at what he does. I'd say there's a
reason he has a job, but I think too, with the way that they were playing against BBL was really
nice watch. The composure you're talking about, especially that second map I think it was where
NRG, sorry, were up 12-9 and then the comeback to bring it back from BBL to take it to overtime,
but then NRG just went out 2-0. So it's kind of crazy to see how close all these teams have been
competing in terms of the skill level that they have. Especially given the fact that that started
6 to 2 or BBL energy. They just stayed calm, cool, and composed despite all of us being like,
what's happening? Are they going to turn on or are they going to show up? They did. They booked
their ticket to the grand finals. That'll be our big match up. But for now, we have a little bit
more with Puckett and Kukuka standing by. What's up, everybody? It's Puckett with Kukuka and we
are here at the Valorant Key Wall. Now, as you all know, everybody started this week with their
key intact. But after several competitions on our main stage, there's only two keys left
unbroken, and those are both American squads.
Yeah, what do you want me to say to that? It's been difficult. For EMEA, we started
off so well after playoffs. Looking at this wall, I'm thinking about what I would do with
my trophy, right?
Yeah, you're going to pick three keys.
Yeah, exactly. So I think that for me, the options would be clear, because we are in
Paris here. So I think I would go for Team Actality, the super team from EMEA that definitely
failed short. In their success, I'm not able to find it yet. It's a good crush. Like you
see it's Chris. I like that one. Same for KC. They did get the win against PaperX so
I think that they give them plus honor and they're looking much better than the beginning
of the year. They got shattered. Look at this guy. Actual shatter there. And I think I'd
go for the other French org. Gentlemates who did get to enjoy what it was like to play
on that big stage, having an amazing crowd with all support in them, but sadly we're just gonna make it.
I gotta ask you though, if you're looking at the two NA teams that are remaining,
100 Thieves and NRG, is there any bad blood? Is there any historic rivalries that even though
they may not have matched up this weekend, they might want to add to their trophy?
I think that they will want to go for the Super Team maybe,
version America's and MIBR. I think that that has to hold some grudges.
Personally, me, if I am them and after last year, I'm going for team heretics that the throne title defenders no longer here to compete very intense playoffs every single match go into distance, but only one Americans winner in the end.
I would go after the two champions. We got Nongshim, Red Force, and of course, you know, they're not champions quite yet. The paperwrecks always there in the grand finals.
kind of show some respect to the teams that just couldn't cut it out here in Europe.
They're always the threat on the global stage, but not today. It's all NA as we're going to be
kicking the spun off in just a minute. Before we get to that though, let's take a look at the
bigger picture. It's our club championship update with Ginny. Ginny here and we are in the Totem
area, which is the most iconic spot here at EWC as every single team gets to put their name down
in history. Yesterday, we were able to crowd our first two winners. In Fatal Fury, Navi was able
to put their key in the totem, giving themselves a total of 1,000 club championship points, which
currently puts them in the number one slot. On Apex, we have Unlimit, who are also able to
etch their name in history, put their key in that totem. However, they are currently not eligible
for the club championship. When we're looking at our heavy hitters, we're thinking Vitality,
were thinking a liquid team Falcons. They haven't had the best run so far in this first week. Of
course there are six more to go so they can ramp things up but Falcons specifically is the most
shocking one as they've won EWC club championship back to back in 24 and 25 but after week one
they're only sitting on a grand total of 50 points which when you think about it and the
roster that they have is a little bit disappointing. We still got six more weeks to go and later today
We're going to have the exact same crowning for Valorant.
But before all of that is happening,
we're going to have it over to a paper fan and Achilles
for a little bit of a final preview.
It's going on, everybody.
Achilles and paper fan here in the STC arena,
just ahead of the grand final.
The fans now filtering into their seats.
Yeah, this is going to be a really exciting matchup.
We have 100 thieves versus NRG, a crazy good matchup.
Americas versus Americas.
And we cannot wait to get on the cast.
Yeah, no, it's gonna be a really fun one.
I think that whenever you get two teams
that really know each other incredibly well,
you're bound to get some very exciting game plan.
At least that's what we're hoping for.
We're hoping that a hundred thieves
are gonna be able to step up to the plate
because obviously best of fives,
not something that they have a ton of experience in,
whereas NRG have it in spades.
They have the champs trophy behind them,
and now they're looking to add the EWC one to their,
you know, just massive collection of awards and accolades.
So I think that this is gonna be a good one.
I think a hundred thieves can show up
the way that they have done this entire series through,
we could be into five maps.
No, I think this should be really, really good.
We've seen a really good amount of play
from the 100 thieves as a unit.
Like all five players have been doing really, really well,
really consistently.
Whereas NRG, there's been some ups and downs.
There's been a bit of a roller coaster outside of Kiko,
who has been absolutely stellar the whole way through here
at EWC.
He really has.
And while our MVP award is across the whole tournament,
I do feel like it's going to rest in the hands
of one of these players,
because both teams have had players
I put up incredible performances. You mentioned Kiko maybe a little bit rougher on the edges for the maturity of that semi-final
But Mata has also been refining his stride
But for a hundred thieves, I think I might have to be leaning towards Austin
I'm not able to get the win. So I think that's very much upper contention
There's a lot of cash on the line as well for whoever does get that MVP award
So there's it's not just the trophy to play for you do have those individual accolades as well
So there's a hell of a lot of pressure that's gonna be building for these players on the stage
So I will have to pressure you though. Yeah to get your prediction. Oh, well
I did predict NRG at the beginning of all of this. So I have to stick with that under thieves lock in
Nolmshams already been eliminated. I chose them to win this whole thing. So how did these I need you to get this done?
So this ball even got this even got this I trust and even I trust no the two time can't get it
I'm gonna I'll go hundred thieves just for the sake of splitting against you
So we'll be repping both of the America's teams
But when we get into the cast, of course, no bias, but before we do get into the games
We'll go ahead and catch up with some of our super fans here in Paris
I will win one match in the game
I'm happy to test my own speed
You win because he's Turkish like me
I'm a big fan of narrates or one day on narrates
I will win the one day cast
Mini, it's my favorite player and I want to play against him.
People, I would have the greatest chance against him.
Martin, because he's just the greatest.
I would want him on Martin.
Derrick, I want to see his level.
Mini, Arsenal, because it would be fun to him.
I think I would pick Derrick because he's a great player.
I would like to play against him.
Maybe Chronicle.
Maybe Sayonara.
Mini.
Derrick, of course, and a big brook.
I think against brook because it's my favorite player.
What's your favorite team?
Prox, because I have a teammate like Prox, a good smoker and a good fighter.
Marit, because he's a very kind person.
Martin, meaning I think many because he's from the east end.
Maybe Ethan, think happy.
I would go with many, because he's from my home country.
Yampi, because he's very funny.
Tato, he's really funny.
Chronicle.
Chronicle, Chronicle too.
Tsaiyana, so he can carry me.
Chronicles, because I'm also a fan of Tnatic and I love Chronicles.
Unfortunately, I would go with...
Maybe Prox, I'd go with the one I think.
Maybe, perfect.
Nobody?
I would go with the one I think.
Depot, Depot.
I can't get anyone.
Sorry.
Bora maybe?
Maybe, perfect.
I think they are all very good.
Nobody there.
I think the team is quite complete.
Maybe it's Google.
I don't find it too, but perfect.
No, because they're all wonderful.
All good.
Hello everyone and welcome to the STC Arena.
as we gear up for our third place match here at EWC 2026 Valorant as both
squads fell just short of their goal but still the opportunity for club
championship points and a larger share of that two million dollar prize pool
it is a battle of EMEA versus Pacific, NomeChim Red Force versus BBL. Welcome
back everyone, Deagon alongside all of the analysts here throughout EWC it's
Kukuka, Big Time and Athena. So we're so happy to have y'all here for this matchup. It is finally
time to get ourselves in the grand finals. Yeah, exactly. It's been such an intense play. As have
we've been saying throughout this entire broadcast, amazing matches, all of them going to distance,
each region bringing in their own kind of sparkle to it with seeing new maps, new compositions,
new approaches to the games. Some people going on ages that we didn't expect. And at the end of the
date there will be one America's winner so congrats to you with you yeah I said
this earlier I'll say it again I told you so America's yee-haw best region ever
I think it's so exciting though because I really think these two teams they've
genuinely been tested it feels like every single team brought in such hard
hitting facts into the server and it wasn't an easy win for either these
teams but definitely making it there is good yeah I mean for me like I just I
I've loved watching the whole playoffs unfold. I feel like there's been upsets, there's been surprises,
there's been over times, pretty much everything you can ever ask for from a valourant tournament.
We've had here at EWC and I can't wait to see how it ends.
Yeah, one of the things here is that large two million dollar prize pool.
Again, one of the reasons why we've got this third and fourth place matchup.
A big difference there, $140,000 compared to the $220,000 between third and fourth place.
I mean, 80, 80, 80, 80 thousand dollars, right?
Look, I can't, like, that's enough to make me lock in.
If I'm there on the stage here, I won this win so badly.
I don't think there's anyone on this stage that would know
but over an extra 80 thousand on top of everything
that they've already achieved.
Yeah, well, let's take a look at the recent results
from Nongshim Red Force, the winners of Master Santiago
and refound some of their form that they lost during Pacific,
as, again, after that great run here big time,
fell off a little bit, squeaked in to EWC through the qualifiers
and now find themselves on the cusp of the third place finish.
And you said it perfectly, a truly brilliant start to the year.
They had to go through Ascension once again.
They managed to secure their spot in the VCT
and then they absolutely dominate.
Stage one is where they take their dip.
They experiment with roles.
They adapt to a new meta, but they can't find their footing.
EWC comes around.
They go back to their strengths.
And I really felt like I was watching the nongshim of old play in this tournament.
I felt that spark there once again.
I felt that magic that Nongshun was so well known for.
Ultimately, third is a little bit short of where they would like to finish,
but I do think they could hold their heads high with how they've played this event.
Yeah, I think it's kind of crazy too, because they knocked out G2
and they knocked out Vitality, which is too super.
I'm going to stop you right there, because for the G2 thing,
I got this one, it's just a meme, because they go everywhere and they get knocked out all the time.
The Vitality one, I will... Okay, fair enough.
They want to get heavy hitters.
Fair enough.
I think that's definitely improved shout outs to g2 peding their demons from masters London in XLG
But yes, they did fall short
It is BBL that find themselves in that potential third to fourth place slot as they too similar started off hot
cooled off during master San Diego and
Stage one also squeak into the playoffs very similar kind of mirror looking results
Definitely not the masters on Diego one, but yeah, the rest the story is incredibly similar
This was the roster that last year had everyone talking all the players that you wanted to poach came from BBL
Pacific that you know when when the time came it just they just went into
BBL and had such a strong start of the year. We thought it was a change of guard
Completely especially in EMEA with the names that we have on the night the same in every region
But you know you really feel like that is something that is set to happen in time
You just don't know where and you will never be ready and for us BBL was that yes
They make it to Santiago a little bit lackluster, but they're 18 year olds
Are you really going to ask for them to go into their first global event and win?
Listen, I would say that for this one. It is their second global event. Let's see a third place
It's a great
Again, they are at she youngest squad here in the tournament, so it's time for our EWC
pick them as we take a look here we'll dive into that finals matchup in just a
bit let's start with the Nongshim red force and BBL pick.
I'm gonna want to start with Athena because I know what Morgan and I are going to do.
That's true.
So I think you guys are the one. Wait no I want to hear you guys first.
Okay. BBL 2-0 let's go!
You could not be more wrong and it's crazy.
And I don't care.
The thing is for me Nongshim have that Nongshim have have lifted that top of your
before they know how to do this.
BBL too young, too inexperienced.
Exactly, I agree.
Do you think that BBL are the end of this?
Like who do you think is more likely to win on paper?
I think on paper, I'd give it more to BBL.
What?
But that's why Nongshim have that underdog feel to them.
BBL are good when they're ahead.
I know, it's crazy.
I have so much power.
Both my teams are in the finals.
Oh my gosh.
Now I got to be the tiebreaker between me and Trey
and Jasper to help us with your game.
I know.
She's growing in power.
Power hunger.
It's two, one, two, BBLs.
Wow.
I will say 70% of the fans at home believe
Nongshim Red Force will take this one.
Well done.
We lock it in here, two, one, BBL.
We'll come back later for the 100 Thieves
and NRG predictions later on during that grand finals.
As we've got ourselves this skirmish,
which has been completed, let's take a look at that
to see who has the side select for map veto. And it's X Ross versus Lloyd. I mean, these
are both high powered fraggers that I will say. So I always like seeing a skirmish between
two people. I like it when they want to play straight up. We've seen RB come out in skirmishes
in the past for Nongshim and be just a rat. He's been an absolute rat. He plays with the
judge. He plays with the shorty. So I'm happy they've sent someone honest in X Ross.
I saw some surprises in the skirmish yesterday.
Yeah, Mitch.
Oh my God, yeah.
That's a winner, a winner in my book and in everybody's book.
But there is so many things that we can't say about Loita.
As a player, we were speaking about the offers.
Definitely, he is the one that have the most out of the NEA.
He decided to stay with us, and he decided to keep grinding this game.
And I know, and I understand guys, that for BBL, there is very difficult not to talk about
LaRocque.
Yeah.
But let me tell you.
Tell me.
that he had yesterday, he saw throughout the tournament.
When we speak about real consistency,
we speak about loyalties.
We actually take a look at their numbers.
He actually looked at the rounds that he wins for the team.
Those are the difficult ones.
And I feel like he does it on such a hard roll for those.
And that smokes.
It's a real fine balance of aggression
and staying alive for your team,
as well as being able to anchor so consistently on the defense.
I think he's definitely one to watch
in this third place game that can help his team get across the line.
And he's frying X-Rosh right now.
or no, actually wake up buddy
We've seen other teams send in coaches to kind of protect from this kind of thing, but X Ross
40 it's first to five for map select
Loida look at adding not hiding X Ross to slow it down. Oh
Don't swing it choice. It would this time or not five oh, would this be our first five oh screw this with
All right a little gap there they know what's up, but man even Luda was like ooh
Look good. You see why now I go BVL. I'm just saying that's the best way to get into the game.
It's because of the people with skirmish and lose the game.
Extra shows of trying, he's saving his energy, have the skirmish, they don't even care.
Why are you cheering?
Well with that skirmish win we are now ready to send it on over to Combobs for the map
So, VBL, you want the skirmish? Is it team A or team B?
Yeah, we pick team B. Okay, team B.
Team A will be an option. You can start.
Okay, VBL. Sunset band.
Sunset band.
VBL band fracture.
VBL band fracture.
We pick breeze. We pick breeze.
We pick Lotus.
I'll take Lotus.
I know, first the attack, the side, the 13th.
Oh sorry, sorry, yeah.
I'll take it.
I'll take on Breeze.
I'll take on Breeze.
Okay.
Starting side, then Breeze attack.
And then you want Lotus.
I'll take Lotus.
I'll take Lotus.
We start on ATTAP.
Okay, start ATTAP.
So, your teammate back is...
Yeah.
Yeah, I'll tell you also
Okay, BAN ascent, what we left?
We have the... no, there is a BAN
We have AVEN and SPLIT
Okay, BAN SPLIT and go AVEN
Okay, BAN SPLIT, the decelerate is AVEN
What about the starting side?
Start the Altec
Okay, start the TAC
Thank you guys
Please double-check the answer sign
I think we're going to have to go back to the main map and see if we can get to it.
Thank you guys.
Breeze, Lotus, and Haven are the maps here, and Kukuku was saying it was just like Ground
Hobbs Day here.
Yeah, very different name in Spanish, I was like, but I feel like I live on a loop.
I keep seeing the Breeze, I keep seeing the Lotus when we talk about VBL, and I keep
see in the haven so we've spoken about all of the matches going to distance
about having a lot from the other teams about seeing all those adaptations. Is
this a positive or a negative? I mean look I think it's a positive you have
your reps you know you don't have a lot of time between yesterday and today to
make those changes so I understand teams wanting to go to maps where they feel
comfortable but it doesn't mean those coaches who will have put in you know
eight hours while everyone else was sleeping to prepare for exactly these
maps there's going to be reads across the ball here with this feature. I think it's kind of crazy
that PBL picks Lotus because this is the map that Nongshim won yesterday and it's also the map
that they had lost 13 to 6 to NRG so they definitely cooked something up they brought that back into
the pool but that Breeze pick man I'm just excited to see that because that map is always so fun to
watch. You live on any site? Yep. Everyone lives on any site? Yeah. We've seen some teams exploring
We love A site if there's a viper as we've learned anything there for this you need that A site viper as big time I said time and time again we're about a minute away from the action so I asked my analysts as we have MVP conversations here throughout the tournament in terms of MVP who's going to be the MVP of this match you got 10 players here multiple who have had hero moments
Let's start with you. I'm doubling down a loiter. I think that la rock had a his moment
And if you would have turned up yesterday just like every other day
You would have carried for the players to the final but he couldn't so change your mother. I'm going loiter
I'm going IV. He's been rocked a lot on that defender side. He's gonna shut down that double jewelist here today
I'm feeling it. I'm going X Ross baby, even though I voted for BVL
He's locked in after that his Phoenix is phenomenal. I feel like I've seen him frag out so many times
I think he's gonna turn it on in the server today. I cannot believe no one's there. You look rock who had been
Needed some teammates to step up yesterday
That's what I wasn't able to but was that heartbeat even in the face of all those rounds
I needed to turn around he was able to go ahead and push themselves as far as they could now
It's time for pride one more time. We go back into the server
It is notion Red Force and BBL for the third place match
It's very very counterintuitive for French people who are proud with Lego to celebrate a third place.
glass. It is indeed very counter-intuitive as a French person, you know, ego, pride, impatience
to have to celebrate a third place because I know you guys have been waiting for the grand finals.
But this isn't just any third place, it is not a consolation prize at all. A win here in this
matchup not only secures your team a total of two hundred and twenty thousand
dollars la moulin la moulin but you also secure your organization a crucial
five hundred club championship points and you get to leave Paris on win which
is win win quite cool right the first at 3rd place
That's why it's important because the third one to win this tournament
will get $220,000, 500 points for the championship
and maybe his club will go and get the trophy at the end.
And also a victory in Paris, so it's more of a gift.
And it's between two teams who thoroughly deserve this opportunity
and it's two teams that have very different temperaments.
On one side you have trash talk, on the other side you have humility.
On one side you have Korea, on the other side Turkey.
I think it's time to bring our teams to the stage.
Absolutely.
Please welcome on to the stage, BBL!
BBL!
The team that once upon a time knocks out the title holders, the team that nobody wants
it to face.
Do you want to fight even more?
Can you do a little more noise in Paris?
It's beautiful!
And their opponents, the last hope of Korea for this third place
Launching Red Force!
Huge reaction in-house at the STC Arena.
Whatever happens there, leave this tournament having end the respect of so many.
And as you can see here both of these teams are carrying black keys
and that is because sadly both of their golden ones were crushed.
Now bronze medal on the line, cash, championship points and smiles.
Paris, Allee!
Paris! Let's go!
Thank you very much, Liu and Yin Chambers.
Let's see what's coming home for which squad here.
as BBL and Nong Shin and in referred to it have earned the respect but the
admiration is definitely on the side of Nong Shin Red Force it was a good
company of boos as BBL played the villain earlier in the tournament and now
have accepted that role in attempt to do it yet again here against the Pacific
Yeah, look, very different vibes from these teams, from their own personalities.
And hey, that's okay.
We're all here for the drama.
If everybody was the same, Baron would be boring.
I love that the BBL kids, they really embrace who they are.
They really embrace the fact that they feel like they can beat anybody.
It doesn't matter who's the only other, on the other side.
They won't show you respect because they don't have to.
I've heard some cheers, I've heard some boos.
I will say yesterday we started with a lot of booze that turned having to a lot of
that's true for some of the teams at the end of it everybody was chilling almost
everybody was chilling for BBL to close that one and I think that's what we
should move the conversation all towards that first match that was also the last
big late yesterday from Namasteek and all we're doing is Breeze first.
Breeze yeah absolutely the first one yeah I mean I will say for BBL they have to
have a little bit of a recovery from what we saw yesterday it wasn't looking
good for them on this map. Absolutely manhandled by NRG here. I will give you
some things. BBL started super strong against NRG. I don't know if it was
NRG looking just terrible on that course map. But to watch the end, started weakening up and
yes, on the other side, I did see a notion that got all the way through and
could have perfectly been the winners of that match. You know what's crazy is NRG is
considered a very, very defensive side of team. But against BBL, he ended up winning three of those
attack rounds against NRG, pushing them to that overtime. I think that speaks really big volumes
because NRG, their rotations have been solid, their trap plays have been solid. They're known for
changing their setup every single round and catching players off guard. So I'm really interested to
see how this plays out for BBL though. I think looking across the stage out there, very calm,
a very fonder team of longships. Their confidence might be up there.
You don't let their confidence fool you. They don't play quiet in the server.
This is a high-powered fast matchup. Both of these teams love that aggression.
They love to push on the defense. They love to be in your face.
Not only are they playing for that extra $80,000 in the club championship points,
they're playing for pride of their nations, representing Turkey and Korea here.
No one's going to go down without a fight.
Yeah, and specifically on this map, I remember multiple rounds on breeze where BBL were just pushing up mid all the way out, I think as you said big time, it is going to be aggression versus aggression, and it's going to be so much fireworks.
I think that for both of these teams, we can say, yes, the aggression is coming into place,
but they have also been very good at adapting to their opponents.
To me, in this side, I will give a little bit more props to BBL, because that is something
that they could not do at the beginning of the year.
Yes, there's been some moments here where the over-heaten stands.
We see so many situations where they have the advantage and they feel like they need to make a move.
And we have seen the teams on the other side waiting for them to make it, to make that mistake
and catch them off guard. I think that that is something that Nongshim doesn't really need real
preparation in but it's something that they need to look out for and take advantage.
Yeah I mean for sure that Nongshim like to play at their own pace but as you say it's all about
countering what your opponent is going to do. I think our little patience would go a long way
for both of these teams in this series. You've got to know when to strike. You've got to time it well
as we do have the agent select coming in here for the side of Nongshim. They've been playing this
for such a long time with excellent success the classic double-joules watch out for down
beyond that neon and X-Ross right behind him on the Phoenix.
This is why I picked X-Roc so I'll start again.
Back on the Phoenix he's been going crazy when he is on his game and I think today's
definitely going to be one of those days that we're going to see that.
The reason I'm saying that, the reason I'm so confident is because Mount Shim have been
so good with a lot of their chop plays pushing and flashing through those walls using the
double walls to a really good extent.
One of the first maps that we saw from here, and I was actually very impressed to see them
back in the form that I was promised that they were.
To me, this is also a test for BBL.
How hard was that last yesterday?
Can you bounce back?
When we speak about experience, this is also a very good lesson in life.
Can you push through?
We see the faces.
There's my name.
And they've lost the map, but they still picked it.
They lost this map, they lost it, and they still pick it.
That means there's a lot of study that's gone into this.
A lot of VOD reviews, definitely a lot of adaptation.
Again, that 14 to 12 part break for them.
I think how different it could have been,
but they are ready to go up against the Masters Santiago
winners.
It is EMEA first Pacific on the call
that send it on over to our casters,
Tom and Mitch for our third place match here
at the Esports World Cup 2026.
Well, the trophy might not be in the running anymore,
but for these boys, a spot on the podium still up for grabs.
Not only that, but a share of $220,000 at best of three
stands in their way between walking out of here with a medal
or seeing the key first and second time.
So that's the fun thing about this game.
You go into it and you go.
I feel like most grand finals wouldn't
have an 80 grand difference for finishing third
or finishing fourth.
It is a lot of money, and points for their club as well.
But also just both of these teams
going to come into this wanting to win. They're both aggressive teams. They're both teams that like to play a similar style with a lot of flair.
I don't think either of them will want to come out with a defeat here. Early trade for the Stabby to give them the lead for a moment.
Even still though, PBL have already fought back and found some space on this A-side.
The side of the lead, LeRocque behind, but it goes down. He's going to have to rally to the side.
There's no one left to meet up with. And on Jim, the solid opening here in the pistol.
And that's one thing that I'm very excited about,
but you were mentioning during this round,
the idea of the clash of styles between these two,
both squads liking to play confident,
both squads liking to play aggressive,
that could lead to some explosive rounds right out the gate.
Yeah, I think that you look at the two teams that are in that Grand Final,
and what they had to survive by playing that slower, more calculated style of ballerin,
and then you have these two teams where it is almost the battle of...
Who is the best at this style of play?
Obviously different ideas in terms of the agent Paul
the Phenom Chim
They prove and they can have
Incredible halves incredible streaks of rounds
Take their last game on this map versus vitality attend to two defensive side
I have to see if BBL
Or up to the task in this round probably not
It's not a whole lot to play with, and well, I don't think RB is going to have too many easier kills today.
Francis, a bit of a scrap.
Classic on Moira, dealing some decent damage, but still yet to drop a body.
The man that finally falls is the one with the sheriff for Nongshim.
Their funds are still secure.
And it's Rose who's left to try his best to make this costly.
X-Ross had to turn off an X-Roll.
Decent scar, as you said, not really anything lost.
Four of the side of Nong Chin.
I'm on the safe to say that if any team
has made themselves a villain,
that's hard to sort of, it's definitely a bit BVL.
This crowd is very much leaning the way of the Koreans.
Almost tacked out house.
And we've heard it from the folks in the crowd throughout the last couple of days when Mates got eliminated a lot of their fans
They they were impressed by what they saw from Nongshim
You really can the flair they bring to the server
Already giving them an advantage in round number three. This is a round that should be a bonus
Should have weaknesses for Nongshim, but you can see it's it's not
They're gonna be pulling a lot of punches and it looks like they have an idea late a lot of players grouping up around middle
Longship flash in hand for X-Ross. It's gonna go through that wall
With the blitz this canceled moments later as they see that space open and hear all this noise coming out onto the A site
Should be opposed to on
That be not able to connect with the sniper and the weaponry of bonds is still there
Lloyd's at crevin combining and even the push through the smoke won't catch them off guard
This goes from an opening pick to barely any damage done only likes are taking a tiny amount of HP damage in those moments
And Ivy
This comes down to cost this man has brought up miracle rounds, but this would have to be one of the best
They are offering him at least a single 1v1
Lovers Rock sent out to seek this player to find the fight, but now Ivy's in trouble.
The reposition from Lovers Rock behind Yellow.
Leaps him off into this angle, but yeah, he's not going to hit the shot there either.
And now, boxed in, swung deep by BBL.
They sent a lot of players out to finish the job, and now they've got a round as a result.
Strong start, but I do think that when you look at Nongshim and what they have to play
with, I'm a big fan of this composition.
a whole lot of flexibility. Even when you lose your smokers, they've got so many walls
to play around to make the battlefield very uncomfortable for BDL, but it certainly didn't
work in this round. And I think a lot of that is just they decide to go for that mid crunch
to fight that probably 10 seconds too late. They're a little earlier, they would at least
catch our catch Kravinov guard, but they arrived too late to the party and lost the
A side as a result
Because with a bonus round for long shim and Dambi instead of having a marshal
It's now gonna be with that operator in hand I
King to roam around the map and it is clear down
France is
Finding in form creven, but he will just retreat in the meantime his teammates look at a hidden today
Well it worked last time, there was no one here from Nongshim able to walk in and claim
the site this time.
They have to fight for it and that they do!
Putting three in the ground already and with a minute on the clock the spike not even planted.
Nongshim have called the save.
I don't think there's much of a choice here other than to carry those weapons through
but it's not like they'll be buying around them in the next.
Oh, it's not in the best spots.
Another very direct hit from the side of BBL.
Keeping things relatively basic, but also it seems like their reactions are coming off
what their opponents are doing. When there's that contact in the middle,
they know that their opponents like to make these aggressive plays.
It goes, okay, if you're contacting there,
options are there's a little bit of a looser hold over on the A-site.
And even with three players ready, they're able to clear them out, of course,
the Rock. The need is that to be an instant shot with how low on HP was an RB. He's trying
to bait his opponent in towards the fight. Well, he's going to go for it, and he loses
life as well.
He definitely understood why they go hunting those rifles down, remove any strengths from
the next, but for BDL what could have been a big moneymaker round ends up having a bit
the price tag to it. It's not exactly a win for Nomshin, but it's an upside.
Otherwise, Bleak Round. Now we've seen BBL two times move towards that A site with great success.
Nomshin's adaptation will probably be seen in the next round. Now, Pistols, four players towards
Top Mid and a very early Blitz towards this B site. Contacting for now, but crunching slowly in, and
and Creven has no idea the forces about to come his way.
Four players on the swing.
He is going to need to be clean to even survive this,
and only one found.
It's a good start for Nogshim, considering
the round that it is.
It is just the same thing, though, for BBL.
They get that early information.
The rest of the team have just contacted up towards A.
I think they basically had the site by the time
Creven fired his first shot.
Now, this is quite deep aggression from the rock.
Clearly feeling like he could just out-aim anybody in the server, but with some weak
weaponry and play, it definitely has some risks about it.
I feel like he's managed to dodge the majority, though, pushing towards the spawn.
It will only be if Exros actually checks towards his left-hand side, which they do, but now,
with that knife in the back, with the spanner in the works, they need to take the time to clear.
I mean, Exros has done that.
Ultimate online, but any chance of winning the round is completely dissipated, and BBL,
after losing that pistol and second round, they'd want everything else.
Starting to see them smile, and soon we'll see them stand.
If this keeps up for BBL, the A site definitely looking like a weakness.
But again, think about the round that was in it here.
There was pistols to play with, just the two rifles.
They start with an opening advantage.
As you said, BBL trade that out for map control.
a plant and a very defensible position.
Three to two.
The lead for BBL with the full-by-for-monction
is where they look to fight back again.
Presence towards mid.
In fact, it is the exact same round
that they're going to attempt.
Again, the weakness has been the A site,
and this time BBL looked to crumble it from another angle.
They expected this defense to shift,
that they could punish someone towards the double doors,
fight top mid, and instead,
they are being gifted the A site.
They have no idea.
No.
They won't for a second, maybe even until Krasnus dead, and there you go, he gets revealed.
Rourke looking for a response, but again, all that information.
They're going back to fight them. They won the ball.
They want this to turn into a game of death match, and well, so far so good.
Up until X-Ross, gives them an advantage.
Krasnus keeps it going.
And now, Loiter, it's all that remains.
He's had a superb start to this game again.
No, he won't. He's gonna walk straight into it and step with his gun out.
Doesn't have his ultimate to retrieve the spike.
So we'll have to go and get it or just take the battle instead.
Paranoia for Ivy. Look into retreat and we'll succeed.
And now both players knowing exactly where their opponent is.
And Lloyd just paged him, keeps him in the clutch.
Took his weapon out of just the right time twice there.
We say that, he might have nice to have used his weapon out.
For the second time especially like you and from his perspective that player should be bought a mid defending the spike hiding away somewhere
And instead jump scare number one
When he had another a moment later the reposition was perfect
Do you think they want to win the first I think Rosie seemed a bit invested there
Now BBL again look to this A site as we said this is where the weaknesses being mentioned still able to get a buyout
This time they're actually defending it. It's the first time that they've actually been at the gates as the enemy looks to break through
But this time it's a fake from BB out. No, they were luring them in even though they lose one
Nongshim of all their forces on a and if Ivy goes down the B site will fall alongside him
But a solid opening of the spike now in their control
He's just playing a small angle, but never mind it's predicted by Loroc.
Again though, the reaggression of Actros keeps the advantage.
It feels like that should have gone and he should have actually got the kill.
Again though, it's going to be Leutera.
A close scenario.
This game so far.
Steven and unstoppable force.
Already a multitude of frags to his name, but the man against him, Dambi.
Always one to fear. Looks like he's caught the position right eventually.
We'll get a third round for Nongshim.
That's come close to every step of the way.
For Nongshim, their constant re-aggression, paying off tenfold in those early fights.
Even in that 3D3 as we get into the replay, you can see they're constantly pushing down into mid.
Sending that flank around as well, and Lloyd seemed to be prepared for it eventually.
But one clutch too many demanded of this man.
Now on ship, back on the board. The first time since round two.
They're in with a chance to equalize.
It's not like PBL are going to come in with very many weaknesses.
They even have an outlaw up against four players with light shields.
But never mind, the outlaw's gone.
And as are most of the chances of PBL securing this.
The spike is down, but LaRocke is taking them through the wall.
Hunter's Fury is going to be thrown through as Francis feels the pressure applied
and those are two big tags to make it easier for X-Ross to finish them off.
They're using a lot of ultimate so considering the scenario they're in.
I'm quite surprised how much they've invested Hunter's Fury maybe,
but the 4v2 also using the reckoning,
clearly feeling like this is a crunch round that they need to win cleanly okay
that's a good gap for Krabben. Timing's gonna be the main thing he's gonna go
past. Oh that's nasty but he couldn't quite correct onto the second and
eventually crosses so he could have after a three will be the one to level
things up. Port to Port. Still some nice shots from VBL but the contact into
The aggressive pressure thrown in from Nongshim and a perfect flash made that very easy for them.
Yeah, very much was. Great utility coming out of X-Ross.
And a good solution from Nongshim as we said, that, I mean, has been given to BBL for free.
Then this time, they make that realization, go for the early fight.
It seems to have gotten a pause from BBL.
Well, again, this is something that very much excites me about this match, the idea of both
of these teams having a very similar playbook, different agents of course brought to bear.
Different approaches to it, but the baseline is the same.
Push, push, push.
Maybe Y'all are taking a moment.
Because, you know, so far it hasn't really felt like Nunchin would be able to play those
early aggressive rounds, the way that they did previously.
They haven't been able to put the pressure on in the same way
as in some of their previous series,
where it just didn't seem like they had anything but a W key.
That has been the interesting thing so far, though,
is that they've been pushing every round.
It was just that they expected C to come in so often
that they just pushed the wrong side of the map
for basically half the game.
I think that was one of the first rounds
where we've actually seen the aggression meet each other
within the first couple of seconds.
Nonetheless, it has not deterred BBL from this constant A site pressure.
The B site doesn't seem to exist for them, but Dambi's there, at least with that operator
just shut down two.
Hunter Suri leaves in low, but he'll dodge it again and go back for a little bit more.
He's gotta be careful though, he's got the player behind him.
Do they know they do?
Dambi's turn, GIFs a third and the remaining two players back in main have to retreat.
They said to everything they could out of there.
But Dami didn't seem to care all too much.
Top 10 scorer.
Three-piece picked up and BDL.
Top 10 screen down.
A tough choice to go for this in the 2v4.
Played towards that B-site where it was a little bit lighter.
I think saving it over at the same time,
considering the rounds they've had,
what Lloyd has been able to do, a Viper's pit there
for grabbing as well.
It's nowhere thrown in a way.
This definitely feels like a round that is still recoverable
as they pick the right site, movement to B, a plant, a pit.
The chance at the round at least, but for Nongshim,
the realization that EDL just are not splitting mid.
Like, you even expect after one or two A-side hits
that there's going to be that layer thrown in,
that layer of a split, and instead,
they continue to play out much more direct.
It was Nongshim to adapt to give the massive upper hand,
but that picked from Heaven, and a pit down,
Now it would have been... Hold on, Dabney's going in.
Dabney doesn't want him to have the plant. There's only 12 seconds left.
I thought this would most assuredly be a plant for BDL.
But now it's a brawl!
Kravitz doesn't know that Francis had slipped into the pit.
And now he rounds the corner to win on the clock.
A huge round from Francis.
The delay by Dabney, complimenting his position.
And now the lead is theirs.
And it was desperately close to the two versus four.
I think BVL do well to get there in the first place, but yeah, it is just that panic calls.
Dambi, his defense of this A site was nothing short of perfect.
I think even the third kill was just a surprise.
Oh, wait, that's my teammate.
And a nice try from Kreven, but it's just those last couple of bullets from Francis.
That's all he needed.
Drop the spike.
No time left.
Here we go again with a Dambi aggressive peek.
Not the opener this time, and an immediate Viper's pit on the other side of the map.
They're tunneling them into the A side, but let's be real, Mitch, that's where they have to go every round anyway.
Yeah, it has certainly felt like that for BBL, AMAIN is the safe haven to fall back to when all else goes wrong, all else being AMAIN also.
And they'll try it again. Testing Dambi. They failed in the previous exam and this time around it seems to be much of the same.
Dambi with a second already. He'll finally fall.
One of those picks that BBL had was a trade-out of X-Ross's ultimate. Still a four versus two.
With LeRocke holding on for dear life on 10 HP.
It does all come down to Crevin.
Has the read on the flank but the timing perfect for Ivy.
This round, Kevin doesn't know but it's already done.
Six on the board for Nonship.
At least neck and neck in the half.
They've managed to weather the storm and a lot of that has come down to this operator.
Dambi being able to shut down.
What was mostly a fairly free ace.
I think they very quickly realized like oh, okay
They're actually not gonna try and now double back towards the b-side and then in this round they almost went
Yeah, you know you've been going a and dying quite a lot to the damn the operator
We're now gonna put a pit on B. So either you have to go back into that up again or
You go through the pit
Seem like particularly good options a continuous force by streak the BBL who?
Don't have the best economy here and mark the operator now in the right place
But has the ball nice work from lovers rock but another shot connected by Dambi
He's building a pretty decent reference while so far
Even under fire he's able to return it
18 HP left on Loida lovers rock on 11
It seems to be an easy close to this round as Dambi finishes off his dinner
Looper's Rock. Out of the round, Loita barely still in it. We look to Rose. And we see Rose
fade so quickly, withering from this round. Our BBL, falling behind now 7-4. That's upside down.
I think even the kills he doesn't get, he doesn't seem to be missing at this stage of
the map and seems all too aware of what's being attempted on the other side.
seems gunning for that additional 80 grand in prize pool and the club points to go with it.
Five rounds in a row, after four rounds in a row on the other side.
It just seems to be how this game will go, just streaks.
It's hard to tell if Namshim are going for the approach of well they won't go A again
or if the approach is Gambi can take them on his own if they go A.
So the stack up this time is towards the B site.
Early aggression from X-Ross has been shut down, but still Ivy here, still Francis in a much more passive position.
Francis has this day in spawn, pretty much. It's round 12, BBL are the kind of guys, we've seen it from Krabin,
and we'll try to sneak into a little gap. And if he's caught on rotations, you lose that Hunter's Fury.
For now, they'll keep it.
safely put away in the spawn but with a minute on the clock and no control over
middle no sure playing this round a little bit blinded and eventually you're
gonna want to find that information fill in the blanks that means I be pushing
up and taking a walk and living to tell the tale
He's done an exceptional job and what he's put time for is it's man with the operator.
We've seen him miss two, but eventually down he gets the job done.
Ivy seems to have already won this round and that team is not going anywhere.
From a deficit to a streak of rounds it seems to be the number two story all the way through
this tournament.
Sixth in a row to close out there defensive half strong again.
Yeah, this has been a lights out half from the on-chimp.
It seemed like they had problems towards that A-Scipo.
My God, they solved them. The second the off came out from Dambi, the game changed.
BDL at least built enough of a foundation that things aren't guaranteed to come crumbling down to the next half.
Dealing with Dambi is going to be the big problem.
For now though, it's the halftime break. Let's send this over to Luz, standing by with some cosplayers.
Thank you, thank you, Mitch and Tom, indeed we have some cosplayers down there in the arena.
I have the honor to be accompanied by one of the most important agents of Valorant,
and of course I'm not talking about Mr. Amagosh.
My first question is very important, what is your rank on Valorant and why is your character the best in the game?
We'll start with you, Iso.
Well, my pick was Imo3, and Iso is one of the best for me, with his shield, his VNB, that's very strong.
You're a bit disappointed, I think.
So first one is Immortal 3, Iso is insane because of the shield, insane anyway, dualist.
I'd like to ask you, Saifur, what rank are you, and why is Saifur a very good person?
I'm just a little gold, that's it.
I just love to put traps everywhere and put cameras so that you can fall on them.
Now, make some noise for the team players.
I'm just a little gold and I just like placing trips and cameras just for my team to have, of course, information.
Next question, who do you support in this match between China and BBL?
BBL for my dad. I think it's a bit of a team, but I like what you're saying.
BBL, I love BBL because they're cocky.
And for you, my very dear, my sage.
Rather BBL or rather non-BBL?
BBL, BBL as well, OK. And she's getting good.
Of course, in Maman Jevesant Vertois, mon très cher chamber, the French agent, of course.
And I think you're going to be the one helping me to toss back to the game.
Donc, est-ce que tu es prêt, mon frère? On va faire une petite voice line.
Tu me la fous en anglais, tu me la fous en français?
En anglais.
In English, let's go, you look at the camera and the floor is yours.
You want to play? Let's play.
It certainly looks like Nongshim want to play here today.
Eight rounds on the board after that first half.
VBL though, not showing any signs of sweating across that stage.
They still look calm, cool and collected,
but this pistol round could change that.
Yeah, we've seen them also put a decent numbers
on the defensive side, going to OT the last couple of times
they played this map, but Nongshim looking
like a different beast, dominating by Tarty and G2 the first time, second time that I talk about.
Yeah, as you said, the pistol round feels like it's going to be a paramount importance for either side.
The Nongshimit could close the map for BBL, they're back in it.
BBL begin a migration towards that side of the map. It's being paused for just a moment.
Kraven, he's going to leave as Leroc follows this A site under heavy threat.
They're just going to delay as much as he can. They've lost control over middle now as well.
The pressure now as the double doors become a danger.
Danger shocks from RB and X-Ross find their mark, leaving Lovers Rock up against the odds.
That's where he does his best work with one already.
X-Ross covering the cross will find himself a fight.
RB's given away his position.
Now Lovers Rock has the info to play with, but they're together in the bubble.
X-Ross joins his buddy and Lovers Rock now has to be quick and clean to have any chance.
The time ticking away.
isolated the first, now it's just, R.B. and Lovers Rock deletes him, the fifth round and a very
important pistol secured. Yeah, I thought they had that in the bag on the nonchim side. Initially,
at least, they were playing together, trying to maneuver into positions where they could both
take the fights, but this isolated one was a risk, and RB just wasn't quite quick enough,
And this was just disgusting. A headshot from Lover's Rock to close.
It's gonna put them at least a little bit closer
and have an opportunity to build into this next round.
Although I do always look at a couple of upgraded pistols for Nongshim and Goh.
They're probably still gonna make this one costly.
Cautely, if not dangerous.
Nongshim.
Well, taking a leaf out of BBL's book, it's going to be a pretty direct play to the A site.
BBL already have that information.
Rose, standing by, will be a reveal as soon as this push comes out.
He's going to cancel some of the walls' play.
If it's not broken, but immediately shut down, okay? Not bad.
The space towards the side at least. There's damage being done, but the longship.
Francis is the last man standing, and Lover's rock is in his way.
A little bit of damage with that round should always have been a formality.
Yeah, and Lovelace Rock maybe springing into life. I think he only managed four kills in that
first half. I think he's already got seven in this one, so having a much better time,
of course, this one a little bit more expected, but with that final kill he manages to get the
overdrive on line, so potential either in the retake or for something a little bit more aggressive
For them to maybe try and use that ultimates early.
Even still, a couple of players dropped.
It's not the end of the world for Nongshim, but now we get to see what they're able to
do with their first buy.
One more of the same, at least to start with, Ivy always going to be that man from what
We've seen so far left towards this B site,
containing the pushes up on mid.
The drone, maybe to get him into position.
Or just to pull that focus from BDL,
but four players towards the A site moments ago.
Now they don't have info.
Loidah wants to find it, so he looks to step into A main,
but they're waiting for this with a crossfire.
The TP used, bit of information garnered,
and a pick now for Loidah.
That's a very strong start with the rock showing up.
Got a fade away
Another man has been having a bit of a quieter game he set the expectations
Unfathomably high and well
Gonna need him to maybe have another one of those
Just to turn this one this round though. They're in a very good position
Finally trying to make their way forward and that's where the overdrive put into place
Makes it now impossible from this point on, but for Francis a one versus four, and even if he gets the one, it's LeRoc.
To close with a triple, both Jules is now stepping up to play on the defensive side.
They now sit just one behind.
Yeah, the worry for BBL was Nongshim left that previous half with a lot of confidence.
So it's a fade away and he was blind.
Dabby started to hit incredibly.
And we needed to see that step up from BDL coming into this half.
That's exactly what we've gotten this round was huge.
Loida jumping in with the TP.
If he just shoulder peeks that, he jump peeks that.
He's dead, dead to rights.
Staddy ended up luring in down, he's taking him down
and starting to dominoes, falling, non-ship, fruit mid.
This time they look to test the double doors.
Lovers rocks the one standing here to meet them.
Nistong will at least buy a moment of rebreat before Nongship fire out two flashes swing through the doors and find the rock and Lover's Rock waiting
Nothing but strengths for BBL on this site
But a 3k for Lover's Rock it looks like they've dealt with that without breaking a sweat
No, as I was saying, Lover's Rock only had four kills in the first half
And now he sits in a position where I think he might be up to like 15 maybe 14
Like it's just a complete turnaround on an individual level and the same for the rock both of them
Kind of had a stinker in that first half and if they're coming back online
It definitely makes this game way more interesting
Look at them
The rock now up to 11. Yeah lovers rock from four kills. It's only been four rounds. He's had 11 kills in this half
They change up for BDL, they put the forces towards BD, expect an adaptation, but instead
Nonship, they throw themselves at this one more time.
The opening found, Ivy left behind, he knows someone's coming his way, dodging the stun
as well, ready and waiting for Lovers Rock, and that has saved the life of X-Ross, at
least for now as he came back out of the ultimate, but he finds himself stuck in the doors, being
fired on now as well. Rock takes down Dambi. X-Rust. He's been given a moment to breathe.
They've abandoned him and looked instead to take this fight together. The two versus three retake for BBL.
We've seen this from Nongshim.
The time's getting a little bit disjointed. There are still opportunities for BBL to try and
fight this one back but it will take some individual brilliance and this time RV is just
Waiting out the fading of that smoke even still the rock is hitting every shot
The time should be too far
That's incredible stuff from the rock and it shows again what crazy individual skill this man has I
I felt like Francis did the right thing there. He thought about peeking, but he would have
caught him looking the other way, but he stayed tucked in.
That's the only way. There was one second left on the clock. That is the only way he
could have won that round. There is no other way, even I think if Francis wide swings,
if he doesn't dash, he doesn't make the space up in time to get to the spike. That is just
ludicrous stuff, and what was mentioned on the desk about some of the individuals, some
of the talent that is on this BBO roster players to highlight, I don't want to see, I don't
want to put our desk down, but it's a very easy job in this game to go like, this guy
is probably going to be quite good, this guy is probably going to be quite good.
I think D-gon took the free hit and just went full of rock because we know what this
guy does.
In the first half, I was sat there going, does D-gon have a powerful enough jinx to genuinely
make Leroc play bad. And then in the second half Leroc has said no I'm gonna
silence anyone who looks against me. He's probably one of the most
entertaining whether you love him or you're on the other side which I think
there's quite a few of at this point. But when you can back it up with plays
like that, say whatever you want. Talk your smart, tell your truth.
5 in a row for BBL to claim the lead. It was early half success in the first that even laid the foundations for this to be possible.
Now they set up a trap outside P. Paranoia probably ready but it's only used to slow them down.
The swing from window is enough. The Sandler on back, they've seen him on this side but they feel they can take it anyways.
a big shutdown on to Dambi. They won't get control out of the choke point and then
Leroc steps in to greet the massive force coming his way. Double digits on the back
of this round for the defensive side from being so far behind. Oh, that's a strange
time to reload. He was putting his lucky bullet in! Francis! Oh, by a flamethrower!
And Lovers Rock dies for that! Lovers Rock died because he trod so close in the smoke.
The wrong target. The shot landed for Francis. That's all there is to right home about though.
One around from the rock. It's the fact that he can be quiet for so long and then he chooses
his moment to step up. And once he does, he doesn't sit back down.
That is the issue, and what is it?
What?
Yeah, you know.
Couldn't agree more.
There's words right out of my mouth.
17 and 12.
As I said, both Jules were massively negative coming into this half.
And it does just feel like all it takes is a spark.
All it takes is a moment.
And the same can be said for Nongshin.
A singular individual play, and this game could flip right back into the other direction.
most of the men. This is a bold play, but it's already worked out decently. Rose, I think
he's lost his mind in the last couple of rounds. The drone was risky, and Daphne's gonna
put his two players for it. Loiter, Lovers Rock. Hoping not to add another hell of a
big one. That's not bad, but King Daphne shouldn't get away, but he does.
Shrouded step just about got him out. Lovers Rock still alive this round, this far from
One.
Yeah, they have to block it.
Yeah.
I don't like they'll have too much trouble getting in there, but Neon Wall already used up.
Nothing else to block vision now for Nam Shin.
The wraparound from Lovers Rock.
I'm not sure if they'll expect this.
They saw him at the wall not long ago.
His trading shots out with them.
Now he's just tucking himself in 30 seconds left.
All they have to do is deny the plan.
That's going to be easier said than done now at this position.
Lovers Rock can't see it.
It's all at the long end.
That hold immediately deals with it.
Go, go, go!
Oh, Dambi.
The only problem with his old being on line
is he wants to fight the whole time.
He's got three teammates.
In fact, they've all moved to support Dambi,
because they know he's going to try and fight this one.
A firing squad for Lovers Rock.
Of course, the economy is great for BBL.
But it's Tammy that said all it takes is a moment, and this moment was down to one man, four kills in the round.
Nongshim, is this the start of a streak of their own? I wouldn't be surprised.
You said something in that round, Tom. I have to fully agree with. Rose has lost his mind.
The drone, I have to disagree. He said the drone was risky. That implies that there's a reward to be had.
The drone was still on us.
I'm not even sure how to define that.
Maybe if the guy had left, he would be able to drone way more.
Yeah, there you go.
Drone for info in the 41.
With him trapped in the corner.
But this is a quick play from Dogshit.
Barriers up and the dive straight in!
Lovers rocked.
Ready for the first.
The trade out from Francis RB with the advantage now.
And the plant.
No way to stop it.
That's a blitz of a round and it seems like the pace caught PBL off.
Which is funny, because it's exactly what they would do.
Very deep positioning from Ivy.
He's just playing the time.
Knows that his teammates are able to buy that clock, and you could see Greven was looking for it.
Where would Ivy? Probably on a late flank.
The problem is, you have the time taken against you.
Contact being made, takes main back into control.
Already that clock getting incredibly low once again. They've won for these positions before but not this time
Not giving too much over in the IGL of RB
Makes this level once again
There's been clear
clinical rounds from either side
But it has been in streaks, and if this is the start of another streak for an auction
They might be closing our map. There's just moments ago
looks like they were about to be blasted out.
Back to that first half, BBL had something working for them. They constantly hit the A site.
Nomship were not there to defend it. The majority of the time, the one that they were, they were shut down.
Then Nomship come in with some aggression of their own and BBL didn't have a solution from that point forward.
It was early half success and they teetered out towards the end.
Now, early half success and Nomship start to find their footing.
We've seen this one before, and so have BBL.
The timeout called here to make sure this one doesn't
spiral like the previous have.
It's safe to say that Arena is packed for Grand Finals
today, but what might seem like an hors d'oeuvre to the main
course is already serving up some pretty tasty rounds.
The course will say it again, the difference
between third and fourth place is 80,000, 220,000 for third, 140,000 for fourth and
of course those championship points as well 200 in difference which as we've
seen throughout EWC in the past every little helps and 200 points can go a
a long long way.
The Rocks here earlier, earlier than should be expected,
but Ivy dropped his orb at the perfect time.
Don Shim, divvying up the map in a beautiful way.
Now Francis has heard the run pass,
but Lovers Rock still gets the jump.
Now Francis has a reward of his own,
but it's Lovers Rock taking control of this round,
giving BBL a chance with both of those picks.
The numbers stay even.
But the fury has grown through, he knows where RB is roughly, but instead finds the tag deep onto X-Ross.
Bad advantage comes from it, and the ult now fades from RB, no more reckoning, and this will be AS reckoning!
As it turns out, Nunchim might have had less in terms of manpower, but certainly not in firepower.
And it is mental, but it just seems like once one of these team styles hitting a string of rounds together
It doesn't matter what circumstance they find themselves in. They're still able to get it over the line
And it seemed like both players from media were expecting somebody in a tight corner and I'll be just like you know
What I'll do I'll stand in the wide open
Of course no one's gonna pre-fire that spot because you'd have to be absolutely mental to stand there with two players coming out of
You have no cover whatsoever, but that's why it's the perfect spot because no one expected it to be there
Why outsmart them when you can outstupid them a big play from Nongshim sometimes that's what works is that your mantra?
Yeah, it doesn't work for me
Rb's my hero
He's showing me that if I keep going someday
day. 12 rounds on the cards for Nongshim. Aranoy in the right place and attempting the
aggression but Dambi was already on the right side. An immediate trade back and then the
pace picked up by the attacking side. Loyda looks to stand his ground. He won't wait
for backup. He wants to do the hard work himself. He's found one. He dropped the spike but he
He hasn't slowed them long enough.
Longing.
Ivy is on an island.
Incredibly far away.
He downs his teammate's toe.
Try and hold some time, but it hasn't happened.
Damn it.
Cortow.
They've still got Snakebite.
They've got a Molly, so that Molly's gonna have to be used immediately,
but it's baited down by BBL.
Leroc ready to look and get a grasp,
but it's not the prettiest of fights.
It's enough, though.
Traits evenly, and I shot from Ivy State, but it's still available.
He knows that that time has been fought and even uses the pit, the jump, and the road.
He knew he needed to get it in there and now.
And here's another punch, another round that is streaking in the favor of Nongshim Red Force.
Again, in the late half, once they've got that sample size, they start to put the pieces together.
They see the puzzle for the picture that it is.
Nongshim.
Well, the reward is just one round away, $80,000 in excess.
220 in total for that third-place spot.
More importantly, you can leave this event saying you at least stood on that podium.
You made that top three.
Hang on, you also get second-best region.
Hello. Early, but how has he turned on the time?
As said, it just feels like almost like a movie.
One team comes back, it looks like it's all going to come down to the end and then the
hero arises and that hero might just be Ivy.
It's been dambi throughout most of the game so far, but this man is never without his
impact.
And that Viper's pit not holding as much value rose, he's walked out like a corn-cutron hand,
but instead...
Alright, that was a wall back.
Trade immediately though, and that leaves the A site open as whether or not they want to pressure into it,
Fype's been pushed at the same time, Rose needs another kill, he's not going to get anything.
Dambi taking over once more.
Crevin doesn't even know how much ground has been taken, the B site's been lost.
He's got middle, that's about it. He could get killed from any angle.
Thirty seconds left.
Oh he slipped in past Andy. He has an idea. There's the barrel spotted one at least.
There'll be three more in the slow play from Francis. This will have to be very
quick from Crevin to even round that corner to stay alive and the
Donsegays of Francis, 13 for Nongshim. They gave VBL a chance. When it came to those late halves,
they looked unstoppable, 1-0 in the series. It truly is scary how powerful the momentum is
with these two teams. The way that that was won, like a six-round streak for VBL, the streak
gets broken straight into a high ground street in the dog team.
It makes for exciting viewing. There's no doubt about that.
But that, of course, was their map choice.
Loftus, the BVL, will be their opportunity to respond.
Both teams wanting to end down their EWC with a victory.
Both teams wanting those extra championship club points.
Both teams watching that extra cash. Let's head it over to Deagon on the desk.
Thank you very much gentlemen as we kick off this third place match with explosive action
and as mentioned Tom said, you might not be able to outsmart us but you might be able to outdumb us
and it doesn't matter because these guys are fist fighting every single round.
Man, respect, respect to Nongshim. They have a great recovery in that burst-off, and I feel like their game's getting away from them.
Once again, they show that they're able to overcome these odds and they bring it back.
BBL, how many times do they have to be ahead in a map, and it not go their way?
I feel like this is a recurring pattern at this point. It's them that have to recover now.
Yeah, they really have to recover hard too, because they were performing in the server like you said, explosive.
Both teams running at each other almost full speed making sure they're taking those fights taking those 1v1s
And a lot of the time we saw every single player collapsing to take those fights together
Which is something I really love to see from both these teams
But man BB out they let that run away from them with long shims pure confidence
We talked about confidence the confidence was definitely in the server for non should yeah again
It was just so fantastic to see how many times these hero plays were coming up a lot of them coming
on the side of BBL, especially in that second half run where they're running away with it.
But I felt like they were stealing rounds. Honestly, I feel like Nongshim with a better team here.
I think Lovers rocked with the amazing clutch in the pistol. They had the other 1v3 clutch.
I feel like BBL did great to keep themselves in the game. That is where at their best,
I do think they have a real tenacity about their play. But I feel like really,
I was much more impressed by Nongshim in this opening map. No surprises there, no bias from me.
But I like how they approach this one. There's a reason they have a very strong record on it.
And there's a reason why they picked it into this series today.
That's kind of crazy because I thought this map pick was actually going towards a long ship.
Just because the way that BBL had played them the past couple of days,
feels like that breeze and the second map Lotus just didn't go their way.
So it's kind of wild, but BBL also picking that Lotus just doesn't make any sense to me.
So if anything taught me anything from this first map is that both these teams are ready to play
and they're ready to just hold W down the server and win those 1v1s.
Yeah, let's go to Loida here as he had himself a fantastic map.
This was the one that Kukuka was saying,
hey look, I know people are talking about LaRoc,
Lover's Rock who also had some great plays,
but Loida was so consistent continuing on that trend he's done all at UWC.
I mean, the start of this game, he really took over.
I thought he was going to be able to run away with it.
Normally when you have a start this strong,
you're able to snowball and you're able to keep going.
So I felt like he did amazingly up to this 4-2 round, he goes down to the 1v1
It's him versus Dambi here and he's looking the wrong way and then all of a sudden we see him
He does slide down a little bit after that clutch
So I still think he had a very strong game for me
He's still the top guy on BBL from that map 1, but I do think there's a little bit of room for improvement here
Yeah, it feels like they kind of started to shut him down
Just making sure that he wasn't able to get into those frag positions able to get into those push positions
the reaction time on that shot to I like those little macro things that they do
around the map with those the dark making sure they're spamming through those
walls they did that a couple times and it's just so nice to see I mean Lloyd I
played really well and as that controller the clutches were there he
had that one 1v2 other than that though definitely so down like he said well
speaking of nice to see it's got to be Demby back on that neon rocking away
Just like they did all the way to the trophy at Masters looking here fantastic on that first map as well
So can on thank you for putting him back on
That won't be one that you saw that's what got notion back into this game
It was down be with those heroics and then you see him G
Then you see him start to take over this guy was the MVP over at Masters Santiago for exactly this
his ability to control the game, his ability to bring out that operator, but also be incredibly aggressive.
Be in all the right places, EBL, they struggle to find an answer once Danby got the ball rolling.
Yeah, it feels like the second he got that operator online, the defensive side was on lock,
literally punishing every single execute that was trying to go in their way.
But then, on the attack side, also, just sending it, making sure they're able to get a lot of those crunches in,
taking the map control, pushing a lot of the time like you see there,
Making sure they're just playing it smart, too. I didn't see it
Any of these Dambi positioning is kind of be questionable. I didn't see him over extend the only times that I did it
Looked like there was a plan behind it as well for Nongshin
So it's really nice to see Dambi come back online and of course putting him back on neon. Definitely
Yeah, a lot of clutch kills as well for him because when I think about the big moments
For BBL it came from the rock. It came from lovers rock
But the consistency was Loida on the offside it was the Danby show for Nongshim
He was the one that got him through especially on that 10-10 round where it could have gone either way
It was him the one leading the line for Nongshim is now we turn our focus to Lotus
Yeah, Lotus is definitely a scary map here when I'm looking at BBL
They've lost it the last two times that they played Lotus and it's really scary because Nongshim just beat NRG on this map
It's the one map that they won versus them and it was kind of a landslide too
They need it very very one-sided they really looked very good on it
And I think with the way that Dambi is playing on that neon with the operator as well
It's a little bit tricky if they start on the defense side like for me look
I respect the Cajones of losing a map consistently. I'm still picking it
Right. I think that they do believe that they can be good on this map
Then it's a few small tweaks needed even cash your mind back to that group stage
Yeah, it's going OT but they're never managing to get it across the line
It does feel like yes, they understand the map, but at what point did you just go? It doesn't matter
We're not getting the wins there, but they feel like this is the place to recover
If I say I don't think they've conceded Nongshim in all of this
Yeah
This feels to me like a map veto that was sort of one-sided where you're looking at where are we good not where our opponents good
So Nongshim I still think we'll be feeling very very optimistic moving into map 2. Yeah
well before we head back onto that
explosive action of BBL versus Nung Chim.
Don't forget, season two of Level Up,
the EWC documentary is live now on Prime Video.
So go check that out whenever you can.
We'll see you right after the short break.
the
down one of the rounds from the exciting qualifiers we had here at EWC and this one I think was
one of the most memorable moments of the event lovers rock it's the ninja defuse against EDG
such a crazy round here I want to hear your thoughts what's going on here why is it a 1v5
my teammates on C were not holding they couldn't hold C the whole match so EDG just abused C
They kept going, see.
And I don't know, I was going to save here.
Then I was like, OK, I hear the guy raised behind me.
So it's not going to be possible for me to save.
So let me just try to get some exits
or try to call for a needed diffuse.
Then I see them running away and I just went for a needier.
Did you hear any of like their footsteps or anything?
Like you said, you heard the raise behind you?
Yeah, yeah, yeah, they were just fully running.
I don't know.
I don't know why would they do that.
Gave it up a little bit too early.
Alright, now we're going to listen to it again, but this time with the sound on with your team comps.
Might need a little help with translation here, but this should be really curious.
I want to get like your thoughts on how your team communicates.
I'm not sure what they're saying, but they have no idea what to do, they just come through.
They already talked about the next round.
Yeah, they...
I think we're going to take the bomb.
And Rose is like, you have a timing.
Go take the bomb, this is the bomb.
And Larok is saying, go and be free from the bottom
so they don't see you.
I'll go.
Don't leave me.
Don't leave me.
And they are like.
Oh, no!
Oh, no!
Oh, no!
Oh, no!
Oh, no!
And then you guys just react, you know.
You guys are so fun to watch on stage.
I mean, you're so.
Yeah, it will be more fun when we get the biggest stage
then with the fans as well.
It's gonna be very good.
Absolutely, and I think we're all looking forward
to seeing you guys play in the playoffs.
It should be really exciting.
So thank you so much for taking some time to talk about this.
And that was one of the craziest moments we had here
at EWC 2026.
Hope you guys enjoyed it.
Thanks again, love it, Turok.
Thank you guys.
Thank you for everything's watching.
Bye bye.
What's up everybody it's Puckett out here on the EWC floor and I just found myself another
EWC play quest now not only can you earn points towards your EWC play score
But I also have 10 euros towards Valorant if you earn the perfect score
Let's get into it young man. Can you nail seven seconds on the spike?
The first one or the closest one to seven seconds is walking away with our prize this guy. Is he gonna be late?
Oh
7184 is a pretty darn good score, my friend.
All right, second challenger, what's your name?
Jilem, are you ready?
Let's get it.
It's time to defuse the spike.
We just saw a 7.184.
It's time to go dark.
3, 2, 1.
Oh!
And just like that, I don't think
we're going to get better than a perfect score.
Congratulations to my man!
We're having a party out here on the EWC4. If you see me, I got more prizes. I'll be here all week.
for you, gamers, hybrid workers, artists, and back in every move.
Welcome back from the content, it's time for more as we go back one more time into the
server.
Nongshim Red Force up 1-0 over Turkish squad BBL in our third place match here at the STC
Arena, Esports World Cup 20-26 Valorant, Dagon alongside big time, and Athena to bring you
agent select for map number two.
So we're moving across now to BBL's pick of Lotus, but don't let that fool you for Nongshim.
They're 2-0 here at EWC on Lotus, so they're also going to be feeling very, very confident
heading into this one for me.
The pressure right now is on BBL to be able to turn this around, to deny those championship
points away from Nongshim, to claim that bigger share of the enormous prize pool here at EWC.
They don't want to go down without a fight.
It's kind of crazy too, because for BBL, they've played Lotus in the past three games that
they've played here at WCW.
And two of those times, they did win it, 13-4 and 13-2.
Pretty one-sided, actually.
That was against EDG and Heretics, but then they play this against NRG, and they get
absolutely slammed.
But we're going to see no change in agents from the side of BBL.
They're going to keep it the same.
I think it did work for two of those games, but Nongshin here, I don't think that's a
change is it? No, I don't know it's not a change. Then no Viper yet? Oh my god. They don't like the Viper. No one likes the Viper anymore. Please.
You know, for me, I've never, I've never let baller about it. I've never once brought that up. Wait, wait, wait, wait. You are Mr Viper on Lotus.
No retake on A. What are we doing here? I will say neither of these teams are Viper teams in style. They like that head on clash.
They like the collision on it for me right now. I'm feeling good for Nongshin.
We know they like this map. Can they carry over that momentum that we saw there on Breeze?
It's going to be a lot on to Lovers Rock and Low Rock here for BBL.
The Double Duelists are definitely going to have to make some action around the server, especially on that defensive side.
You can't really retake, so you can't give up those sites very easily.
You're going to have to fight forward, set up a couple traps for Nongshin to walk into.
but I'd say traps, the notion they've been phenomenal at playing that playstyle setting traps up making sure they're doing the set plays
So it's really anyone's game going into this the sky's gonna get a lot of that information for them and the vice as well
That vice wall needs to be baited every single round. BBL no more losses to give
Nomjim trying to bring it home. Will it be coming home?
Let's send it on over to the casters to find out. It's Mitch man and Tom
That's time to see if BBL can bring this all the way back. They have to go to Haven to claim that third-play spot
and their
Swap on the podium
Renaud's ship
Wow, they showed us some solid late halves in that previous map and you think about
Some early success for them and it could have been a blowout
Things might change here though BBL's map pick and a defensive start for the squad as they look to fight their way back
ready. Deep, probably in 4-4 early, but it's Dambi continuing just as he left off in the
last map. A superb performance from him at times, it seemed like he was bringing them
into contention and then the rest of the team would step up. But now though, after finding
those double-openers even doing damage to Rose. They look to group up, fall back
across the map and okay sure they're leaving Exros as a bit of a placeholder
over on A but with a completely open seaside this becomes a pretty hefty
Tosk for the remaining players of BBL.
Long side of the map, it's still being kept in place by X-Ross.
Even there you see the double back from Lover's Rocks.
He's thinking, is this actually A?
They sent X-Ross to Lurk, what is happening?
Well, Blanc is about to reveal the trick that's being played.
and two versus five there we go the plant finally to come through it's hard
to drop the spike on the site planted every time you try and I'm starting the
plant yeah this to be for to be five is a it's gonna need some mistakes to be made
on the side of knowledge in for there to be any hope yeah I don't see it happening
I'm already taking love is rock already low
the nonchalant pistol under their belt, a start of their opponents back choice.
We've already seen throughout this game so far that there probably is no deficit that
one of these teams could come back from with how much momentum we saw at the streak of rounds
that came through for BBL while they were down.
They take the lead, couple of rounds, a singular one goes back in the other direction and then
the street goes right back the other way, but the VBR on their map choice, he won't have
slightly higher expectations, early C's made, and while Ivy's not showing away from a fight,
he didn't have too much to lose, whereas a couple of his teammates definitely do, although
So I will say, for a bonus, this is a fairly light line.
He's still...
I'll definitely be able to match anybody.
Oh! The other side! That was nothing shaky!
Dambi caught with a stun, out trade still, found him a rock.
Landing himself one.
Taking some damage for his troubles, but this is already getting costly.
Decided to launch him with Dambi. Barely hanging on to light the spam. Okay, it will connect leaving Loida alone
But even with a classic I have to give him some respect. The clutch is one of the previous not more impressive
Nothing to be found here
Definitely golf hit dangerous in the middle the rock being able to find the kill directly through the smoke with the classic
This very easily could have gone either way but Stanley come out on top once again and
farming up those additional arms getting ever closer having that overdrive online which
for him really does feel like a powerful ultimate and even having enough to upgrade into an
additional rifle or two. It's a better bonus than you might have thought.
Certainly than it looked like it could have been in that previous.
The prize tag. Given to them at a discount, BBL now come in rifles in hand up
against. Beacomely stacked by and a lot of players right outside that C site but
The rotations are in already, Lover's rock.
He's beaten here with crabbing the whole round.
Now, they've got Rose alongside them.
There are beef seams.
Like he's going to be going in.
Going into a trap that he doesn't know is set just for him.
The deep play is Rose, dives out to catch him,
and now they'll greet them at the choke point.
But the trades, they come in in favor of Numshim.
It looked like they dealt with the first wave,
The second has washed this defense away.
Trying to get ahead of things.
Nade will be able to protect you tonight instead, it's the Spam.
It's left all onto Loiter.
If the clock was lower, that might have been a defining factor of this round instead.
Three for the IGL.
Another streak of rounds at the start.
And Nongshim, now they have an opportunity to run away with this one.
And this is what we feared. What happens if this squad gets off to a good start in those early rounds?
A pistol, whatever, but the third here.
Scary considering it started out with Ambi, the tip of the spear, the success.
Story so far for this squad, and he goes into that seaside, he gets shut down immediately.
BB odd numbers, they're ready.
Nongshim, they thrive in the chaos.
Oh, hey, that's a nice little set up the sheriffs alongside the Marshall as long as he connects
It just takes one bullet from the sheriff to take someone down
That's enough to get from the opening to delete Ivy as well
Which is a lot of information lost for this non-ship squad if they do play direct
Looks like a fake that well to say it has worked
It's a bit of an understatement, all five players are currently sat on the C-site for
BBL while the spike moves through to A.
That's funny, that flash almost was the shelling point for BBL to realize that this was a fake.
You just get to send through a singular sky flash and just run away.
The fact is though, Shostoff was still used, so Longshim didn't quite realize how well
the fake had gone.
Dambi's aggressive positioning could be enough to deliver them a rifle, but instead he's using
his utility just to delay paranoia, but he's so close he could avoid it, has support, even still
decent trades. A kill on the classic, a gun found, but not quite utilized. They're trading it back
and forth. The low HP gives a charge at X-Rust. He will land another multi-frag.
And although it's a good damage round with the pistols, the damage kind of becomes a
little irrelevant when you've lost this many rounds in a row.
Exactly.
You need to win that round to convert right here from players like X-Ross showing up down
to 9 HP and a wide swing to close.
The confidence starting to build up on the side of Nogship, the rounds certainly are
as well.
there's a price tag to those victories. With zero rounds sitting opposite them
there's no need to worry just yet. Immediate aggression from BDL towards
A-Made. A-Made's done well. It's got lovers walking. Corner to fight from and it takes a
while for the kills to start coming in. Quick response from Nongshim and RB's
back to his old tricks. The spam through the smoke for the 2v2 and Ivy who
You have been the standout player for this squad in the late rounds, lurking his way
up, fighting so much space.
If it's not Dambi to end the round in the first few seconds, it'll be Ivy there in
your final moments.
And a 2v1 for Rose.
He might even be tempted to go for the save.
It looked like for a second, Kreven had an opportunity.
to give Ivy any ground and that's your life in Arlenboyd.
It's been a rough game so far for Rose.
And it is not really an act we can take.
In fact, Arby, I feel like he was meant to be the first swing
and then his teammate was going to swig off back
because he was low HP,
but Arby just really hasn't been missing.
Well, he's eight and one right now.
And he's going back to his versus Vitality form,
shooting people through smokes to perform the trades,
running, shooting as well.
And Ivy playing that very slow lurk up,
finding so much value.
Five to zero for Nonshit.
The timeout now coming through.
I saw our camera spin to the right for a moment.
I thought, this is a Nonshit timeout.
But indeed, it is BBL taking a breather.
Understandably, without things have gone so far,
Things are starting is actually even an understatement things are looking very bleak right now for this squad
Yeah, oh you can understand why coach key has decided that this is the right moment to try and talk to the boys because you're in your map to us
Sure. Yeah
You've already had a defeat in this single elimination bracket
You are out of contention when it comes to the grand final and taking home that trophy
having yourself immortalized in the Totem.
But there is still 18,000 on the line and club points to go with it.
You don't want to go out with a whimper. You want to go out with a bang.
And right now, they're getting banged.
It's unstoppable force and
immovable object territory when it comes to the momentum for both of these teams.
You feel like either one can always get back into it
if they do find the wind in their sails, but at the same time, you wonder, what does it take to stop Nunchim?
And we're already...
Whatever it takes, PBL don't seem to have it, not in this round.
No, that was a 10 second round.
That was literally round over in 10 seconds.
A double frag from Ivy, that honestly...
I I want to say there was nothing BBL could do, but maybe they peaked within
Point two of a second slightly faster together, but he was so fast
And then his teammates will so manage to clean up a couple bass nice shot from Leiter
Unfortunately even three more of those won't be enough because he took a tag of HP he would die before he managed all the remainder
But they also have seekers online, like realistically, even what he would hope to shroud in the shadows.
It's not going to help him out. It would almost need to be a ninja diffuse, and you could already see that they are not going to allow him to that opportunity.
Time ticking, he needs to get onto that spike, get it to half, and he's getting packed as he goes.
Francis ends around, but probably should have ended about a minute ago.
And I'm gonna need that slow mode on what Ivy just did
As we said a
Lot of talk about Dambi when this team first made waves on the international scene we've seen neon nerf
Probably because of him
Yeah, I don't even think it's probably I think we were all saying oh it seems a little strong
We saw Dambi play and said no get rid of it get rid of it immediately
He murdered everyone's ranked games for a few months.
Ivy, this tournament has felt like he found another gear, and that's a scary thing.
Does he want aspect of Nongshim?
Alright, take a hit.
And the other come back so much stronger!
Nongshim!
Not giving them any room to breathe!
Suffocating them!
With round after round seven to zero!
Unless Creven has got the play of his lifetime teed up surrounded
They're pushing him from every side of their pushing him fast. He is fleeing to a set of he can't even get behind the trip
It doesn't know where to look activating trip to try to bait them into the other side of
the site like
flawlessly done for seven to zero
From dark to darker for BBL
It's not looking like there's a dawn any time soon with Ivy playing like this.
What?
He wasn't even looking anymore.
I genuinely can't believe some of the shots we're seeing Ivy here and it seems like maybe
Key can't either.
Whatever it was, he's attempting to find a gap and the worst thing is we're seeing these
shots out from Ivy.
He's fourth on the score.
Fourth.
and it grows, they're even having to do too much.
They really are just disrespecting them at this point.
This is like a folder rolling down the hill.
And BBL are trying to stand in its way as it grows.
I see a snowball picking up momentum and mass as it,
And Ma says it
This shows no signs of stopping for Nongshin sure they're up against pistols here
He saw a guy me dive into the into the chaos three players surrounding and it didn't shake him at all
No, he doesn't have a
doesn't exist
Eight and zero is certainly not what I thought I was gonna see here
No. The last map was competitive and it did feel like non-shimmer the ones to find their
flow while BBL had a couple of ideas that eventually were figured out. But here it's
BBL's map pick. Here it's supposed to be comfort for them. It's supposed to get better.
I'll be honest with you, I've just seen Ian Chambers walk towards the stage. If that doesn't
Hell yeah, this game is going, I don't know what does.
Eight and zero.
Maybe this third, four.
Matt is gonna be over in the blink of an eye.
Love has Rock already gone.
As if they didn't have problems as it was,
Danby now investing into that operator.
You wanna try and come up with a counter to me?
I'm still adapting while we're winning eight and zero.
I'm gonna change things up.
Now Krebben should at least have information but just look at where the
rest of the four players are. They'll just wait to like Ivy's going right. I'm
gonna make a play. You guys just chill. The whole idea this round was that I
think have that nightfall put through directly after contact spotted Ivy. Now
how's that man? Oh not the corner but no nightmare for Rose.
That shot so quick to start this round out it got them an advantage but now we're
back to equal footing. GBL on their way to the B site, but the hit coming in elsewhere.
Nightfall going to be completely avoided. The paranoia won't be. Loid is bought them a little bit of extra time as Dambi has to wait for vision to return.
Nice shot by LaRocque as he's landed his third already. Sniping him out of the sky on the way in and is 8-1 at long last.
BBL have found a round!
Thank God it's at least not going to be a 13-0,
because that was genuinely a part of me that was worried.
And we might just see them get blasted.
And this could be their final map of the tournament,
one that will stick in their minds for a while,
but it doesn't seem like they are boomed out of it just yet.
The Rock.
With a couple of high-impact kills.
Is this going to be back to regular programming already being denied?
And it's a lecture that's unlucky for Lovers Rock.
X-Ross will survive and take him down.
It's a great skill, Jack.
And now with the save coming through, the heel, sorry, coming through from Francis.
He saved that HP bar.
Put his teammate back in a spot where X-Ross can fight again,
although we've seen him fight on 9 HP.
Never deterred.
This will be a fast play to the B side door broken open,
but immediately BBL looked to adjust.
They tried to fight their way through.
The Dambi was left behind.
The tip of the spear normally,
this time a concealed dagger.
And it's landed in the backs of BBL.
Just as it seemed.
The dog was breaking.
It proves to be BBL.
It's nine to one behind.
We've seen it already throughout this match, that a singular round seemed to build into something more.
But it was not the case in this one.
An attempt to fight through his met by Dambi, again he has been a devastating force within this map, within this series.
And unfortunately it does seem like BDO are going to go out with a whimper.
One round on the defensive side of their own map choice, at least, and Perch is here.
They have a showstopper, they have an overdrive, but they also have Ivy to deal with, and maybe for one of the first times in this game they've dealt with him cleanly.
Starting, oh, this is a big TP from RB for a lot.
Well, he's committed it into the spawn, and I love his lock, hasn't hit a shot from the start, but he's going in for it anyways.
The ult even used there, but RB's quickly on the trigger, now wrapping behind, Loida at least able to isolate him.
Swaps position with the shrouded step, but gets caught by Dambi anyways.
X-Ross onto the rock, and a round that started so well for BBL!
It's fallen, the Smithereens, 10 to 1 in the question, Tom.
Is this the fate that all the MEA teams will see, or that most will see on the international
stage they start with such fire?
But they're stuffed out with a whimper.
Haha, it's been...
The case for a while now.
Pacific...
have had these truly devastating teams,
but honestly, an informed Nongshim might be the scariest of the lot.
Lover's rocking a great position.
Second blood as well!
Finally, we see an individual play
that isn't from the Nongshim side.
It's safe to say they've been few and far between in this map.
And with Dambi and Ivy still alive, I won't lie to you, I'm not even sure this round is done.
It's a start we needed though for BPL, third to have any chance, two rounds of foundation,
Lovers Rock finding himself from two to five kills, couldn't see them with the judge, but
Justice was blind.
A BBL.
It may be another injustice delivered to this squad.
A two-man advantage down to one.
The rotates to the wrong side of the map, or at least it may be.
Long shift.
The world is their oyster. They can take the spike where they wish,
and for now it is away from the body of the defense.
Honestly, I don't mind seeing them group up.
Loiter being alone on the other side of the map, he gives a chance for someone like Dambi to isolate.
Although saying that they are now splitting up again, Plank seems guaranteed.
So the vice wall is also going to give them the information that there is a player behind.
They'll go through it together. Ibel need a quick double and he's only going to be able to delay them a little bit.
with thorns destroyed, a reposition necessary.
He needs to cover off Dambi,
who's trying to hold for the other angle, trying to.
Paranoia.
Almost baited him in on the fight.
Paranoia goes through the backside,
but it's not hit onto anybody.
Waiting for the players of Nongshim.
But at the final hour,
BBL will at least find the second round,
but I'll be honest with you, Hitch.
I don't think it's close to enough.
I don't think that's a crazy statement to make.
Two rounds on your map pick, I don't care the side, I don't care much for the map or
the opposition.
It should always be better than this and after such a strong fight on map number one the
question on all of our minds, where is BBL?
Because that team on the stage, those are not the boys I recognize from the MEA.
Where is BBL? Good question. And answer I've got for you though is, where is the crowd?
It's right here in Paris. How we doing? Fede Duplis! Look at this! We're packing it out.
We've got some incredible valorant and we are just getting started. The grand final is just
on the horizon and I'm standing by with a very special guest. He is an EWCOG. We've
You've seen him many years in the past on the big stages, hosting all of the action.
It's fancy.
You've come from Riyadh all the way here to Paris.
How cool is this?
Honestly, I couldn't expect it to be any better.
For the Esports World Cup to grow so quickly and for it to be in Paris, that's something
that I never thought it would happen so soon.
I mean, look at the crowd, man.
We've got thousands of people here.
Yeah, make some noise, Paris!
Incredible crowd, and we've got an incredible grand final coming up.
100 Thieves versus NRG. Who do you think is going to take it and why?
Honestly NRG have shown a lot of resilience during the tournament but they've went to map 3 every time.
But at the same time you have 100 Thieves, they've shown a lot of growth coming in with the rookie.
And honestly it could go either way but I'm just excited. I just want to see it go all the way.
Just briefly while I've got you, of course, look this is 7 weeks of immense competition.
We've got some of the best players from all over the world coming here to Paris to compete in lots of different titles.
outside of Valorant. What are you most looking forward to?
Definitely I would say League of Legends. I've been playing the game for the past decade
and I can't wait next week. It's going to be electric here.
You think Faker's going to come out?
He has to. It's a sports welcome.
All right, great stuff. Okay, Paris, I'm going to ask you,
who do you think is going to take this one?
Can we see Nongshim clutch this up?
Nongshim fans, let me hear you.
APPLAUSE
What about BBL?
Let's get into this one.
Even, right?
I think that seemed about even.
Tom, I think the decibel level might have been even, but there was a lot more booze
in that second call to action.
Oh, they were going, woo.
I will agree to disagree on that one.
I will just agree that you're wrong.
The crowd is against BBL here today, as Nongshim have certainly earned their fans and their
flowers here in Paris taking down home heroes normally makes you the villain
yet somehow they are the people's new hero BDL looking battered bruised and
broken down on two pistol well if you've seen ballerin before you know it's
normally a coin flip but in this instance BDL it is everything on a coin
Ivey, the man standing with five coming his way. They're getting close as well.
They are going to round this corner like a fat out of hell and they have hit him clean.
Opening kick, sight under their control, some deep presence as well.
Rumble on his rung but they're saying that he's going all the way in.
He's pushing all the way forward. He's got to be careful. Able to get back and has the
to back up means that no chance for a punish and with all the defenders coming
in from one angle it gives a good opportunity for a crossfire.
Here it is the bloodbath that will decide if this has four rounds to be played
and indeed BBL hold on for dear life in the pistol round 10 to 3.
I don't think he's back on board just yet. That's it. That's it.
Amanda doesn't seem too happy, but you can't really blame him.
I say credit has to be given to Nongshim and the way they've been playing.
They are such a tough team to play against, but a life line has been grasped.
A pistol round, which gives an opportunity to far away.
which gives an opportunity to farm up some Orbs.
Well, it already...
spot a fair few.
I was expecting the players on Livia to go the other way.
Instead, they actually went towards the danger.
Seven rounds in it.
Even these ones have to start out with...
A lot of success for BBL. We can see this squad struggle to convert around like this.
They've chosen the right side of the map to go to. It's only X-Ross here. He only has a classic as well.
Invested, nothing, bar, utility. It will be carried through to the next round.
A free weapon, and a prowler in his face. That should be the end of him, and he gets a few more chances than I'd like.
Luckily, none of them really land.
Now on the other side of the map.
Orb gonna go over.
30 seconds left.
Spike planted.
Claim one with the Spike plant as well.
And then for Longship at this stage, it almost comes down to
do just want to die to the Spike, rather than gifting anything over.
up. The likelihood of any form of success is an absolute zero unless of course we see
another ninja defuse. That would be one hell of a way to send them out. Damage perhaps
the question but two pistols one of which is removed just now you'd have to
get a lock down here and then going down to the spike is the final port of
call for non-ship 10 to 4 again though before we see BDL really pick up the
pace they need the conversion if not in round three an immediate resurgence in
round four of this half is non-ship now get the rifles out
Yeah, I'm gonna be interested to see the buy that comes out for BBL because you kind of mentioned it
They didn't really invest too much
And so because of that they're able to rebuy up with multiple rifles I think it's the best
plan they have really
Make sure that your bonus round is almost just another buy and then maybe you can kickstart this attack side
Get yourself that little bit closer, maybe even up to six before we see another five.
Well, the damage they've done to Ivy is already a great start.
Sworn by Lovers Rock. We can't get out in time.
The slide not there before X-Ross lands the shot and return.
Nonship stabilized. They've stopped the first leg of the push.
A VBL looked to take this elsewhere.
Very similar game to what we saw Ivy run.
A little bit later in the round.
And Kravitz making a bit of noise. He's letting them know they might be going towards this B site.
So they hopefully have an easier time of taking A. The cage will be popped up.
Maybe already has. Just as a distraction.
Yeah.
Just maybe trying to bait the B cross player
into a rotation.
Smoke going down.
Does however fake some pressure. There is nobody on this A site. Going through tree here.
We'd give them a free plon, and that's the exact call that has been made by BBL.
Prowler cleared them through to the site.
Still have to be cautious and worried about backside peeks, but the planter's being protected.
The bodyguards are there. Nongshin now have to fight their way back in, but X-Ross still on that C site.
It's going to take them some time, and BBL is setting up.
They've already got Leroc sitting up top, and Kreven has been patient all round long.
Waiting for the B aggression for a minute, nothing came.
He faked it out with his cage.
He's basically sat in their spawn, and now they just bypassed him.
Now Nongshim looked to actually take the fight to the site.
Kreven is useless in this position, but he doesn't know.
Luckily, his teammates are picking up all the pieces on the site.
Pick after pick for Nongshim, though.
back on the time. No surely to
far gone. Rose will make
certain that BBL don't falter
here. It's gonna be flashbacks
to the beginning of the
tournament. Backstab Rose is
back in action. Waiting for
his opponents to have their
backs turned before he
strikes, but. I said at the
enough behind that they took a few more risks in their second round purchase so
that they could come in with full rifles in this one and starting to build up some
momentum of course the streak of rounds was 8 and 0 for Nongshim but they got
quite a way to go to match up to what their opponents did in the first half.
I love the difference between everybody else winning a big round and Rose,
they all scream and then occasionally from Rose you just get that sigh of
I'm too old for this. They found the round. Kravins ain't a lot of trouble. He gets two, it's a rifle given over, a so-so trade.
Because what this gets for BDL is the idea that the A site ain't that heavily defended. They pick up the pace, they'll find a plant.
Yes, a rifle now to play against them, but only the one.
So, there's a couple of panic buttons that can be pressed, the name on the show stopper, if they need it.
I'd say odds are they're not going to be looking for it in this sort of moment, but the two quick kills, that's all but confirmed.
X-Rus could try and farm up an AWP or two of his own or maybe try and get a rifle and get out of there, but
it seems like death maybe is only released from this round, although there you go, that's at least one.
I think Rose realized in that moment though that him dying gets his ult online, so if he gets the kill great, if he doesn't at this stage, they're gonna be investing all their cash into every round anyway.
way. Come on, that would even save the gun through in the end.
Well, now, we're getting dangerously close to the territory where I do start to believe
in BBL. We talked about momentum. My main problem was, yes, both squads can thrive with
with it and of course a half-change can make one hell of a difference but Nong
Shin they seem to be on too much form they seem to move too quickly to be
slowed down
the four rounds in it is another rifle round for the defensive side comes
through Dambi on the operator on the defense this was a nightmare for BDL
when it came to Breeze, at least the start. They're taking it to the side of the map.
The Dambi isn't on. The problem is on Neon, that won't be any side of the map for very long.
His operator was literally the turning point. They went through.
Looking like they could end up getting boomed. I think they were 4-2 down after 4 rounds in a
the roads, him picking up an operator, and then dominating.
To be honest, a one-for-one trade-off versus Dambi's not bad,
and now the ult can be extended.
I don't know how for the life of me I'd be survived,
and while I guess Karma came through in the end.
The undernade caught him, even if the showstopper didn't.
Fight pleasant.
Sparms and Francis almost cost him his life.
In fact, he basically cost X-Ross his great paranoia,
but a little slow to pass off of it.
The fans might have dropped the ball a little bit in the end for BBL.
They're certainly not complaining.
Their foot is now truly in the door.
Nongshim have slowed.
It is crazy how this game has gone.
We saw it back on map number one where I think there's six rounds in a row for BBL, but they
they lose one and then they lose all the remaining rounds in the half we've seen
eight rounds in a row in this map and you'd sit there and go okay that should
be enough right but now we start to see the same happening on the other side
another crowd is still firmly in Dong Shim's favor they might boo this BBL
roster, but it's not the momentum of the crowd or the cheers that seem to help this team to thrive.
This is once they start rolling they are difficult to stop and of course that's why
Nongshim take the moment for a pause. It's going to be an interesting feeling being BBL.
Holmterf, you're in EMEA, you're up against the Pacific team, and the crowd
One of the bigger crowds you will have played in front of is screaming their name is booing you.
Even the interviews earlier, we had one of the cosplayers, who are you supporting?
BBL, the entire arena booth of instantly and passionately BBL.
It might not have any fans, but it certainly got a lot of rounds now starting to believe RB big play.
The TP up top, he might have blown him to the radar even with the stun going through.
through he is in a good position that was to have the son playing as a ruse
giving him a chance with the rightful a third kill for RB Francis he made a
mistake in the previous he didn't get a kill that was gifted to him it was on a
silver platter now a 1 versus 2 to try to recover that lost honor they know
where he is and a sliding from Lover's Rock seals the deal 10 to 8
The fact is the best way for BVL to silence this crowd is through bringing this map back.
You see them already had an incredible attack side half when they played versus heretics
earlier in the tournament.
It was 10-2, which will only take them to over time in this stance.
have to beat it if they want to win in regulation but without things are going
six rounds in a row. We're now looking at the non-ship side starting to ask the
question of do they have the answer.
Now what did it take to stop non-ship? We thought PBL might not have it but now
the question is what does it take to get them going again? How do we break PBL with
momentum like this. Everything starting to go the way of the attackers. Two rounds in
it now and that very comfortable gap. Kravis has turned into a crack. The
timeout's being called for no and shimmin. Well this buy round, it's operator for
Dambi as well as we said was the turning point before it may need to be again.
50 seconds on the clock. BDL is still spreading a default. They are looking for picks and they're going to get the chance.
But Nongshim are the ones converting those pickups a double-o.
Operator in hand, but not connecting this time. The numbers though should be too much.
The Rocks only able to get one, and that's the end of the streak. Six in a row, and you'd
think that these were all Die Hard Nongshin fans, whatever we call it. It's funny seeing
the way the Mates jerseys, but you know, it seems like you're allowed to have two teams
here in Paris.
Well, yeah, they had to pick another team after Mates went out, but no doubt when BBL
stepped out on that stage and saw all those fans, they saw the drums, heard them beat.
They hoped that those drums would beat for them.
Not quite the case as we've come to learn.
Francis chose an aside and it is not BBL's losing that round brings them back to the realization that although a streak of rounds was theirs just moments ago they are desperately close to being locked off that podium to being set into fourth place to losing out on an extra $80,000 to the players across the stage.
It's unit a mindset of
Feeling that pressure once again when you're in a position where
You're so far behind
The game looks out of reach
It can almost be a little bit freeing you can take risks when nothing's working
You could do things that are unorthodox, but then that game starts to get close again
You start to see
That victory on the horizon once again.
Maybe that pressure creeps back in for Nongshim.
We saw this in the last map.
Their opponents clawed their way back a single round and they close it from there.
RB already missing the beat a little bit.
He's got to be careful. There's another player lurking around the smoke and that's Kravitz.
Already the Lex Ross with a double.
Francis does the same.
And now Kravitz is all that stands from his opponents in 12.
12 but a nice shot to start a pot flash the swings alone his teammate in Ivy
didn't go with him he chose to be the last man standing with both looking to
find this back and Craven saves the day! BBL are not dead and buried yet! Craven has
just created a chance for BBL
He's got the plans to the Death Star, there's still so much more to do, but this, it felt
like an impossibility.
Even as you build for him having hope, I thought, false hope, a false profit surely, but now,
Crevin, perhaps even ushering DBL towards map 3, the distance still to cover, a two-round
gap and Nongshim have bought right back up. They've got Dambi in the right spot.
Him and Ivy the two highlights this year for the squad at the big events and now
they've got back up as well. If BBL continued this push they could be in
trouble but that's Ivy down. That's tempting and it is going to get the
trigger pulled. They don't expect that to us. Luckily they trade him but it's quickly
back in favor for Nongshim. A non-issue as Crevin again finds himself against
the odds this time long ship might give him a bit more respect for me once that's
what they say second time that point I think long she would have played the
full getting spike feels like a tough task right on the edge of the smoke
It's being spammed on the other side. It really does become incredibly difficult.
Come on, into a fight.
With 20 seconds left, it looks like this time, Nongshim are not going to be overplaying their hand.
There is no risk being taken when facing off against Craven.
Mac and series point
Those extra championship points
That extra $80,000 in cash and a bronze battle
Second high placing performance at international events this year
If they can win one
But the next three rounds
Perhaps the biggest prize of all to be the second best region to send another
home as the third. Big talk about EMEA here at this event with so many teams
delivering in the group stages making the deep run to playoffs. It seemed like
EMEA would win on home soil that they would hoist the trophy and the only
question was which team would do it and now it's only North America in the
grand finals. The IMEA in Pacific playing for second place for the regions. Third
place in the tournament.
We're both of these squads having big performances on that international stage.
Neither wants to be the one to give up that title to give that podium placement
way. On the buy from BBL, not a break. But he shows up and I just help him out. Off contact,
immediately lovers, sorry goes above. The spray's not the best, Leroy in fact has to
do it twice. They've spotted Xros, but in the last couple of rounds he's been a man
of doubles, not this time. Come on, the steal gone and we'll go in, but for three players
that wasn't even a difference taken. In fact they're using ultimates to try and bring this
round back and even Dabney can't turn that time. BBL have found another lifeline once again.
Two needed now to go to overtime and keep their hopes of a top three on the line.
But you can see the difference in BBL. That was the last time we saw them stand on their feet,
Stare across the stage, the calls to action for the other squad.
They've been quieter than normal here today.
They know two rounds is still a big task.
Junction, they've given up A completely.
They are pushing at a pace.
Not quite expected from the majority of teams,
but TDL do exactly the same.
They adjust to all the space lost behind
by taking space in front by finding a plant.
I think the real advantage for non-ship is catching players off at the weaker weapons unless they are going to go through with the showstopper on X-Ross.
Him being one of the only players with the rifle, I'd probably rather see it saved for another.
There goes the showstopper. They want to try and end this here and now any player is closely in trouble and that's Leutagon.
Leutergon, the gun that could be retrieved, the remaining players a little bit further back even still though
They're trading it at the fountain, Krabben and LaRocque though, that's not giving this up!
Three kills for LaRocque
They hold in the post block
And from 8-0 down
From a 10-2 half
We now sit
With BBL taking us all the way in regulation. But does this map have a little bit more?
I think you thought the boom ball was gonna get him at the end there.
One round left to play for in regulation. It's overtime or game over for BBL.
They're non-ship. They saved up their credits, but they did use that showstopper in the last.
They'll have to do this with the bullets instead of the bazooka.
PBL have already given the game away. They plan to take this to the seaside.
At least that's what they want non-ship to think. They were trying to bait out the vice wall as well.
Drag the rotations and they, well, it's not the wall, but they've done the latter.
Four players from non-ship now stand at sea, but they are not going to sit and wait.
and wait instead they push and fight they take down the rock he didn't he was
blinded he didn't know what way he was looking and he simply ran in a straight
line away he's been cut down to size and the plan's been delayed
I love this rock realizes he has to continue that push the Tiger though is
gonna give him away everything being theorized predicted perfectly
final shim the prediction and execution not always the same
oh that's a great flash it's a fantastic flash from Francis it's got them into
the site it might just have got them the map the series and the podium finish
Francis with the final blow and Nongshim 2-0.
They have sent BVL out in fourth place.
EMEA as the third region here on home soil.
They have won over the hearts of the fans here in France.
Third place and 220,000 dollars belongs to Nongshim.
We thought maybe with the way this map started, they might be doing a speedrun.
And I think going forward in the year, this is a team that I don't think anybody will particularly want to be facing against.
They went close versus the likes of 100 Thieves and narrowly missed out on being in the grand final that will be coming up slightly later today.
For the fact is they were a contender throughout eliminating the likes of G2, Vitality, and
now sending BBL down to that fourth place spot.
This was a big performance and a big turnaround from what we saw in stage 1 Pacific, a well
earned third place for Nongshim Red Force.
I'm looking forward to seeing what else they've got throughout the year.
Well, meadows may come and go, but it seems like Nongshim's success will stay the same.
Deep runs on the international stage, and a well-earned moment in the spotlight for BBL
and for EMEA.
This was supposed to be their moment, but instead it belongs to Nongshim, doesn't it,
Ian?
It does indeed, Mitch.
It feels like a home performance, the noise in here right now.
It was a phenomenal statement tournament for Nongshim Red Force.
I've stand about with Maddox, I've a translator, and Dan B.
Dan B, of course, you wanted that trophy. That's what you came here for.
But you must be so proud of your performance overall here at the tournament.
I'm curious about that.
It's such a shame that we finished in the third place.
We thought that we were continuing to grow in the WC.
So we were able to see the victory.
But we were a little disappointed.
It's a little bit of a shame, but we will do our best in the stage 2.
But I'm so happy that we finished in the third place.
We felt ourselves growing in the course of this tournament.
So yeah, we feel proud and we feel great to get the third place overall.
And we'll go on to stage 2 and so on and so on.
Team Red Forge!
And my next question is going to be about this French support.
I think before this tournament, not many Frenchies knew your name, knew your team,
but you've conquered many hearts this week, Dan B.
So I want to know how it feels to have supporters on the other side of the world,
and why do you think they actually like you like this?
In the beginning of the tournament, the French fans didn't really support the team, but today's game, the team was really supporting the team.
So, I'm really curious about what made the team support the team, and what made the French fans support the team.
Our playstyle is very strong, and our playstyle in Europe and France is very strong, and since we are young, our shop is good, so I think that's why we like it so much.
And...
I think so.
Overall, I think it's because of our aggressive, very fast play style, so I think they enjoyed it very much in our games.
I've got to ask, you leave here as a team with 220,000 dollars. That is a huge amount of money.
Aside from that, what lessons do you leave with from this tournament?
We have now taken over 20,000 points with the Club Championship 500 points.
So, what are the things that you learned and improved the most during this tournament?
We came here to play as a team, and it was our second time in the global tournament.
We had a chance to play as a team, but we didn't want to do anything about it.
I don't think we should.
I think the team play was a bit better, so it's great.
I'm so grateful that I could play in a big stadium like this.
in our team so I'm very proud of that.
I'm very proud of the team.
We managed to grow as I said earlier.
I think we could have seen the problems
we had in the team and we will obviously
see the addresses before the Stage 2.
Danby, you're also going to be part of
the Esports Nations Cup at the
end of the year representing Korea.
So congratulations for this and of course
we're excited about that. My last question
real quick, Grand Finals, Energy vs.
100 teams, who is winning?
From now on, the Stage 2 and
ENC will be the national team soon, so we're looking forward to the match.
The final is ahead for the final.
Who do you expect to win the 100th Siege of the 100th Siege?
I think we'll win 100th Siege.
Let's go and meet some of the fans that are eager to meet you. Thank you so much Maddox as well.
Thank you both.
Well, that is the third place match I've done.
We just got to take a quick look at this, because Lou, this is what it all comes down to now.
This is what every team that came out here wanted to get their hands on, and the grand final is just on the horizon.
Exactly, we're going to have the grand final coming up soon because you know it, the real game of the day.
And we talked about this third place, and congratulations once again on Red Force, but the real challenge is this.
It's this WC trophy, to be all the way up from the pyramid, and I guess our two American teams are really looking forward to what's next.
They are indeed and I've got to give a huge shout out to this phenomenal crowd because you're showing up here in Paris
The Valorant fans are here in force and this is awesome to see
You're kidding me, I wanted to say it to you too, as a personal, that's what Ian just said
But we wanted to say thank you so much for giving us the voice for this first match
And we're waiting for you to come back for the grand final that will be followed
And right before we get into that, that grand final, thank you
Ian, what do you think about learning a little bit of French?
I have a game for you, but you might need the help of the crowd at some point.
You ready?
I'm going to say some French slang expressions, nothing rude of course, that we use in ranked
games.
You're going to have to discover if I am flaming you or if I'm gasping you up.
I'm ready, let's go.
I'm going to tell him the expressions that you all know very well, great ranked player that we all are,
and you may be able to try to tell him if it's good or bad.
First stop is Techo, Techo.
Techo, bien, bien?
Bien? Ah bien? What do you think?
Bien? Bien of course!
What did he say?
Techo, Techo means like you're hot, but you're not.
Okay, fair enough, you know?
It means you're insane, you're good, you're good.
Play more of this as we go along and I want to learn more and more French as well. This has been incredible
France, thank you so much. The grand final is on the horizon. Let's keep this moving. Fecta please
Thank you very much in and Lou as it was Nungshim Red Forz they take the map to 0 a dominant
8-0 start but a valiant attempt by BBL to claw it all the way back but ultimately Dan
and the Pacific squad get the job done they finish in third place well done
non-shim ultimately I feel like they were the ones running away with this map
that first off was insanely dominant Danby once again eating up BBL on the
back foot I do have to give a lot of credit a lot of flowers to BBL when it
looks like they're on the ropes they really do start that fight back but
ultimately not enough it's that fourth place finish for them here at EWC
I'm actually really happy that we kind of got this score in the end.
Because my worry coming into today, I told you guys, was that I want to see a BBL that is ready to take on the rest of the year.
I do not want someone to go quiet after what everything that they've already done here in Paris.
And just look at the numbers. At the end of the day, it's a one round difference.
We almost go to overtime. Yes, that first half looks insane.
But imagine bouncing back from that all the rounds the BBL got in a row.
I thought that they were devastated that they were done, that they had used up all the fuel
that they had for the tournament.
You couldn't blame them, right?
It's like the last day you know you can't win, you're only battling for that third place,
was that there's a lot of money.
But at the end of the day, they have been a little bit overperforming if you think about
the amount of experience that they have compared to everybody else.
Yeah, I just, I hope that BBL take away just how great their growth and return back to
form was that it wasn't a flash in the pan from earlier in the year and they should be
so proud of what they were able to accomplish the hero moments the villain moments and in
the face of those sweeps still finding a way to grit on down so fantastic fourth place finish
there for BBL on the opposite side I feel like there's one man one story that you want to
follow along it is Dan B the fact that don't you find a way to put him back on the neon
despite trying a bunch of different things, go back to it and you can see how great he had been.
Yeah, I mean, you know what? It's crazy for me because this echoes that story over at Ascension
when they're originally trying to qualify, you see Dambion on Astra and all of us go,
what is happening? Goes back to me on things that were all being demanded.
And then the other experiment, they try him on the Phoenix, but he returns to his bread and butter
and he had a great performance here at EWC.
That third place finished $220,000,
heading the way of Longchiu,
and of course, that's all important,
club championship points.
This is another team that can hold their head high.
They were the only specific team in the playoffs,
and I think they represented the region beautiful.
But they fought so hard, I think that as we were saying,
yesterday they could have perfectly won that match,
also from the form that we saw them today.
They would have been a very serious contender for that Grand Final.
And honestly, I would have been incredibly happy for you, Maria,
because I think that you deserve it.
But I'd like to see that this is what we get in the end.
We get very strong contenders.
Yes, we, for the first time in this entire playoffs,
we didn't get to the map three,
and I still got the feeling that there is more to these teams.
Oh, yeah.
Yeah, and they are primed and ready to go for Stage 2,
which will be happening over at Pacific and EMEA.
But before the grand finals, we've got to set you all up.
It is that America's Grand Finals here at EWC 2026.
Don't go anywhere.
We got content for you.
And we'll be right back with more.
Juna here, and I'm joined with 100 Thieves.
today we're going to be testing your knowledge for the Valorant voice lines.
I didn't know I need Phoenix voice lines.
It's pretty simple, I'm gonna read out a couple of the voice lines and then there'll be the blank
space in there. Ready to go? Ready to go? All right first, voice line. Relax my friends, blank.
They're not what you think. That seems like a complete sentence.
Let's get going there. Yeah.
Ends down everybody. Whiteboards out, let's go.
Logi, chill out. My creatures?
Yeah. Is that feed?
Thing sky, like her low like things. My creatures are not what you think.
I thought I know this looks like I just put some random
What'd you say?
I thought I know this looks like
I know this looks like
They're not what you think
They're not what you think
The correct voice line is by Astra
It is says, relax my friends
Time and space are not what you think
Minus one point if you play the A-string by the way
You guys brought your airplugs right
I'm just saying, blank will mess you up
Bro, we don't play this A-string though
It has to be mixed by the way
I feel like that is a raised voice line
Yeah
I mean, maybe it is
She could have got you guys
She affirmed the mix
Yeah
Four three no chill chill chill. Oh, we're not good under pressure. Huh? No, I'm not I'm thinking with the raise idea
I did I did shockwave because I put booms my booms
My beats
Beats is actually good. It was are you guys brought your earplugs, right? I'm just saying tonight us will miss you up
Really?
I
Do not worry my radiant friends. I will it's too it's too words. It's four words. I feel like I got the first two words
I'm just running bullshit
chamber to enemy chaos chamber
Three two one, so I take down the ball
Or shoot them. What bro? Shoot them for you shoot that darn robot
I will unplug their talking toaster.
I've never heard that in my life.
My grandmother always told me, like...
This isn't really a good setup for a good joke.
Come on guys, old babushka tell you.
How do you start?
Oh, look at all this.
Stop being so dog shit.
Eat my vegetables.
Give us.
Keep it in your pants.
you
you
you
you
you
You
I eat people, if you like.
No, we don't eat people at home!
Kitty, I did it!
He even gave it to me for free!
Oh wow, that's amazing!
It's always me, yeah.
I think I get it.
Do we get jammed?
Okay, so as I get it, the French don't really like the American tourists, right?
Not really.
So what can I say to have them truly embrace me as a local?
Just tell them...
And Boppy a Poo Bear!
He's f***ing out!
We're being f***ed!
We're being f***ed!
Kitty! Kitty, it worked!
They've accepted me as one of their own!
I want to see Paris and it's all thanks to you!
Oh!
Woo!
Hi guys, Jenna here and I'm joined with NRG to play a round of Who Is Most Likely
to just to test the waters and see their synergy.
Hope you guys are ready.
My first question is,
who's most likely to forget to pack their jersey?
Unless I'm gonna say Adam, except for me.
Why did you not say Adam?
Oh, I said Gio.
Gio was my second one too, fair.
Why was there a unanimous vote though for?
I've forgotten to pack certain things.
Oh yeah.
I forgot his passport once actually.
It's a good question.
Who is most likely to offer to pay the bill?
All right, three, two, one.
Okay, everyone's saying you can.
I just need the credit card points, that's it.
Wait, would you ask them for the money back
or would you pay it though?
Some depends on the occasion.
I'm all committed.
Okay.
Which one of you guys has the best taste in music?
You might see one of you from here.
What do you think?
It's out of school.
Oh, I don't even know what school this is.
I don't know why.
I don't know what mission school this is.
There's been a lot of it a few times.
I've never been in Italy.
Adam has a similar taste to me,
but I guess you guys are the same probably, huh?
Who's most likely to forget why they parked?
Hypothetically, if everyone can drive.
Yeah. Yeah, exactly.
Okay, okay.
Okay, ready guys?
Camera.
Three, two, one.
All right, I need some explanations.
Why would you put me out here to drive?
Exactly.
I mean, I picked Brock, just feel like Brock's
most likely to forget where he parked.
That is a good explanation.
Yes, that's a good explanation.
Fair play.
Sometimes Brock blanks out,
and he might happen to blink out when he parks his car.
Which team member would you most likely
I want to be stuck with on a deserted island.
This one's not hard.
All right, 31, Brock again.
I have a feeling that he could help me with some fishing.
I chose Brock because I trust myself
with the thinking part of the venture
and I just need him for the strength.
Pretty much the exact reason I picked him as well.
I thought I'd just be funny.
That's my time.
It's broken up.
No, you're trying to survive, not luck.
We're gonna die, but like, it's fine.
You gotta enjoy yourself.
You gotta enjoy yourself.
I feel that, I feel that, man.
Wish Flayer is most likely to be late to a scrim.
Two Gios.
Nine Gios.
Square.
White Gio.
I just said Gio usually wakes up the latest.
That's the only reason.
That's the exact reason I had as well.
I had a lot of sense of urgency,
but it's not like a bad thing.
I wanted to go for Square.
I just wanted to do Square being late.
Just wanted to stay in front of the audience.
Last night I was going to go to the members' community.
That's all I had to worry about.
Which one of you would survive a zombie apocalypse
the longest?
We actually talked about this the other day.
See the answers, guys?
You're the only person who voted for someone else, so let's see.
You have no faith in yourself?
I entered me.
Sir, how about Ethan, because you have the most life experience here.
Sam, I'm glad we're all confident in ourselves.
Which one of you is most likely to become a coach?
Alright, three, two, one.
Ethan.
Wow, being sweet.
Being sweet.
Yeah, why are you putting yourself forward?
I won't speak for them, but I think I just make a good coach. I think I'm almost there as well
Which one of you guys is the funniest? Everyone's just hilarious. All right, three two one
Why'd you go for me? I don't know. I just say dumb stuff a lot of the time and it's funny to people
So thank you guys so much for giving us a little bit of insight into NRG and calling each other out as well
That's it from us over here, and we're gonna be heading back over to the show
Hey, welcome.
Go ahead and take a seat.
We ran out of office space here, so we're making do.
Listen, I don't know if anyone's kind of told you
what we're doing today, but we're just gonna have a chat.
And honestly, I would prefer to call you
by your real name, if that's okay.
Oscar?
Yeah, Oscar Canellis Colochia.
Actually, no, we're just gonna stick with Maxwell.
Okay.
Listen, I know that you auto-dub
a lot of your content into English.
Are you planning on doing that for this interview?
No, this is my normal voice,
and I will use it in English.
Also, you're a highly respected journalist, Avaly.
Thank you.
Now, during your time with Counter-Strike,
you played for more than 15 teams in eight years.
Was that because you couldn't make friends?
I actually have a lot of friends,
but it's hard to make friends in gaming
because people are like you, like a rude.
It's kind of personal.
Did you ever think that maybe in those eight years
that you were the problem?
Was it hard for you to leave Counter-Strike for Valorant, or does being from Catalonia
make the idea of separation come easily?
No, it was really easy.
It was really easy because I was tired of playing Counter-Strike already and I wanted
something new.
Because you aged out of it?
No.
How old are you?
That's a very weird question to ask a woman.
No.
Did your mother teach you your manners?
I think a woman and men are the same.
In what way?
I can ask you anything that you can ask me.
People's were the same.
When's your next monthly cycle?
That doesn't have anything to do with your age.
Hold up, hold up.
We just said that we can ask each other the same questions as men and women.
Okay, I'm gonna answer that.
Alright, well let's move on.
You recently became sponsored by Red Bull.
You can see it on your shirt.
Yes.
Is that because being over 30,
drinking it is the only way that you could stay awake?
I'm not gonna get Rachbynated by that.
It's fine, why do you think that's a Rachbyn?
Your attitude.
My attitude?
Yes.
This is just the way my face looks.
Now Red Bull says that you were, quote,
considered by the vast majority of fans
to be one of the most charismatic professional players
in the esports scene.
By majority of fans, did they just mean your mom?
I'm...
Does it mean what?
Do I... Sorry, I didn't auto-dub it.
Red Bull says that you were, quote,
Considered by the vast majority of fans to be one of the most charismatic
Professional players in the scene, but by majority of fans. Did they just mean your mom? Oh
That's a lame one your mom is lame no my mom
Incredibly rude. She gave life to you. Yes. Yes. Yes, but no, no, no, I mean it's a lame question. It's a very
I'll be sure to let our writers know.
Yeah.
Look straight into the camera and tell our writer that you just don't think he's doing
a very good job.
You probably chat GPT the question or something.
Can you do your research?
You're the owner of Club Otakar.
I'm glad that you could come to EWC, but why didn't you bring your club with you?
Because we're starting.
We're new.
We have only a Valorant team and we need more to compete in the rankings and everything.
Is that just your way of saying that you're broke?
Yeah.
Did you turn to team ownership in the hopes of being less unsuccessful?
Less unsuccessful.
I mean can your club beat any team that is not named LK?
That's a good one.
That's actually a good one.
You did your research today.
We can.
We've done it.
Well, let's talk a little bit more about you.
Right. When you retired from gaming to go into streaming,
was it tough to transition from a job playing video games all day
to a job playing video games all day poorly?
No. It wasn't.
A challenge frightens you?
No.
Now, we have had our fun, but I do have one final serious question for you, if that's okay.
When you eat oatmeal, do you prefer it to be lumpy or do you mix well?
I don't eat oatmeal.
I just eat tortilla.
Tortilla?
Yeah.
It's like a...
I live in California.
It's like we almost invented tortillas.
No, but not that kind.
I live in California as well,
but you're talking about something else.
I'm talking about like Taco Bell, right?
No.
You mix the eggs.
No, you get this from the supermarket.
It's flat. It looks like a frisbee.
You could chuck it.
No, no, no.
That's the Mexican tortilla.
It's not a Spanish one.
Who came first?
Yo, I'm done.
Can I leave or no?
But well hold up we still have a couple more so this isn't even your floor
Guess he doesn't mix well with others
VCT and as well as Bayez from Gentlemates co-streaming live from the event. Welcome everyone, how you guys doing?
Hello, I'm Yorai-san. Nice to meet you.
I'm good too, nice to meet you.
Alright, so Yorai-san, you got connected with Carming Corp. How did that happen?
So, I watched the KamiCorp match, so, who I picked in BO5, I shout this match, so, KamiCorp send my message, I saw surprise, so, KamiCorp invited me in EWC.
Yeah, I know, that is so cool that they saw the impact that you had from earlier and brought you on over for EWC.
Now, Bez, you started out as a player and now getting to see the eSports World Cup here in France.
How does that make you feel?
I just like it, bro.
To be honest, the organization is so, so, so good.
And when we have an event, we have a tournament in Paris, we are proud of it.
So, just let's keep continuing like this.
And I hope we will have more, more events, more tournaments, more organizations in Paris.
because the public is so so amazing how it's amazing absolutely and that's what
I'm gonna ask you next you a son how has the fans been here at in Paris during
EWC yes French part on a French fan so amazing
they hide and scream and chant yeah I saw first time in French yeah so big
What's the next surprise? Fans?
Hi, so...
Very hype. Very, very hype.
Excited in WC.
Yeah, very, very much so.
Now, Veys, you're co-streaming here and part of the creator program of EWC.
You are currently ranked second.
Yoeson is ranked third.
What's it been like co-streaming here live from the event?
The bonus, we are here co-streaming.
So we can stay with fans, you know.
They are coming, they are asking for photos, they are asking, I don't know, so I think
it's an honor for us to be here and big, big, big thanks to EWC because I like to be here,
I like costuming, I like water runs, you know, so even at home I watch every match, VCT tournament,
so thank you very much EWC to accept us here and just it's amazing.
Yeah, the fans have been lining up after the end of every map to come say hi to both of y'all.
But now we are here at the Grand Finals, so my question to both of you is, who's going to win?
Will it be 100 Thieves or will it be NRG, Yuai-san?
So difficult question.
I think NRG is better, but Kandil is huge, so have huge power.
I'm rooting for Chimotino.
I believe we win 100 sheaves, I'm rooting for 100 sheaves.
100 thieves vote here, how about for you Vance?
So it's difficult you know, but I want to say, energy, they won against us.
So if energy wins, so I can say, we lost against champs.
And 100 sheaves, they went to our gaming house in Paris, they bootcamped for, I don't know, one or two weeks.
So, if they win, I can say it's Gentlemates Gaming House, blah.
So, to be honest, all goes for me.
I hope the best will win, and let's go.
Alright, we will see.
Baez, UA sun, thank you so much for joining us here at the desk.
Thank you so much too.
Thank you so much.
Alright, standing by right now is Tom and Mitch who did some exploration around EWC.
What's up guys, we're here at EWC where we have just finished watching some epic ballerate
matches but that is not all that there is to do here in the venue.
There is so much fun to be had so we're going to take you around a little bit.
Isn't that right boys?
Let's go!
You're like coaching for a family.
Yeah, I know.
Hey guys, we're here at the Lenovo booth.
Am I going to be testing our reaction skills?
Now I'm an old man and these two youngsters are surely going to beat me in this one.
You can catch anything in my life.
Zero posture.
He couldn't catch a cut.
That's sad.
That's actually that hurt my heart to watch.
He's got one.
He's crouching now.
He's barely taken the crouching seriously.
He's looking the wrong way.
One.
The hand-eye course.
Oh.
He's got extremely well here.
Oh!
He's bubbled it.
I didn't know that one.
He's bubbled it.
Left hand is back.
Oh, he's locked out.
Damn it!
Oh, you're in with a shot here.
I can't lie.
I need some glass.
There's one left.
You don't catch the last one?
Oh, no!
Oh, no!
Oh, fucking!
Please!
Please, Ollie's got one.
Right, well, this is cheating.
There we go.
Guys, we can't add that.
That was too bad.
That was too bad.
All right, so that was the practice run.
Can we do it now?
Until the piece, guys.
We're here at the Team Vitality booth, where we've got lots of fun to be had, whether
it's the claw machine, the face painting station, the gaming station, or the juice bar.
We went for the Chronicle.
Wait, Tom, what did you get?
I got the Dirk, of course.
He's going to be trying really hard, isn't he?
Two feet.
That's not happening.
I should have gone second.
Oh!
We've overshot.
I need to split the difference.
We've overshot.
The dub right now, 7-3-5.
Alcampione.
Oh, that was even less.
It went over 150.
I don't want to follow her.
Oh, okay.
Oh, okay.
Oh, you smashed through mine.
That's a good number.
Oh, he's beating me.
Okay.
I'm a pacifist.
I'll take that.
I'll take that.
I'll take that.
I'll take that.
I'll take that.
I'll take that.
I'll take that.
I'll take that.
Well, guys, here at EWC, there's plenty of team boots,
but that's not the only thing to get excited about,
as well as all their mini games and meet and greets.
We've also got a quest system for you.
There's some challenges on the EWC app,
and if you download it and come and complete
all the challenges, you will get some nifty little prizes.
Let's see what prize awaits us here at the Gentlemates booth.
Oh, shit.
You might have got some pain under your fucking face.
You got some on your neck.
Good to see you, bro. How are you doing?
I'm being off. Almost.
I wish, I wish.
How are you? Good to see you, bro. How are you?
Yeah. Very good, very good.
Why does it look so bad?
Not only can you have a lot of fun around the venue,
you can also come to the merch store,
some fantastic EWC merch and some very cute plushies.
Let's go take a look.
That's better.
Well, folks, we've had a lot of fun here at EWC,
but it's been a long day.
We've been to boots, we've played some games,
we've won some prizes.
It might have embarrassed ourselves along the way,
but we gotta take some rest now
because tomorrow we're doing it all again.
Plenty more action coming over the next couple of weeks,
live here from Paris.
So stay tuned in to EWC.
We'll see you soon.
Welcome back to EWC 2026
ballerinas. We are finally
almost there. It is the walk
for NRG 800 thieves are Grand Finalists in all America's affairs so it is all hands
on deck here at the analyst desk as we welcome back Big Time Kukuka and Athena.
Yo, Big Time looking good there?
Sound the merch?
Punching the machine?
Oh yeah!
I'm a little bit over you're the only one that went over the timer though.
Yeah, look, I'm having fun.
I'm having fun around the venue but I can tell you one thing that is going to be fun
What is this grand final? Both of these teams came in with a lot to prove and my goodness,
how they delivered here. I can't wait for this.
He doesn't want to talk about it. It was a great piece of content and we loved it.
It's the grabbing thing. It's the grabbing thing.
I'm so happy that we're both here. I love this rivalry between you and Clinton to see
who's actually going to be the one that wins the ball.
We were asked who we thought we were going to win. My money, I will say that for today,
has to go over a hundred thieves.
Let's go.
We made a pact.
And I think that they've been doing it flawlessly.
In fact, they haven't lost a single match in EWC this year.
We all love this resurgence.
So yeah, cannot wait for the final.
Yeah, I think this is going to be insane.
I think the hype is going to be there.
My big question is, though, who's the crowd going to achieve?
Yeah.
We've been hearing, Suze.
We haven't heard anything for America's team.
So I'm wondering who's going to get the bigger crowd today.
Yeah.
Well, we have one more person that is going to weigh in.
He's been co-streaming the event the whole tournament long.
It is Mixwell who is joining us here from his co-streaming booth.
Mixwell, I gotta know, man.
How has the tournament been for you?
Has the co-streaming been for you?
And you know, I think you had a team in there
that you picked earlier that didn't quite make it.
That's good.
Yeah, the co-streaming has been insane.
Atmosphere is really, really good.
Team Pyrothix didn't win, but this final is insane
because there's two storylines that are completely different.
The world champions are fighting against Asuna
that has been six years in counter-thieves
and he's never been in a final, international final.
So the storylines are completely different.
And I think I want Asuna to win, to be honest.
Oh, that is crazy.
You should come join us on the desk.
We definitely have the knowledge there
at the stakes for the teams.
Question, you know that at the end of today,
we will also be crowning an MVP for Valorant?
Who do you got your money on? For both teams?
It's a tough one.
I think for energy I would pick...
I don't know who to pick on energy. All of them play quite well but I don't see a clear person to pick.
But for 100 pips I think I would get...
You can say Asuna.
Asuna is the great story there, Maxwell, and I could tell how difficult it was.
If there was an opportunity to take the keys of teams that played here, which three keys
would you take?
If I would take the keys, sorry, I almost can't hear you.
Oh, I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
If you would win, which team's keys would you take to put in your trophy?
Ah, okay, I understood.
I would pick BBL for sure, because BBL are the villains, so I would want them there.
I would pick NRG, because they won against 100 teams before their last match, and Nunchin
Red Force, because it's an insane team that I like a lot, and I would love to remember
that I beat them.
I love that one. Yeah. Yeah. Thank you so much, Mixwell, for joining us again. Enjoy your
co-stream here live from the event. Thank you. All right. I mean, Mixwell had the great answers,
which leads us to our crunchy roll story of the day. It is the reigning world champions in NRG,
up against the team full of potential in that one man. This organization's ballerant team has been
built around with Asuna 100 Thieves.
I mean 100 Thieves, it's pretty much a Cinderella story.
You heard it there from Mixwell.
You have this player that's never made it to a global international, regardless of how long he's been competing.
And I think on the other side, you have these champions, these Titans that are considered in Americas.
And both these teams are pulling on a global stage, a global final.
Both pitting out teams from either region, every single region, to get to the spot.
I think the story couldn't have been anything better prepared at least for America's sake.
Yeah, I mean look for me there's no doubt America's are the ones running this tournament.
It's sad for me, it's sad for you Kukuka.
Unfortunately.
We have different stories in the history of the game, I'm so with you.
The votes were high for EMEA, I think more so because we had so many French orgs.
Exactly.
In Paris it just looked like a match made in heaven.
But at the end of the day, we are seeing right now that this is for America to win.
All of these matches that have been so incredibly complicated to close,
they've actually come on top.
And especially the story about 100 teams, give me the cherry on top.
Yeah, let's dive into the head-to-head between these squads.
Again, America's head-to-head.
There are no strangers to each other here, Athena.
Yeah, I mean, these two teams, obviously,
they face each other in that regional matchup a lot.
I think a fun little fact is the fact that NRG and 100 Thieves have faced each other
five times this year so far and out of those five times every single time NRG has won.
Only one of those times has 100 Thieves taken them out off of NRG which is an insane stat.
But if you're looking at these stats here of course this is how they're playing in this tournament.
Both these teams knocking out pretty big heavy hitters and of course 100 Thieves being like
Considered the underdogs that made it to the finals.
I think that the underdogs won't stop the jumps off the page for me.
That is the pistol round win way for 100 thieves.
It's unbelievable.
Can they carry that today?
Because if so, they'd be feeling very good.
All right. Well, the map veto is ready.
Let's send it over to Comp Ops for our grand finals math decisions.
You won the scrimmage, so you guys got to choose team A or team B.
Team A.
Okay, energy team A.
Final teams team A.
Thank you.
So you guys have the first ban?
Well, ban fracture.
Tracture band.
Band Lotus.
Lotus band by 100 T's.
You guys pick now.
Breeze.
Breeze pick.
Thank you.
Attack on Breeze.
Attack.
Okay.
Next map.
Pick Sunset.
Sunset pick.
Attack.
Attack on Sunset.
You have a next pick.
Haven.
Haven.
Attack on Haven.
Attack on Haven.
Thank you.
Keep the trend.
Okay, we have a Sants, a Sants, a Sants, defense, defense and a Sants, so the side there will be split.
Defense on split.
Defense on split.
Thank you guys.
We need Sants, we need a Sants.
There it is, Breeze, Sunset, Haven, and then the championship rounds, Ascent and Split.
What are your immediate thoughts here?
Look, for me, for NRG, we've not seen their Sunset, and we've not seen their Split.
As we push to a best of five, the map pools get stretched.
For me, it's all about who has the ability to hold on as the series progresses.
Yeah, absolutely.
I think that the surprise have been a hundred things.
I love them peeking the Sunset, not being scared.
kind of sad that we do not get to see that fracture again because we were very excited, but I want to talk about that about that preparation
The under thieves I said for every single opponent. I do not expect energy to be any less
Yeah, I think it's insane actually the way that they're playing has been phenomenal
Their map pool has gone a lot deeper and it feels like it was deeper than what we've seen previously in America
So I'm really surprised with the hundred thieves, but I still think that this goes towards a hundred thieves the vetoes for me
I think they're on top. All right. Well, there you have it. This is what our analysts thought
It is such a unique match up here, a team full of potential in hundred these built around Osna and the rest of the game
Up against the reigning world champions only one team can join team heretics as
title winners in Valorant. Who will it be at EWC 2026? Let's find out right now
It's going to be an all America's Grand Final for EWC26.
The first international Grand Final, we've all been working towards that for years now.
To see it finally pay off, it would mean the world to us.
Definitely not satisfied with how we played today.
We messed up a lot of things early on in the VO3.
We've just improved throughout the whole entire tournament and I expect to do the same for
tomorrow.
We're going to take it as another match, we're really in form right now and everything just
It's like kind of like clicking. I'm really confident in this.
They were going to be at our G just by playing our own game, getting in their face, disrespecting them, and trophying us.
We're going to do these in the grand final for a reason. It's going to keep showing the same form we always have.
When we get to grand finals, we rise up to the G.
The best of the world.
The best in the world by 3 times.
Around Pepiz, they already dominated Paris.
Once upon a time, American heroes were the best.
They were the best in the world by 3 times.
They were the best in the world by 3 times.
They were the best in the world by 3 times.
Around Pepiz, they already dominated Paris.
Once upon a time, American heroes once crowned in Paris,
wanting more, all eyes on them, all odds with them.
Their opponents, waiting in the shadows for far too long, patiently seeking an opportunity at redemption.
And what better time to step into the light than by stealing this trophy here tonight?
I think we're ready.
I think we are. Ladies and gentlemen,
Madame and Monsieur, the time has come for the grand final of Valorance at the e-sports World Cup.
Are we ready?
You may have indeed seen it.
Madame and Monsieur, the tale we had just teased you is about to be told here in the STC Arena, in Paris.
Ladies and gentlemen, it's time to welcome our two grand finalists!
Make some noise for a hundred things!
Asuna, Timotina, Flora, Bang, Cryo, they have thought their way through every challenge.
This tournament has put in front of them a team built on confidence, precision, and a belief that they finally belong on a stage like this.
Don't let get inside the Louvre or on the FTC arena stage because they could still it all, including the EWC 2026 trophy.
They're opponents!
Mesdames et messieurs, faites-vous bruit!
N-O-G!
Mada, an imposing guy, goes even bigger on the server.
Kiko, the last hope of the MEA standing.
The power of youth and talent broke the Odin master and of course Ethan, the captain with
Von Kar, their general.
Take a picture of these two grand finalists and hang it in the roof.
It is time for the grand final of Valorant and the eSports World Cup.
Last two, weeeeee!
Lots of love for the youth here in our opening ceremony.
Lots of love for our two finalists from America's.
We were wondering, would there be a fan favorite?
There definitely was.
His 100th ease came out to the tears and applause.
And a lukewarm audience coming out for energy
with some booze trickled in there as well.
Yeah, I mean, still a crazy way to make an entrance.
We love to feel that sort of energy,
whether it's negative, positive, neutral.
It's still in the same showing here at EWC,
all the fans passing the arena,
and two America's teams on the stage to ball it out.
Yeah, if you're sat there at home watching,
It's hard to understand just how loud this arena is
and how different that becomes for the players.
All in this hostile, hostile environment
you have to step up your game
if you want to be able to lift that trophy here today.
Yeah, but if you think, if you're a fan, okay,
why would you support 100thies?
Why would you be on that side of history?
You have the new faces, the long standing players
that have been fighting.
Then you also have the coaching staff.
you also have the first coach to ever be a world champion
in Valorant.
You also have Doomfist, winning Copenhagen.
These people know both.
Of course, on the other side,
you have an entire roster full of stars.
Definitely, there is not a bare opponent
to be facing off for everything.
And the only player that wasn't on that world championship
winning roster has been on fire throughout,
in Kiko, who stepped up on the dualist
and has been lighting it up and leading the way
for the MVP conversation.
Will he be able to do it yet again?
Yeah, and we were speaking about,
hey, what's gonna happen with that MVP?
Cathy Quicko all agree with what Mixwell said is difficult.
Oh yeah.
To use someone from NRG.
So the performance that we are going to see today
will have a lot of impact into that
because you can highlight Kiko's.
You can highlight, in my opinion, Brock.
Amazing.
Skuba always keeps up the same performance.
Do we want to give it to Ethan for replaying the Neon?
On the Neon?
No, he's my choice.
He's my choice for today, baby.
Let's burn it down on the Neon.
And the diversatility of this team.
And look how they've embraced a new style.
Back in the day, this team could never play double-joules,
but they changed, they adapt, and they grow here at EWC.
Will it be enough today to come up with yet another title
in Valorant, but their first here at the EWC?
I think my favorite thing I've seen from both of these teams
is growth so far this year since the championship win for NRG. They haven't been able to perform
in any global, let alone in America's constantly placing second or third to G2. And after that
four 100 thieves, they've also struggled to be in a global. This roster hasn't been able
to make it past that fourth seed. A little bit of a curse that we heard it here yesterday
with Timotino saying he does not believe that curse applies to him because fourth place
no longer. Breeze is going to be our starting map. We're already jumping into the agent select.
To me, it goes to those harbors. I think Madagascar did a very good job here, but I have to put
Bang on top. Asuna has been amazing with the Phoenix. I will say also I love about this
final. Very different from the others because each team gets a ban into this best of five.
Yeah. Yeah, so this is NRG's map choice coming out here. There are three and one on this map
here at the EWC and remember their most recent game against PBL they got it done in overtime.
They know how to win on this map, can a hundred years put a stop to it.
And you know what I will say about NRG is that Ethan, even though he has been playing that neon,
his KO on this map has been phenomenal. Somehow every time Breeze is in the map full of NRG,
we see Ethan on top of that scoreboard, the IGL constantly fragging out. And so this is
really going to be a valid snap for both these teams.
And I'm kind of crazy interested to watch
how it plays out.
Timotino Nassuna, the double duelist,
but Kiko, with the operator on that jet, has been phenomenal.
Yeah, do not get us wrong.
The reason why we're speaking about the players and NRG
like that is because they could all
be serious contenders to carry in different maps.
The last time these two teams played,
it was NRG preventing 100 thieves
from going to the international event over for VCT.
and this EWC 2026 has been a heroes journey
for Ossena and Hunter Thieves.
Everyone loves that, but will it be tragedy
or will it be triumph?
Because to be the best, you gotta beat the best.
It is the reigning world champions, NRG,
against the upstarts, Hunter Thieves on the call.
Let's send it on over for hopefully all five maps.
It is Achilles and paper thin.
You're damn right that we're ready for it, D-Gone.
Let's see if it can deliver.
We've been a little unfortunate, you and I, when it comes down to these best of five stars,
the number of maps we've been able to get, but we are keeping our fingers crossed as
we get ready to dive into the action, the crowd here behind these squads.
One of them will be walking away with an EWC 2026 title.
Starting things off here on Breeze.
Just looking at this attacker side for 100th, it's just how much damage they can do.
Heavy B-stack early for NRG so Kiko gonna be under a ton of fresher and find any kills nor any damage
Just get darted up here
Turning back over to the side look at Matino with just too many targets
It's only gonna be that time you have damage is able to find before he gets taken down
Play now to come through for a hundred teams
Widely avoided awesome
Two worse away, just down with 82 up that snake bite.
Throwing out early, but to Latino, swing in the corner.
Scuba, need to be able to dispatch him.
It's a chance.
It's a chance.
As Ethan finds that one, banged out dead.
Scuba, slaughtering forward against the walls.
He'll take it right up, but that's enough.
Look at that, a little bit more.
It's gonna have to be in the hands of Bora.
To try to find him, the right click's not gonna be enough.
Damn, the pistol will go the way of NRG.
This is beautiful work from NRG in a man-disadvantaged situation, putting Kiko in a really precarious position.
He's able to hold on a little bit, do a little bit of damage, but eventually the swarm comes through from back-site.
They're just picking hundreds of these post-plant apart, one by one. Nice hold there, Scuba up on his feet.
Very reliable, very good in some of these situations where you need Scuba to come up clutch.
Reno and let's see if that's gonna continue here. No buy-ups other than the Bandit for Astoner who did some pretty good work with it there
in that opening pistol round, but obviously here
on the anti-eco this Marshall could get some value
Cold does bloom so
We'll buy a little bit of time here for NRG to try to scale at least get more funneled into Astoner get that Phoenix ult online
So one of the things I love about all these things great macro good opening co-formata
Simple there with that specter
To the dead the rest of her thieves
Still play orb collection rotator over
Leave this one on the A side has been taken by their way
Also, that will have that run it back available for the anti-bonus
That's a kind of damage they can get yeah, you're really just trying to min max here as hundred thieves right like try to get all
all the stuff that you get going by Asuna, Stuba.
And a little bit more, we'll be able to find it,
it's some damage, so it has to pull back away,
but a lot of thieves have been contained.
And it's be grabbed here,
taking the hands of four of it,
here's the intercept from Mana,
has this fight now on the floor,
nine bullets remaining, cryo-law of health.
It should be him dead to rights.
Completely and utterly surrounded.
The question really is,
can he find any kills whatsoever?
He doesn't need to die,
He's in the puddle, puddle this one over to Scuba,
a flawless round for NRG.
Yeah, I'd say for 100 Thieves,
if you're gonna hang your hat on anything here,
it's that you're gonna have to run it back
for this anti-bonus.
And also, kind of oddly enough,
you're probably not super displeased
that Scuba's the one farming the orbs right now,
and the kills in these opening couple rounds.
Yes, that hit can be really annoying,
but on a map like Breeze, it's not the worst
For an attacker side, the defenders have that pit in play.
Some teams just kind of use it to try to, you know,
block off the front of a choke or something like that.
And then there's a lot of ways to play around that scuba.
Again, going for that quick shot,
not going to find his mark, just go around.
Gaslight in, it's going to be a very snappy hit here.
400th each, I need those on the board.
Monta able to draw first, Bledvin, Asana with that run
to back, still able to find scuba.
As well, back down to 10.
March and Sean will connect on the bang,
It's hitting the 49, Spike now being brought forward for the plant.
Kiko arriving here in Windom, not going for that peek quite just yet, the drone.
Actually ends up drawing some attention away so they can just reshift this over and go for a backside plant.
Monus not gonna be swinging in time to actually interrupt this.
Otherwise, he could have eventually just had four at Dead to Rights.
They're looking for a timing there.
What's the rush?
Under Thieves didn't give it to him.
They set up that high tide to try and make it go.
Any bit more damage there, on it, bang, ostena, spraying through the smoke, able to find Ethan.
Her ball out the ready, knows that it's going to be a full main approach from NRG.
Will get shattered.
Time fleeting away.
Realistically for NRG from here, just trying to find some additional damage, but I'm not
sure if they're going to come up with anything else.
Lotta just had Sheriff at hand here for them, all the spectre behind it.
We'll have to go down to the spike.
That's going to be 100 thieves getting on the board.
A very clean anti-bonus. Only Clio lost.
Yeah, and I can already see some of the preparation and homework being done.
900 thieves being very ready.
Poor Scuba has tucked in positions.
He was an absolute nightmare the other day on this B site.
Really tricky to lock him down.
He's so crafty with the way he positions himself.
Again, Scuba may not light up the kill feed all the time,
I'm really impressed by his protocols as an individual to see who they get.
Let's go!
With this round, 100 thieves, it goes their way.
They're able to out-guess him when he's trying to encroach on that fast execute on the back
of the fast lane and run it back.
Standing ahead.
I am getting into the rifle beat, rifle rounds.
One of the biggest rounds here.
It's an RG.
Looking for that mid hit.
See this a lot with Mada posted up top mid wanting to try to scale forward if there's
any aggression.
Sam there, they'll kind of check that position.
Here point out fragment.
Gonna be sent to Matino, it loads towards one pulse from that one.
Gets that kill, finds the second, his key goes, gonna be taken down.
Not good for one, but Matino now starting to take over.
Gets himself a third, technically on for the ace, but that's who I imagine that...
They're gonna play for this one.
For now, still taking their time.
Slow approach, as the drone will get the spot out.
He just considered the same now.
You've seen off of that, but Timothee DeWall, he's not going to give you the opportunity
to save.
See how much of a leash they have on here to stop him from just running it down, hunting
for scuba, but that is a 4K acquired in the second round for 100 thieves as they tie it
two to two.
Alright, nice response here, 100 Thieves, after dropping the pistol, pretty good position.
Timatino there, it's just a timing here for 100 Thieves where they're going to get ahead
of that zero point from Ethan, that was such an annoyance, he's so good with it usually
to catch like two or three players out of position and use it against them, not against
PBL the other day, where they just were constantly getting caught out by that KO knife, and this time around, they're just ahead of it, so oh, wow.
Let's go!
The late reaction on that?
Yeah.
To me, so much of this map, especially on the defender side for energy, revolves around Ethan and that KO, getting information, stalling out hits.
And so, as a hundred thieves, you're trying to find that timing where you can avoid that knife.
So, Ethan will often kind of hang on to it, look for timings of his own that he's kind of looked into. It is prep against you, but...
Here's so far, Guardian, in the hands of Croc, everyone else has their rifles, and a pivotal
round economically for NRG.
Their farmers across the board as well, and as much comfort as Rekon has to clear down
with just the spot out on the motto, curveball into his face, fully connecting Croc, he'll
back a little bit of pressure, but it's in with Tito again, finding two.
Back into the advantage here is 100 thieves
The cluster and rotate towards being meanwhile energy trying to reinforce that a sight
100 thieves there know that the mid crunch is coming and Timotino deals with it almost single-handedly
Swings around the pillar gets one goes right back to double doors gets another that is absolutely
insanely good awareness and mechanical ability on top of that
So he's gonna use the overdrive here Brock somewhat in the vicinity, but not really wanting to mess with that too much
So I guess your energy the good news is is Timotino is not gonna have that all for the next round or two
Why did he shooting the rifle he doesn't really need it that's exactly it three players to save for energy
The top pill to swallow necessary for them
Just don't have an economy to try to play as well, it's just far too risky, so we'll allow for a hundred thieves
to string together a third round consecutively and take the lead for themselves.
This is a little tough for NRG in the context of, you had to show this map the other day against BBL and
they were constantly just playing very passive, very default looking for some moments to kind of get some info, make some good rotation.
Rotation sure they'd have some choked pressure set up and they'd have some you know little tricks in there, but
So far a hundred thieves has found some really nice timings that they're wading out some of these moves
That energy is wanting to make I mean this is ridiculous work. Oh my god
Okay, well he just got him through the smoke so kind of when you're in the zone like that it just feels like every shot you take hits
So energy I think wise to pull an early time out
At the very least, maybe slow Timotino down a little bit.
Yeah, you have to do something to start containing him.
Right.
He's just had a free reign on this map so far.
And granted, he has a bit lucky with the turnaround spray, but...
without Fassi, he was able to pull that off.
He's still putting his ability, his skill out on display.
I'm kind of curious what Bonkar wants to do if he wants to be a little bit more aggressive at the mains.
Maybe throw that knife a little bit earlier, have a pop flash set up on the KO at A main.
Try to keep it up or something like that.
Be really diligent with this composition that NRG runs.
You've got to make sure that you're keeping those double duelists in check.
They've been pretty good about it so far, but so far 100 thieves on the other hand.
Prep and the reeds have been really, really good and the credits got to go the coaching staff to NBS
Having them really well situated to find some good timings around this utile
100 thieves honest it's important to maintain that that space you'd love to get
100 thieves forced over onto the B side as often as you can push them into modest harbor utile
Well, this round they do move Scuba's toxic screen over to the A side as well, so they
really want to try to show force over on the A side, but Hunter Thieves not scared.
Now they'll re-clear this.
Quite quickly at bat, so that forward aggression off the rim, Wiley just gonna be ignored now
by Hunter Thieves.
It didn't really balk too much time either. Ethan's starting to wake his way back over to A.
Meanwhile, Zimtino charging forward, but Ethan will be able to find him from bridge.
Meanwhile, Crialletman nearly had them lined up, but he can only find the one kill.
Walk keeps him back.
In with the player advantage.
Spike will get planted.
Importantly, that took the reckoning out of the round.
Awesome.
Scoob out of the round.
Let's burn them up!
You're scaling towards the reckoning now.
Gonna be sent out and bang, catching Brock from behind.
Allison up to try and keep, even contain, but gets caught with you till it hands bang.
Now he's trying to do it all, but no!
Mora is still there, gets line of sight, gets the kill.
100 teams get another round win, 4-2.
Not allowing for Bunker's intervention to get them another one back.
but they're absolutely cruising and they're just kind of showing that they're
willing to try other things on the map but the plan always seems to be A all
the way. Bang, that is air-conditioning. Able to get some great value out of it
there. Get that kill. Really solidify that round. Bora, right place, right time. NRG
continues to be able to get rifles into it with those half armor buys. Look at how close
We got some big old stuff. Oh, Laura
This is everything that they're trying
On the thieves whether they're ready for it or not. They're dealing with it
When you're running this solo duelist composition
You need Kiko to be operating and firing on all cylinders at the moment
He's one six and one nice little flash timing there setting up mod up for the peak to machine
I'm gonna be taken down. I'm still alive and now they're running back available
available to find Zvana as well.
Another concerning thing here for NRG is you're not getting Kiko into that off.
Because your economy is constantly on the back foot.
Let's get rid of that.
Let's get Zvana now. Alistar gonna be dead for real.
We'll find the finisher. Shot starts gonna be locked in cryo. Tag to 45.
Spike being planted, late approach, Ethan sprinting up in the mid, now pops the brakes, but bang!
His presence is going to be known, those shots aren't raining out.
Probably doesn't get finished off, but let's move up.
Keeping him in this, Bora again.
An opportunity to try to go for the clutch.
Mind the timing on the 1.
The drone up over the top, the spot is there on the Ethan.
Zero point stops him.
Using that hunter's fury if he even wanted to.
See, then, going for the top, before it does not buy it.
Kits the clutch and gets yet another round for a hundred thieves.
Oh, they're just all locked in here to start.
They were fired up when they came onto the stage, and they're fired up in the server.
And every little thing, this is probably one of the better efforts we've seen from NRG.
They're able to hold the site, but then there's that little moment where Banks
Bangs, sneaks in between Ethan and Brock and gets a free beat.
That one's got to be a little bit tilting.
The timing on that just so perfect.
Now finally an eco.
Four NRG, a couple of sheriffs, a couple of marshals,
and a Guardian for Scuba.
Tana Altsen there.
So I wouldn't be too surprised.
I mean, especially if Pico gets that Bladestorm
that they just start going to town on him.
Just throwing everything.
It's seen up down to 14.
Didn't see that call, reading this push.
Now wants to maybe try to confirm it, but no,
Office is saved.
Had zero point, but Mana on this push forward.
It's quite a bit of damage.
Up the sphere, he's gonna be called in.
Austin ain't able to find that one kill.
Brock desperately trying to shut down this push,
as Mana will be able to finish off Bang.
Finds an elimination, Brock and Eivor at the same time.
Mikhail wins out a fight here on beat.
Opening things up as the spike gets ushered over.
It's the second shot from Timotino to take down Ethan.
Careful, Doug.
All the way over to Arch as Kiko desperately dashing forward.
Trying to up the pace, trying to get the catch,
the hit by her shot.
Not going to connect,
as the spike is in the hands of the escaping Asuna,
and now Brock is dead.
Kiko left alone to his own devices.
The cryo still has him.
Help me, Dan. He's got the better gun.
Ha!
Oh my god, cryo.
So on top of things, and that neural theft huge from him as well.
He found a great timing to punish Ethan who was trying to get in there, see if he could
help out on the B site, but 100 Bs is doing such a nice job of getting an opening picker,
being a little bit patient, and then taking some mid control.
They always have a player either coming through elbow or coming through mid-proper to set
up that extra angle on the B and it's destroyed NRG and he's attempted to
either retakes or warts of executes. So you have to take another dime out of NRG
to stop this madness. If you can, the under-thieves just look so well prepared
today. Yeah I mean you need as much as you can get right now you basically have
nothing. Yeah. So need to be able to recover this half as much as humanly
Possible that are 100 thieves already up to six four more rounds to be played out in this half
Look at your energy you probably need
This five maybe you can get away four find the pistol
True I mean there's still a way back in and now you're finally gonna be able to get to that operator a little bit of
Safety with the blade storm behind it for Kiko's one and seven right now
Now that surely can't last guys just been too damn good here in Paris
Coming through trying to assist you know on this entry
Over from Kiko he tries to go across at the end that operator in hand now. It's gonna be down on the floor
For far side of that mid pillar
They're being really proactive about trying to clear that cubby behind the pillar.
They even recleared it with a little bit of spam to make sure that nobody from NRG tried to slide back in there.
Brock will eventually make his way there, but he's opened up so much of the map here.
100 thieves and a pretty open b-site scuba working miracles here against BBL
can he find another rabbit in the hat
just gonna be patient waiting for this execute just playing that quick one tap
Brock now also gonna slot in look at the pen this line
Fiddler on to you scuba getting involved
Spike drop trying to be recovered here by bang will be able to collect it this puts so much more pressure on cryo
Open this site scuba going for the check now through tunnel spots him
I'm just gonna get racks cryo
Also down now down to a sliver block will continue to maintain control B site is in this round
The third established for energy
Still a lot more to be done.
Yeah, discipline now for NRG.
Reclearing mid, having Brock into that position.
They're a little more confident that they
can just hold the chokes.
And so when the time starts ticking down,
they just say, OK, we'll go 2-2.
Scuba and Brock able to just lay down the crossfire
into that entry point.
Get some huge kills.
4-4 Brock is going to get really close to another Hunter's
Fury off of that round.
Bang.
Nice have a reckoning.
So does Mata.
Oh, and goodbye, Cryo.
You wanna be found?
Cryo out of the fight, Kiko now trying to just hold this position, hold elbow control,
but blind disconnect, and oh, he just botched the tailwind out,
but still will be able to escape unscathed.
Close call, and close affair though.
Players should have been spotted by that drone.
That's gonna leave your heavy stack over a B maybe a little bit longer seeing the harbour and the Phoenix
Makes you feel like maybe that's where it's gonna be even bad on the jiggle
Latino so fast to collect that and now you have modic around here on this site
Trying to hold the line of reckoning perhaps and desperation could be used to feel back some of the pressure for himself
Another run-up back coming through with Asuna trying to find that kill but Mata will be able to deny a brawl.
Nearly getting the double-tip, but he's again just so damn fast!
Turns to the side, finds that kill and Mata!
Run down!
He's gonna bring it back into a 2v2.
Spike being planted, late approach into A-Mane coming in from Scuba.
The drone fell, trying to shift that position but Asuna!
Catching that headshot on the spray and scuba now trying to take him down one by one
You don't want to try to isolate these fights of the swings here
Wanted to be able to find it don't need that counter punch Manassana is shooting like that
It's a big 3k and yet another round 400 thieves
This one gets a little bit scrappy, despite the great start again from Timotino.
His entries have been incredible.
First kills must be through the roof.
What a readjust on that spray from Asuna, who continues his reign of terror on Phoenix, no matter what map he's on.
Absolutely ridiculous.
this because of that 3k he's already three charges to the next one about which
would make it what maybe four in this half at least it's a lot
catching a glimpse Kiko he's just been given no chance no wiggle room to play
the game and that's the offer and our G down so they got to try to recover it
couple to their players only on Guardian and Stinger so
okay Ethan just gonna try to disrespect this Molly can somebody off guard swing
around the back we'll be able to find the one to bang that killer will be able
to clean him up for it going for an EMEA dart there won't be able to spot off too
much of anything but they still have the player advantage
bang that's Manna safe by from scuba to try to peel back any of this onslaught
but it's just dead completely outgunned outnumbered out maneuvered and out
plane here, 100 thieves just running away with this map, 8 to 3. This is absolutely unbelievable.
A team that hasn't beat NRG yet this year. 100 thieves have lost every time over in Americas.
But today and at this whole tournament, they have been a different force.
And they are pushing NRG to the brink. This last round feels so needed for NRG to stay in this map.
Now fourth round here and then a pistol win. Might just be enough to stabilize things,
but just given the way that Hunter Thieves are shooting at the moment,
it feels like that's where largely the depth is coming from.
Look at this double outlaw. There's only one player who has full armor and that's
Mada because he bought down to a spectre. This could be brutal for energy if they
get caught out. Mada holding the other side of this angle behind the box.
Oh, thinking about that.
Checked for it.
Thomas bought a 17-up, just going to be clearing out. Recon with a shorty.
He jumps back, gives up that space at elbow.
Let's check if they're gonna peel back fully.
If anybody on NRG could hear those footsteps from the neon,
a lot of might have to at least respect
that it could just be a fake and a pause.
Grab of the orb though.
Atsuna one away from another, running back.
He's got the spike.
Suppression.
Basically just confirming that this is the site of the air.
Indeed, gonna be hitting between the corner.
Demetino able to find Ethan to start things off. Kiko having the dash back giving up space with a judge in hand
Certainly not what you want to be doing
With no other recourse
Melting down to be pop space to be taken by Asuna stormy his way towards orange bottom the one Kiko dead
Demetino with another kill Asuna is running and gunning monest any absolutely no chance
Rock while he can find one. I don't think he's gonna be able to find this round win
The push coming through, he's dead, this half, it's over.
Nine to three.
Timatino just absolutely calls lines in here.
Just a run and gun to open things up against Ethan,
holding the line of the door.
Beautiful work from the duo's to under the Eves.
A phenomenal first half.
Couldn't really ask for this to go much better than it did.
Both timeouts out of the hands of NRG as well.
This map at the moment has 100 thieves
written all over it. And if they're going to continue to play like this and NRG can't find their footing, this entire series might have
Hunter Thieves written all over it. Along with that trophy. Pressure gonna be mounting NRG. Need to find some stability, but for now let's
send things over to Ian. Hunter Thieves looking good. NRG finds where you are!
He's from Florida, you can see he's not in an NRG jersey but he's supporting them today
because of the set and player.
Tell me your stories, Ham.
So we got to support Scuba.
Scuba was from Cuba Academy last year too, became a world champion.
We're here for Scuba, so send fans.
We got it for NRG.
Well, you can see the 100 thieves have got up to pretty good start here.
I think I was speaking to you a little bit earlier on.
You think you've got this in the bag?
Are you concerned at all?
Not at all.
93 curse plus 100 thieves have never won a major.
That's not going to change tonight.
Absolutely not.
Wow, do you agree 100 thieves?
Where's 100 thieves at?
Oh, you got some, there's a booing going on down here.
What's your name, man?
It's Alex. What's up, guys?
You're something yesterday, didn't you all?
Yeah, right, BBL fans. What's up?
Oh, you're the guy who went crazy with the key.
Oh, that's right. What are you guys doing? FNS? I saw you guys on Twitch. Come on now, guys. You'll love it. You know you do.
Bro, the eye contact with the camera is crazy. I love it. What's your name?
Hello, uh, Aya.
Hi. Aya.
Hi, Aya. Why do you think NRG are gonna win this?
Of course, we're in Paris. Paris Lug. We're the champions, so why wouldn't we win today?
Fantastic. Alright, listen, Sam. You've got 20 seconds left. You wanna start an NRG champ right now?
Paris, we came from the US and from other countries.
We want you to get loud Paris for NRG.
Ready, one, NRG, NRG.
A little bit.
Let's get up, get to it.
That is some disagreement amongst the crowd, it would seem.
I don't know what you need.
Everyone's just getting along so very well.
Just rainbows and handshakes and hugs all around.
I mean it is that after the games.
Everybody's able to just kind of brush it aside once the action's over.
They've got to love the rivalries that have been happening here, but for energy now.
Needing the energy from the crowd.
If they want to give any kind of stability, they're going to win on this map.
Ethan playing a shot.
Oh my god.
That's a draw dropper, that's a mana, gonna be the one that claimed the kill on a bang.
And Ethan's, what happened?
I don't know.
What happened during that half time break?
Can we get a blood test?
Yeah.
Because that was a pelter of a shot.
Two of them.
That's ridiculous work from Ethan.
just said screw it. Sheriff's and let's ball. They are. Scoob has been spotted. Yeah. Brock
is picking us out. I think this is probably round over. We'll see. Laura has a sheriff
of his own. He's gonna be a little late for the party. My wife. Brile making got Ethan.
I think that's Sheriff on the floor, clear the recon and then just swinging off the back of that one nicely timed here by NRG.
Whereas it is just going to be 4 and a 1v4 flies the first.
That's one of the full HP members.
Checking into the cove and spam here.
NRG trying to send a message, making him think that this is going to be completely undoable.
All gonna be situated as well
It would not like to hear it, but frankly I do have to agree if it as good as for has been playing
Don't see him pulling this one out
There's no time now
So he's more than happy just go down to the spike doesn't want to give them any more all charges over no more credits
We'll just tuck away and allow the pistol to go over to NRG, so 4th round win to be found.
100 themes, not yet able to make it up to double digits.
We'll just be going, and all likely, then for the full classics.
For sure, I mean, great start for NRG, exactly what they needed.
Ridiculous stuff from even.
I don't even know.
That's turned there.
So good.
I'm not against it if you want to go for a bandit there and try to do some extra damage,
especially sticking the hands of a player who's got the hot hands.
Quite literally, unfiguratively, in the case of Asinux.
Does this stack get rewarded though, is going to be my question.
Tavitino is doing his damn just to try to exert some pressure here.
Stop them from scaling and getting information around A.
So far, it's working pretty decently well, so the cluster of NRG
starting to advance towards B main, Spike's still going to be held back at cannons.
There's a very real chance for 100 deems getting immense amount of damage here.
I thought maybe there'd be a pivot to A. Sometimes Deans will play by themselves over there.
But they're gonna go for B.
They're buying it. Consideration on rotation here for Bang, but Timothee, you know, he's already working his way over.
Molly out, not much found off that.
Bora. Shot starts at the ready.
He's gonna have to send it here pretty damn soon as his airpoint is gonna be thrown through.
He'll be able to find a smattering of damage but not too much to speak about with cryo playing for it
Finding one modder gonna be taken down but Ethan scuba able to find some kills with the back end Timotina with one
But Kiko the hipfire not to be rewarded. It's gonna be more off looking for a little bit more has to reload
Patrol over the top the head is spotted no more shock darts get the location reveal
There's a recap of the back of this one. He's one shot
What?
He kind of beside the dance away, Vorokin just trying to play this one on time, but he wants
the fight it seems like.
Kiko, slaughtered in the back-site, board jumping the corner, the right-click connects, and
a hundred thieves continue to lock on water.
Drop the pistol, no problem.
They've got the thrifty.
Oh my word the confidence here from the IGL of other thieves
Insane work the fact that he does it die here. He just turns he's like well
There's somebody else popping through maybe I could kill the other one before the Marshall kills me
And then he gets back to safety gets the reload
that is
Unthinkable and I did bongard can only shake his head and disbelief
Our post streamers love it.
That is jaw dropping that he's able to get away with that.
So four spy here from NRG.
Took the team out.
Unable to find.
Neither Sean with that outlaw will rescale,
repeat this angle.
Managed.
Break line of sight just fast enough.
Cloud vs. Welt.
The other two to get across the cannons.
And they're gonna slow approach the B side again.
No trips at the front door, so I'm sure if one got cleared off-screen there,
it's gonna see Timotino, I think when it's seen his foot there.
Perhaps, I didn't see a ping come down.
Maybe not.
Seems like they're still reasonably suspicious about this.
Timotino, okay, tripping to the side for a second.
I thought he was just gonna try to go for a wall bang.
So, Rekarping's gonna be exchanged here on either side.
Modifying one, Flora gonna be taken down by a Reforged off of this corner, a jump there
from Ethan just absorbs all that damage so Kiko can collect the kill.
Fishing shot, that connected, Kiko's down to six.
It's happened to hit him, but Bang is so much further forward than they might anticipate.
Kenny kept him off guard, no.
watching and waiting for it. More than prepared.
Smallie out, double pump there for Timitino, able to find the one, collects a weapon.
He's trying to find his way out of this one now.
Alone.
Hurry to help between two of these players. Scuba as well, worse for wear.
I mean, it certainly is doable on paper, but given the time, just not to be.
Ethan will be able to find the force by from NRG. They trade it right back.
I could have done a little bit more damage there as Timotino.
You'd be feeling pretty good about it, but this time around,
a much better B-site hit.
Working the map a little bit.
Scuba there in the mid.
He's keeping Timotino pinned.
Something you don't see on the screen,
but he's just kind of working back and forth across the crosshairs.
Just really nice play on that back-site.
Keeping everything under their purview.
Making sure that nobody gets away with something a little scary would have made me like to see
Bang be a little bit more patient behind that high tide, but
Still
Hundred thieves in a fine position as far as the round score goes, but economics right now
I mean you just want a round with classics two rounds ago just do it again. Yeah, I've got a sheriff. Yeah, it's even it's even easier
Fewer bullets and a little bit of a longer relive for Foua, so might not be able to quite deliver the same results.
Love to get the reckoning out from NRG, it's 100 deans at the very least in this round if you could.
It might just be part of the plan anyway for NRG, they need all the rounds they can get, so kind of a lot of times you'll see teams
when they're at a big deficit just start throwing ults even against decos, a lot of choke point deans.
Oh god, that went for it right there in Austin's face.
President got the gun, but cannot get it out in time.
Manna, gonna find himself a second looking for that third.
Backhand was away, in the corner.
That's just gonna be all of these 100 thieves players,
completely corralled and dispatched.
30 seconds left.
Cimitino now.
Once again, let's see if he can find some additional damage
for the squad.
Spike planting.
Chef of the side, scuba's into the open.
It doesn't look to his left,
so it doesn't actually have that spot at all.
So much to check here for two, you know.
In the corner, the shot ends up coming through.
But now, he's going to be recovered.
It was a try to fight this in the main,
but Scuba will be able to find him.
And shot the back of the skull,
and NRG starting to pick up the pace.
Yeah, so now, when do under thieves think about the timeout?
Maybe NBS will give him one more
before he decides to try to change things up.
I have no idea here from 100 thieves to just throw everything at that A main choke, but still NRG able to break out even though he's down to 1 HP at the end of it.
I'm able to hang on for dear life.
Timatino gonna have that operator now.
Any time round now.
100 thieves.
They can get this one.
Should be feeling a lot more comfortable about closing this out.
Shoot!
What's that smoke, man?
Come on, let's go!
Dang, I'm in for the bomb, I'm thinking Asuna having to use the open.
Before he gets into the range of that null.
Mora's gonna be taking down on Ethan, looking for a hell of a lot more.
Has to go for that reload, but Kiko will be able to find Asuna.
That's him back behind the wall.
Tometino now trying to go on the approach to cry out, getting a sense of it.
He's able to read Ethan's position, spams him through the wall, gets that year-old dip invested.
3v4, the reckoning now gonna be sent out.
This thing has become increasingly scrappy.
Slow scale through the fast lane, the push coming in.
Mata, get your glimpse, make the shot, connect.
He's still alive, and Mata's not been able to scale forward.
Mata going to be stunned up into the corner, and somehow, Alcina cannot get that kill.
NRG, very much finding their footing now.
three rounds away from tying this up.
And I think that timeout needs a pop-up sooner rather than
later, perhaps a late for a full buy round.
But a lot kind of invested into this from both sides.
And NRG, they're the ones who came out on top.
So splashes there just not connecting.
Curveballs were turned on at the very end.
Not sure who hit those flashes onto the initial kind of shut
down of 100 dives attempted retake.
because I didn't even get any assists in the kill feed.
Kind of makes me raise my eyebrows a bit there.
Bora, this is all.
So does Timotino, so all the round
we're thrifty very much on the cards.
400 thieves, you can find your moment.
Scuba seemingly gonna be on anti-Lurk duty for this one.
That's often kind of your role as a Viper.
Watch that backside a little bit even tapping looking for that Phoenix aggressive around the corner curve ball
Sometimes you'll see those set plays but hundred beef set play this time. It's delayed. It's behind the pyramid
We're gonna throw the curve ball out front. Should be clear this drone
Let's see
That's a great snake bite.
They're in the whole place.
All in dry to prevent the plant.
Milo though.
Back little away.
Gonna summon that decay, but...
...what if it was that damage suffered?
We'll drive down Pawn to the team on the approach here from behind, but Scuba looks back, is able to clear him out.
Neon now dead, and it's an empty B site.
Then all of NRG are looking to pivot to, and Scuba still late here on this angle, but Asuna will have him out done.
But it can be recovered, but it doesn't have to help, but a Hunter's Fury through for him.
He'll find one, finds another!
Monobrock eaten all dead, the spike!
Narrow on the floor, Kiko has to stick it.
But takes him on the back, does he have it?
Oh, it would just be by Narrow March, but now he's got to kill them all, and he cannot!
Vora from downtown!
Massacres up with a hunt for expiry and hunted thieves get up to 11
It's the lob the full court said from Vora
Ridiculous
Look at this. He's got it that choke lined up right down B-link
What does the timing on that to absolutely insane?
He has been ridiculous today for under thieves and bails them out in the biggest way
Now we go again 100 thieves gonna be really aggressive at a main
But it's got to be the B main pressure this time energy you're gonna try to break on in
Cryos just using that one way take down modest like gonna be stranded on the corner and they're not watching for me
He just rescales forward, up towards main, he's able to find scuba, gets damaged through, as Tipitino cleans up Brock.
He can quickly able to sit down.
The enemy neon, but now you've got Bang and Asa on this approach to the zero point, gonna be giving them false information.
Doesn't go deep enough to scout him.
So there's the peek from that window side.
He's been very much doing the same.
He's trying to make out a reaction.
Swing in, Pico dead.
The reckoning sent and Ethan now isolated.
The waves ready to crash him around him.
Swallow him whole.
Backside plant, double approach from Maine for 100 Ds.
Ethan nearly backpedaling into that one.
Sends it to the 5th.
Trying to play off of it himself, but Asuna turns it, kills it, gets 100 thieves, up to 12.
Yeah, this is something that's so crucial when you're running a double-nose comp.
If you can't win just defaulting, then you have to start exploring the map.
That's what they do early here, so they can get into some of these faster rotates,
but it's really cryo at the start of this, that cheeky one-way setup that he has
With a trip cut across it that forces opponents out into a position where he's gonna be able to see their feet when they go to clear
He's able to get a big kill in that rescale even get some damage in on the third while he stunned up
Beautiful beautiful side anchoring from the Cypher
Now it's five in a row just to send it to OT
We have the old sport
At least get it going, Pico already investing the blades.
Has a judge behind that.
Can't afford to try to up the pace, close the gap quickly.
Get on top of these 100 deeps players.
Look at Tim Aquino. Look how far out of the map he is.
Yeah, there's been no presence, no attempt.
But even feigning an interest on the A side of the map.
There's the shocks again.
I'm able to clear out these trips peak out forming for a recon gonna be cleared a little bit of damage there on the Molly
Towards Gryll, but otherwise safe completely that's how the deans exploded the kill feed
And every exact every attempt
Has been beaten back like hundred thieves model will fall and this map is there's
Come into this best of five grand final, thinking that they're going to find success on Breeze,
something that they're able to rely on, but Hunter Team just had every advantage and
every twist and turn.
It was a great game plan on the attacker side, having a good read on the tendencies of NRG.
The defender side a little shaky to start, but then the coaches got in there, got the
got your aggressive plays on the blanks, we're able to just
completely surround, wipe out NRG there in those last couple of hours.
Started to see that rally back.
That NRG that we know and love, but just ended up falling to the wayside.
Need to find their footing from the outset as we get ready to go to sunset.
Otherwise, 100 Thieves, if they close that, they're going to have that match point locked in.
It would just take one more map to close it, but to talk about Breeze a bit more,
we'll send things back over to Dagon and the desk.
How about that for a start for 100 Thieves?
And yet again, it is another chapter in the NRG's starting slow story.
They wake up and make it a closer map here, but just too big of a deficit
as 100 Thieves wake up and eventually close it on out.
It's kind of crazy because NRG, they won both pistols
and they still struggled.
They had a close scoreline at the half,
9-4 towards that second half, and this was insane.
I mean, 100 Thieves, they really looked good.
I think that it was beyond looking good.
We were speaking about the potential for the MVP in Watanoa.
We highlighted a couple of duels on the side of 100 Thieves,
and so we did for NRG, but Kiko was unable to do anything.
During the first half in so many occasions, you would see him spearhead in a little bit and then being shut down instantly
I think I think the main reason was because 100 thieves was literally everywhere on the map somehow on that attacking side
You see them behind people when they're trying to rotate trying to get any information and somehow someone has split
Sorry snuck their way all the way into spawn. It feels crazy to watch that a hundred thieves. They really had a good prep
I think going into this yeah and one of those reasons why as well is Bora was
everywhere 400 thieves he had himself a fantastic map and a good way to kick
off this best of five when we speak about form for the players when we speak
about them being and whatnot being this decisive in clutches in important
rounds in this peaks that energy we're having in so many disadvantageous
situations it was bull I feel like every time the energy needed sorry the
100 these needed a crazy round to bounce back. He was the man. Look at this round
I mean the thrifty the flick to kill Ethan and Kiko left in a 1v1
He's so low as well using his utile really well
Vora just fully understanding the concept understanding what's happening in the positioning so smart Kiko has put him in so smart
So skillful. I mean kind of crazy to think about it jumping across this all too
I can't believe this time and time again when we talk about energy
What about Laura what about the IGL that is now on the other side man
I was seeing that time out the bunker was given. Yeah, I was scared for my life
Know what he said, but let me tell you if I were energy
I wouldn't be able to perform because I would have feel that I've done everything wrong
Yeah, and I think when you're looking at the player stats on this screen right here
that doesn't actually reflect how much impact Bora had in the server.
I think he had three different clutches to win out the round.
I think he had multiple rounds that had so much impact,
including that last alt round.
Just shut it down.
Another thrifty one, by the way, by 100 Thieves,
that brought them back into the game.
I think NRG, they won their last championship
based on snowballing.
And 100 Thieves shut that down today.
Very much so.
And I love the fact that it feels like the ACS across the board
for this squad was lower
Because they were playing so much more as a team, the utility there, it was just so fantastic to watch here by 100 Thieves.
Yeah, the thing is like on the other side, like, yeah, 100 Thieves at the end of the day, I love how Alcena played.
I think that in so many of these occasions, we're seeing the 100 Thieves that we've been seeing throughout the tournament,
as in him alone making those plays, not near much, not second guessing when he needs to, old when he needs to stop, when he needs to float.
But on the other side, Energy, we're starting to show those glimpses on the attack.
I still like how Mata was doing it.
There was a couple of miscommunications though.
I still feel like we're getting a lot of what we saw yesterday.
It's a shaky start where they're not really in sync.
They're not trusting each other.
It's like, it's not really well rounded.
Yeah, which is kind of crazy considering they have so much experience on the stage.
You know, 100 Thieves, this is their first global international.
So you'd expect NRG to be a lot cleaner.
We go off to Sunset now.
Again, the map that got thrown into the pool after Masters.
What are your thoughts here for both these squads?
I mean, when 100thies pulled this out against Nongshim,
it was a really big wild card for them.
I think Nongshim actually picked it.
They weren't sure what they were going into.
In 100thies, they proved that they own that map.
Yeah, they've been doing that for the other side.
Questions.
I mean, Wiccan Theorycraft, is this also going to be one of the maps
where Ethan is going to be playing on the neon?
What is the approach that they're going to be taking?
Are they happy enough with how that neon is going to then triple down
and go to their own sunset as well?
time to regroup here for NRG for 100 Thieves. It's the same story. We'll be right back with more.
It is EWC 2026 Valorant Grand Finals.
100 Thieves and Kryo, you are about to enter the Grand Final matchup.
So far, you've been taking out the biggest dogs from the APEC. You've taken out M-I-B-R,
a familiar friend. But now you have to go up against NRG. What is it going to take
to take down the top dogs from last year?
Yeah, to be quite like honest, we play energy a lot and most of the time we lose.
But I think beating them will just be like such a good mental hurdle for us to like jump over.
And I don't know something about this tournament.
Like I really feel like we're going to win this time.
We've been, you know, dominating all tournament and scrims have been feeling really good.
So yeah, super confident.
You popped off last night.
You made the crowd roar with your sheriff plays.
What can we expect from you individually today?
I mean, at the end of the day,
I'm just gonna make sure I'm gonna leave it all on the server,
you know, this is our first international grand final
for a hundred thieves.
So yeah, just making sure that we're gonna play our game
and just leave it all out on the stage.
The title of champion is on the line here at EWC.
There's a $2 million prize pool,
a huge paycheck that comes with it.
But what would it mean to you to win here
in front of all these fans in Paris?
It would mean everything honestly. I haven't won a trophy yet for like an international tournament
So really looking to win my first one and yeah, I'm just gonna give it my all
I know a lot of these folks are cheering for you. Best of luck
All the way over at the Lenovo Legion Gauntlet, we still got Dota 2 going on.
This is the culmination of the first week of the group stages, we've got some teams
that are overperforming, some teams that are underperforming, but in general, looking at
the club championship, for me, the biggest talking boy right now, Chris, will be Falcons,
because yesterday, for Fatal Fury, they only got 50 points.
I know, and that was with, like, well, I think they had five different players in it as well,
so that was, um, honestly, not great to be quite frank, considering the favorites that
kind of coming into that couple of their players expected to go very far and they just absolutely didn't so falkins typically have not had a great start
And which is actually surprising considering the past and how they perform in the LBC when it comes to you
They won the club championship in 24. They wanted in 25. I'm assuming they would like to win it in 26
You know, just a little inkling but I want to talk about their performance as well here on though
Because they were did they make it out of group stage first things first? Yeah, okay
I mean look they finish in a very top spot in group 8 looked absolutely fantastic all the way through
to get through. I'm relatively
tough grouping, but they managed
to get through it. And as we
were just chatting about off
camera, they managed to make it
into that topic, guaranteeing
themselves to no championship
points, but they'd be expecting
to get a little bit more than
that. So don't they're not
looking too bad for them? What
to do? That's a good thing. I
mean, for Valorant, we don't
have Falcons competing. Instead,
we're looking at the finals
out for hundreds of these energy.
Looking forward to see how that
one plays out. But in general,
when it comes to the club
championship point here over at
the Dota stage, what's the
lowdown? To be honest with you,
Falcons are the big story, but
13 liquid as well. Another team
well. Another team who are always going to be there towards the top side of things. I don't want to
say they struggled through the groups, but they probably didn't do quite as well as they would
have liked to. So on their front, okay, they're through to, of course, our survival stage, which
is something we'll be going into at the start of next week. But another team that we do have on
our lips and are currently sitting in second in the club championship, albeit early those,
Virtus.pro fighting for their lives currently. They could be going out today.
That would be horrible. I mean, there are 750 points if I remember this correctly, which is a good
position to be in but last year as well they were quite a contender in a lot of
different titles so to see them struggling on this first week to get a
couple more on the board not the nicest situation to be in but again it's a long
tournament we got six more weeks to go we'll see how that's gonna be playing out
but that's it from us over here at the Dota stage we're gonna be hanging back to
you guys we were there for every click every clutch every respawn we were there
for the years of grind, and we're here. Now, the proud founding partner of EWC. Powering
the biggest event in gaming, shoulder to shoulder with the world's best. Making history.
Greatness deserves a stage. Lenovo Legion, reach your impossible.
I remember watching Pokimane and trying to get a drop, and I was super excited to get it,
and I was grinding the game with my brother.
I started really playing the game when I was 14, then by 15 I realized that there is some potential here
that could be done in this game.
I started winning some tournaments, like local lands, and at some point I was like, maybe I could go farm.
I think he brings a lot to the team, his communication, his flexibility on the duelist role.
It's funny making jokes, and at the same time he's very serious and hard-working.
The Sonar was someone that was really well known to basically everybody in the scene.
He was playing in the tier 2 leagues, he was looking fantastic statistically.
When I started playing it was quite exciting and I was happy that I could be making a career
out of the game.
There is no one that is able to bring all of those player skill sets along with the flexibility
in his Asian pool and still be able to deliver at the same level he does when he's at his
best.
I said my family, I'm going to be a pro player.
They said ignore it, go to school.
I said just trust me and I trust myself too and when I signed the contract I brought myself too much
He gives us energy, he gives us his aim, he gives us his brain
Like everyone thinks he can only shoot but he can do everything like he can play every character
He can play every role like he's a joker in our team
It feels like people believe in me for a reason because they know I'm good
So I take it as a compliment each time and I try to prove to everyone that I am that guy and I can play as good as I can
He's playing a lot, learning a lot and trying to share it too.
He's not a player who wants absolutely to be micromanaged for coaches to be involved in everything.
He's very confident in what he has, in the things that he's done previously.
And we just need to make sure that we're there and available to do everything we possibly can for him.
You're looking at all these workies that are coming to Taiwan, and we just want the best players on the planet.
The end generation can pick a bit more strategic approach to the game while still having fun and running around.
I'm so unbelievably excited to play on the biggest stage
especially here in Paris. I just can't wait.
I don't know if he has time for this one though Kev. It's going to be very close.
You got to hear from the young studs the next generation of Valorant stars,
stars but Timitino continues to lead the line here in the grand finals as
100 thieves are up 1-0 over the reigning world champions NRG in the
chase to write their name in EWC history. Yeah and we're about to jump into
Sunset the second map of this best of five. We were speaking about the
surprises that 100 thieves offered us but the last time the NRG played this
the world champion title through it was against Fnatic of course a year ago but let me tell
you for the rest of the year this map did not look good when we're speaking about momentum
that last map that exactly what it was.
Yeah 100% we have not seen their sunset since that moment and it's kind of a surprise here
seeing how they're going to play into it granted yes this is 100th these pick why not pick
it when you just absolutely slammed yesterday and turn that pocket pick into yours making
sure it turns into your map really well done by a hundred thieves but I think it's a little
bit of a worry when all your video is online individually we think about an RG a couple
of players just not stepping up there until later on in that map on breeze hoping that
They can start going off right away. Yeah, like of course we've had a little bit of a break if there's some jazz that I had
I'd like to see make my land and whatnot, but are we
We're seeing what we're seeing right? Yeah. Yeah, it's a it's a little rough
Especially when you're thinking of the player like Kiko didn't have a good performance that last game
How he's gonna mentally jump back into this one and make sure he's on top because again
That's your duelist. If it's not Mata, it's Kiko. We need to step it up, get those opening picks to open up the rounds.
And for all of the times that 100thies, these 100thies has already gone up against NRG. It looks like they learned a lot.
So for NRG, we suspected and we were right. This approach of putting Ethan again on that knee and he's going to be repeated.
Mata on that Phoenix. I still have PTSD from yesterday. I need Mata to warm up very quickly to this.
100 Thieves keeping that same comp but energy definitely pulling our sights towards that comp Kiko on chamber though
He's been playing really well. He played it a lot in the group stages of EWC
And that was actually one of his highest ACS agents that he picked
So it's really nice to see him back on that. Maybe he might enable him a little bit more than a jet
But you're absolutely right. Mata on that Phoenix really has to step up and Ethan
I mean his movement's been good, but not really the dragon power that they need
Yeah, I mean, Sunset is going to be unexplored for the side of 100 thieves, not a lot that
they can prepare.
Yes, they can anticipate that this is the archetype that energy is wanting to follow
with them starting on the attack with that double duelist.
Maybe that gives them back a little bit of that momentum and, you know, it puts a little
bit of faith in their hands.
Yeah, I think they've also picked that attack spike to start as well because this is 100
thieves not picked.
So they're definitely trying to start things at their own pace.
Make them play to the way that they want to play.
Forcing 100 Thieves to understand the tempo that NRG is trying to pull out.
Vora coming off the last map there for 100 Thieves with the hot hand
and 100 Thieves getting first blood in this best of five.
But NRG, they always look even keeled throughout.
Despite us looking at them and seeing that they're stressed,
they always find a way to manage and work through the adversity.
Now, in these championship rounds, will they be able to continue to do so?
Let's find out as we go into map number two with Paper Thin and Achilleos.
And Archie, looking to try to even the score line here as we go into the map pick of
100 Thieves Sunset to see whether or not this is going to be a 2-0 start.
I don't want to think it can make this a 1-1 extended this series and
He has at least four maps of action.
Left wanting after that breeze.
NRG is not able to find their pudding at any twister turn.
They need to do so from the outset here.
He can go back over onto the chamber.
We've seen what he can do with this.
Absolutely deadly.
Also do have to give each of the, you know, some flowers as well.
Yeah.
Leon has been very steadily improved.
Yeah, yeah, he's getting better as time goes on.
This is the real danger man though looking for that camera gonna find it
Has the rendezvous in range there so we can
Fail out if need be Timotino going on a little bit of a fact-finding mission
We'll find some leaning in towards the a cubby and
Shot an attempt from Kiko does take a little bit of damage himself
I'm gonna be able to find value early
He's going to clear the door here.
Ah, Sena!
Oh, he went for it, but at least he still has the hot hands to heal.
He pushed back up to his full.
He's off on a little bit of damage, but it's a clean shot from Tibitino to take down Ethan.
There's a lot more around that corner, ready to come his way.
He just gives up that space for now, backpedaling.
Now he's swinging, looking for a little bit more.
He's going to scoop it down to six, but he cannot confirm the kill.
It's gonna be Brock to trade it out.
30 seconds left.
0-4, B-4.
Brony to take, and Flash connecting.
Awesome, just stands behind the box to re-swing out,
and Mata has him dead.
My hands, not quite going where he wanted, though.
It's Mora.
Quick little repeat.
Fime, Scuba, Brock, they're up dead.
Mora cleans up Mata, and it just can't go with 8.
A 1-B3 with no time to do anything at all.
Swap to the frenzy.
A kill to be found, but this round is over.
Once again, it's 100 feeds.
And it's Bora, who has been unreal today, the two young players, maybe the ones who had some questions about their first big international grand finals. How are they going to perform?
It's been aces. And again, the Sova, so steady. You know, this is a map that a hundred thieves looked really sharp on against them, the first time they debuted it.
Great defender side, they went six and one to close out the map.
Decent relay, holding a good shot to Medtino.
Kiko Gage, gotta be looking for more, it's just a meat grinder.
Two players, part two a Chris.
Spike down A.
Skewered and set over the planes.
I got Spike.
And Ethan now just at sound health.
Trying to see if he can find any damage whatsoever.
You would think this would be pretty tough.
Cryo should have a pretty good approach potentially.
Ethan just got a spot on him there.
So now you just send him into the duo.
And all you need is one stray bullet to connect with one of those specters and it should be round over.
And there it is.
Tuesday at the start.
Specters to be carried over.
100 Thieves once again off to a strong start on this map
I had some some big questions about this sunset obviously for NRG
You know what was the comp gonna look like we haven't seen this map since the Grand Finals of Paris last year when they
bested fanatic on it
And it's kind of a haven-ish approach for them similar comp to what they run there and
So far as it looked super comfy, but it you know again
This is going to be 100 thieves side of the map you would suspect this defender side
You know not gonna stick around and school back to get a claim bang
They started off the omen down but a tag there on the school back as well in the head shot to Ethan
The neon on neon violence once again coming through
Timmettino is looking to assert dominance
That's a tough ask for anybody to go up against Timitino.
He's been so reliable.
And when he's not fragging out, he's doing good things for the team.
So, he's got the angle to clear here.
Seize goes long.
Trial's just going to try to hold.
Oh my god.
He's going to get shocked.
Art finds the finish here.
He just had the 10 health.
10 health. A lot of them will be able to feel back one kill of trial, gets taken down off and they're trying to go into all of the timing.
To Latino, just trying to finish for a wallbang shot. He's got a 50. Here at alley, going to be attacked.
The scope in the second to connect. Bora able to deny bottom that ultimate.
They cannot win that round, but critically, they do a lot of damage and they get the run back away from NRG.
Still overall a very good bonus. 400 thieves.
Yeah, you're feeling really good about that one.
There's 100 thieves hitting some nice shots,
big smiles across the board.
A lot of people to clear out cryo.
He's under pressure there for Kiko.
A lot of them, pretty nice round.
Rock, that sturdy pair of hands.
Oh, an exhale.
Maybe he was going to have something, but.
Now you've got to run it back.
your own as Asuna, Timatino already into that op.
Quick pivot over here from Asuna, wants to be in a place to deny and execute as it comes through.
Now Orbs funneled into their own Phoenix.
All in this corner, probably to check right side.
Going to be spotted again, him now toggled, and there's a big ping reveal.
Just trying to clear the angles to be able to get a shot through.
Also going to be snapped back, but now before he takes out Ethan,
he can get to a shock dart. Second round of a rope for that to happen.
Don't see that every day.
And on the thieves, once again, holding it back at RG.
It's this time, it's a flawless to maintain the lead.
And even though there's some good awareness of where that run-up back is going to be coming from,
by NRG, in fact, they hit Asuna with a paranoia, almost connect the Cs onto him, too.
On the backside to try to slow it down, doesn't really matter too much.
He's still had a little bit left on the clock to push that corner to Metino be holding that angle
Eventually able to settle the spray there is Asuna and NRG fans
Starting to get worried they came back after getting blown out find you by BBL on the first map the other day
We know they have it the tank
Raios, quick little drag across the spot now, knowing you can scale forward.
Kiko's gonna be taking it out on screen, sliding the temp, but really just delivered the spike
and the rest of his team into Cryo's arms.
4k for the Cypher, shutting down any hopes of a thrifty.
And if you're at RG, I think that timeout is not far away.
And that's brutal. It's brutal to have to use it.
But it's ice cold from Cryo.
It's the confidence there to take it down.
Gonna have that neural theft coming into the next round too.
100 Thieves fans, delighted with what they've seen so far.
That breeze really set the tempo.
The one thing I was kind of worried about here,
400 Thieves was gonna be that kind of experience difference
difference in terms of dealing with the emotions dealing with the adrenaline a
lot of times younger players when they come out swinging in a huge match like
this will give so much to that first map that they don't realize that a
adrenaline crash out that's gonna come in the later maps as this drag on but as
NRG is well aware they've been through the ringer they've won championships
Ethan's done it twice so they know what that kind of marathon is all about but
It's going to take some heavy lifting from the coaching staff and the players to start
turning this around.
So far though, under thieves.
I'm impressed.
Seems like they're pretty calm, cool, and collected coming into the second map.
You know, NBS, another coach who's been there, done that one.
A world championship knows how to keep his players mentally focused and sharp.
We're good!
Top again.
Deeper angle at alley.
K can just run away down this trial.
They'll have to be cleared.
Go for a timing shot.
Nothing to be found there.
His blinds are going to be exchanged on either side.
Overdrive now going to be topped as well by Ethan.
Sends him to be a bit of a stalemate.
Sees will connect.
Fall.
Real crashing across.
This A site.
But now he's on the spray.
Able to find Mono before you can even make it past the wall.
Brock is now gonna be tagged down awesome and it's just tearing them apart. He hasn't even seen me anyone
Scuba now has to exit
Now they're gonna check cry out just holding it off angle there
He's just on a different plane of existence at the moment
Just widely just can't miss
I think the good news here is that wisely NRG cut sound being aware that they've spent so long over on that A side they need to be careful about a lurk so they're gonna bypass Cryo and I don't think give him much.
Now I'm curious if Cryo then his reaction to this once they kind of realize this is gonna go B is that he goes sprinting over to try to throw in a neural theft.
Is this just gonna be a straight up save? I think it's just a save.
That seems to be the case.
Not on the wiser that the site that they're creeping around.
10 seconds left.
Lingering outside of.
It's completely and utterly empty aside
from some site for Utahil.
It's not favoring their chances.
That's the crowd.
Maybe trying to give Cryo some hints here.
And he's not going to go too aggressively forward.
Will retain his weapon.
100 Thieves, retaining, maintaining, stretching this lead.
Yeah, it's great work by them.
Util Dump right at that front door, starts spamming it down.
Just don't let him in.
Great paranoia from Bang.
You have a Phoenix as well to counter those Phoenix curve
balls from Mata.
So it's just about making sure that the timing on all that
is good, and it was.
Once again, 100 Thieves.
Looking to go 6-1 under the underside, 0-2-2-0.
He was just above them.
Get the hell out of there.
He's all set up, paranoia, though.
Forcing him out of back.
I don't think Bang made any noise when he went for that peek,
so I'm not sure.
They have full confirmation that he's there.
They probably suspect.
They're always closing out.
And that's more than enough for NRG to try to go on the pivot.
still dialed in on mid. Swing coming out wider. And Timitino's coming out on top.
Kiko eliminated Molly up towards the street. Timitino trying to over sail on angle for a
little bit longer by that kill. So it's just gonna be this one for one exchange between Gora and Ethan.
Number's advantage still there. 400 thieves.
So now checking over towards street. See if maybe they have a way to slot themselves over
towards A, but there's the pinch coming in, it's trial.
Rewraps out of pova.
One enemy.
With a kill found, a sprocket, we can take him down the spike
down on the floor, scuba.
30 seconds left.
And realistically, there's nothing more to be done here.
The swing and die.
That would try to save a gun, but they would have gone hunting.
It would have been unlikely for him
to keep that in his own grasp.
And it's just similar scenes to Breeze.
We might be seeing that second time I'll call scented desperation
but given what we're seeing I think it'd be sent to no avail.
No I think you're right and I love the protocols here Timatino so quick to get
back over to a link to help out on that A site.
Osuna able to tuck in safely and O'Vora goes down.
Hunter D we're able to start shutting the door down but there goes Ethan.
He needs a hell of a lot more, but it's not ready for call.
He's playing on that very same corner.
Hucked his spear down, called it to Bora,
trying to see if he can get any tags.
I think that one's quite just yet.
Bottom around the corner.
Bang, hasn't dead.
Tima Tima, doesn't get taken down, head 100 shot from Kiko.
Fighting at Sargent, and now the Tour de Force is going to be invested.
It's an AP in behind, and he's also in front of that.
Cote Markman decides not to commit to it.
Could cancel paranoia at the ready, but the clearing in the gun barrel spotted the foot as well.
And there's the kill. Scuba able to strike him down. Bang now, out of the equation.
Putt it over the top for him.
He's firing this kill on the block. Will not be able to do so.
Take off the shot guards, lay it in, looking for some added damage.
Soften up the players of NRG.
Push command though. Two players lined up. Fly off. F**king them both.
Scuba, he's just got the off, finds the first,
swaps through the bandit, pants him there at his feet.
With the corner down, Cryo!
He's done it again!
Another 4K!
Another defuse, another round for 100 thieves!
It's unreal.
To be Cryo just finds the perfect time to step out of that cyber cage.
and freeze them out of the round.
Absolutely brutal stuff.
Getting that opening kill onto Ethan, and all the way over to the other side.
Read that nicely.
They are just disgusting today.
They are so well prepared.
And then you get some individual moments of brilliant cryos.
That was pen and line!
God, it's just disgusting.
All of this isn't clear.
There's Smoke!
Oh my God, he's so fast!
Maybe a little over-aggressive.
Does get punished, but still is able to find that kill.
It's his cryo, though.
Gonna be spammed down.
Meanwhile, Bora catching Ethan going on a walkabout backside.
Look at the Shockdark coming to the company position.
Bang, now for the playoff from Mark, but Scuba will have him dead.
Ooh.
1-2-V-3 with Brock suffering quite a bit of damage.
Now picked off Bora.
Does he read this?
The answer seems to be yes.
Shockdark right there at his feet.
Now going to be confirming that with the drone.
Gecko's got nowhere to go.
One enemy remaining.
I don't know, but it's every time 100 thieves need someone to come up with a hero clutch.
There is a player ready and they are going to hit another home run, brilliantly played
there by Asada, just kept swinging until the gun was ready.
Beautiful play.
And the fans can't believe it, I can't believe it.
That was my reaction too.
Here we go again.
Push, and the AWP will clear the prowler, but that's all to play Cryo into this touch position.
Trying to span them out, but now he plays the corner, and Cryo still able to find two!
Colt denied.
Stimultino, looking for that straight shot to connect. Cannot find it.
An NRG.
I mean, they're just looking like they've given everything that they had just to make it into this grand final.
Now the tank is run dry.
TP over to Ally. Bang, already on the arrival. Here's his approach. He didn't lie on us,
trying to slow things down. They're running back down, they're going to be committed.
Pico able to find the weapon. Bang, he's repeaks here from back side. Jump peeks.
Going out. A nasty shot to be found.
I have the spike chance to reconcile with the previous round.
To bring one back for NRG. Combines the first with TP on a reposition.
Looks like he's going to rewrap back across street side.
Bore up, checking this with the recon, taps the defuse, trying to assess which direction
he's going to be coming from before the moment.
He is gambling incorrectly, but now starts to suss it out.
Smoked to be dropped, the defuse being held to half, and Skuba will get it done.
It's a massive clutch into 4k4, the element of NRG.
It's all just a fun, a second round win.
Well, finally, something goes NRG's way.
Huge plays by Skuba.
This one looked like it was gonna be done,
but that shot over the generator, ridiculous.
And the final there, using the drop of the smoke
is a one-way to make sure that he could deal with Vora.
I thought for a moment maybe Asuna had seen him
over in elbow, but must not have,
because he kinda swung out into that.
Off in hands for Kiko.
The flash, the response as well.
Oh, look at that. He's just been able to walk all the way down through tiles.
It's a non-acgressive trademark.
And our G just want to go for an exploration of A, then rotate to B,
have that trademark to try to deny a flight, but it just leave mid completely open for the taking.
They see that, but Mada, it's still able to find one.
Mada will fall paranoia out.
Skuba should have been seen there but Bronk checked on the market, bang, eliminated.
Shocked our core but Skuba again looking for these kills and boring on the wiser.
Trapped around on right now in play.
Despite the early death,
energy in pole position, it closes out.
Two rounds in a row.
That's awesome, you can clutch up, spots him, but cannot win it.
Scuba, faster on the draw.
The third round for Adarjean.
The fact that they're able to come back from these manned down deficits is really nice.
The early clear of Kryo, so instrumental here to break open that B site,
puts Bora on an island.
Man can't win the 1v1 against Brock.
Step up again from Scuba, starting to take matters into his own hands.
A 3k, 7 kills and 2 rounds.
Okay, the March, the comeback, is it gonna continue?
Can our NRG find that forward?
It's gonna be a little bit of a week of fight.
The aggression is gonna be punished.
Good opening kill, found for Kiko.
Smoketor, already shot, can be quickly broken.
Swap of that gun, gonna be heard.
Kiko will just drop back.
Got all this Cypher util here on the A site this time.
Kind of slow them down.
I thought maybe he was going to commit to that.
Brock's actually rerouting to go check.
Make sure that there's no aggressive flanks from 100 thieves.
Again, that trademark gives you a little bit of safety.
Try to go for this B hit, but this time 100 thieves are going to triple up on it
because of the safety of the Cypher U2 of their own on the other side.
Aggressive line for Asuna, it does get rewarded.
Maneuwan Mali covered his tracks as he retreats back to safety.
Meanwhile, TP in the back of the site.
Skuba going completely unranged.
Strikes to simplify them with a pair going out on the Bora, sets them up.
The alley-oop is there, even collecting.
And now, no!
Hitters of micro-transfer!
Absolutely destroys them. Now they know exactly where Kiko is.
Being watching and Kiko has no idea!
What a monstrous 4k for Bang!
To close out this half 9-3!
Oh my, over the line and a bunch of these rounds is the half war on.
G was gonna get their 4, it looks like they were gonna have a lifeline.
and bang had other ideas.
Just disgusting.
What he just did to NRG, once again, they're going to be reeling at the half.
Once again, they need to find the pistol to try to rally back into this one.
There's a hundred thieves, they have three, they're going unchecked.
They're just doing whatever they want on this map of Sunset, but for now, let's send things
over to Lou with some very familiar faces.
Thank you indeed for a million faces from Ascension, you know, very big faces on EMEA.
Job life, head coach and assistant coach Skaz and Larsson have joined me,
the job life coach, my partner for a small interview.
The first question I wanted to ask you, it's because you're going to play in EMEA in the next split.
I'm very happy to see that. Can I know why you're here?
I'm happy to be here, but what are the real reasons?
It's a tournable event in France, and we're also looking for some inspiration and energy.
Strat?
Strat, why not?
And we're also looking at One Hundred and Thieves, because it's a team that inspires us a lot
and we hope to be able to catch a few of them.
That's it, so first question, why are you guys here for real?
We're getting trapped for the next bit, obviously.
We're trying to get a little bit of inspiration, because we like 100 CIVs style quite a lot.
And now I turn to you, my dear Larson,
having an event like this in France when you play,
when you coach for a team as well known with so many fans,
that JobLife, of course, it must do something,
does it make you want to be there next year?
Well, of course, yes, of course, we want to be there next year,
to accompany Discast, I always hope so.
And yes, the goal is to put our little name in the totem there,
and that would be the goal, because it's good for France
to have events like that.
And we have to continue, we have to continue.
This hundred thieves got coming into this because of that lack of best-of-five experience energy has had so many more
Moments like this so many more matches like this with crowds like this
Yeah, they are the ones that are struggling
You know if we find some opening damage here on off to the Molly now going to be set there at their feet trying to
Crisp around the corner, but it could be model with the ghost is able to find the value
One of us eliminated, quick little curtsy peek around the corner for Timitino and decides
to back away.
You're kind of hoping there's thieves, that that's just the chamber in an aggressive solo
position but there were layers behind that.
Thieves fell for the bait, hook line and sinker.
You're going to have to win an odd man situation.
Dual bolt, Ethan and Scuba very weak already.
Brock is a spot.
He's going to peel back, has no backup right now.
Still tags Timitino.
He's about to send that horn on a timing, but then got the visual confirmation instead.
Both of them out, but now cryo.
Turning here, top mid.
They were able to catch one, the swing joined in, bang.
Cleaning up a killer paranoia to connect.
Exchange on the other side.
To try to swing forward, just take the fight.
Right to energy's doorstep.
Bang and Brock to brawl it out.
He does have the spike in hand.
What steps it made the swing is in and Brock will be able to find him
As the pistol goes the way of energy
Yeah, it's it's that early advantage that energy is able to create by using a little bit of trickery
And then they're able to rely on the steady discipline of Brock
To hold the line by a little bit extra time over there not give himself up for free
Then he's the one who comes in as the closer at the end.
Bang there, probably gonna regret not trying to wrap back through market or something like that.
Maybe thought he could bamboozle Brock a little bit there.
Hard to do against the player of his caliber.
Just gonna get out early. This time there's no massive layer behind this, but there is a judge
in his own hands.
Goodbye, Timotino.
Mono will be able to find that kill, and it looks like what happened on Breeze, not
going to occur again.
A full, classic, thrifty.
There's plenty of guns here in the hands of NRG, which does mean that 100 Thieves can
find some value for some eliminations.
I'm gonna have some of the money, but before the paranoia, out!
And that should just about be a flawless as more are going to be tagged down, and the
judge will be able to take him out.
So, flawless found at RG, it's the exact start they need for this half, and they can convert
a bonus of the back of this, and who the hell knows where the Sunset's gonna go.
Right, I mean I think the thing to remember with 100 Thieves when we saw them on Sunset
versus Nomechim, was that the attacker side was a little bit weaker, was a little bit
more struggle for them, it started off really weak.
That was a five and three for Nongshim's favor early on and then they found their footing
ran four in a row at the end to make it seven five.
So I guess your hope here is under these is that you don't give up this bonus.
Okay, shots, barely connecting on the team up, it's going to be pass lane, sprint forward,
might still contain there at main but team Athena going to be able to find Mauna.
Put it back, you're longer in concern for the round.
As close.
Fight planted.
Tough retake.
Bang, it's just gonna be ready and waiting for these parents.
No, nevermind, paranoid, not in here.
But he still had it.
Except we'll just stay tucked and backside.
There's a slide in, Tumakina now striking.
Behind the box, tag down the 19 held.
Bang, and I peel back some of the pressure,
Hit the headshot, cryo!
Lying and waiting market!
Hatches scuba completely off guard.
Rikiko nothing more really to be done.
Some kills would be nice, trying to get towards that, toward a force.
Instead it will be cryo, spotting them out of QB.
QB has got to get converted, and double digits now, found for other thieves.
should be very much in their grasp to put this to a 2-0.
The impetus is going to be on NRG to run it back on a map that they have not played yet this year.
Haven't played it at EWC.
And it is a map that they had struggled on historically.
And they lost three or four in a row in the lead-up to that chance grand finals last year.
Definitely, I think a great pick here, 400 thieves.
The first one they get a shot at, and they were chomping at the bit.
Mana is going to have to run it back.
Asuna still a couple of ways, same to Latino, the overdrive is going to keep doubling down.
Back committed.
Widely is contained.
Asuna will get taken down now and push forward.
Mana eventually even finds that spacing.
I don't know why, but Cryo's found two.
It is the ultimate, okay.
Great shot from Kiko.
Cryo tried to get him back into it, but without the actual kill coming through, just the denial on the alt.
Not much more to be done.
It's a gamble here from Vora, thinking that NRG wouldn't expect them to run basically the same round twice in a row, right?
And that sometimes does work, but NRG, to their credit,
very ready for a Kiko in particular.
Absolute nuisance there on back-site.
Gotta have some better U-tail to clear him out.
My old one.
Oh, that one right there.
Jaw dropping.
As usual, Kiko has had some of the most unreal spray
transfers we've seen at EWC.
So four rifles, one share for Vorah.
Really trying to fight over the space, but no likelihood the right side should have just abandoned it.
Temetino able to find mana.
Think behind the box, into the spray-down.
Now a quick pivot over to A where for the moment it is just Scuba here.
It's been huge for them.
In the few rounds, an energy have been able to collect, except initial contact has to peel back.
He's from Brock, avoided very fast pivoting all of energy trying to get into position to counteract this knows that they still do have
overall a weapon advantage that's going to be denial on the running back off and out of the equation as Ethan pushing forward
he will find himself a second rock and he'll go over the bunnies with a cryo fighting back
gets himself into the 1v1 the pink reveal and Ethan just getting kicked away down to 33 he's got a phantom
He's gonna be so fast on the burst, but he does have the opportunity to play this on time.
25 seconds remaining, the round trial has to go for it and we'll be able to win it.
Another multi-kill round.
It's 100 thieves march onward looking for that third map and looking to make it the final
map.
Apparently when the sun sets, that's when it gets chilly.
This cryo is absolutely going nuclear on this map.
It's just giggling about it, but man, oh man.
What a performance he has had on this Cypher.
20 kills, seven deaths!
Blinded!
Cimitino immediately with the ult.
Sees there to slow him down.
A kill in the mid.
Passing a dealt win.
He's been on top, but ooh, somehow doesn't even get that much damage on the Ethan.
Sliding back along the wall, keeping himself protected.
Not how we're gonna be spotted in the mid, and the bag has the backstab.
Piles again, a position widely being ignored by NRG, whether it's on this defense or the attack.
While it does end up being a 4v4,
health advantages very critically are there for 100 thieves.
100 these hasn't been able to capitalize on that space that Timutino created today
They're worried that there's gonna be a fast flood ready. So they thought about pinging to the other side, but I
Think the fact that Timotino hasn't seen a damn thing over there. They're just like he's like get over here guys, please
Before they suss it out
If it's now going to be committed to
Gonna have a little bit on this retake obviously the tour de force in play for Kiko, but he's already pretty banged up
Scuba has a paranoia. I mean, Brock's haunt will be in the cards.
They have to check elbow because Timotino never did.
Find out that it's pretty wide open.
Smokes start layering in and should be a plant at the very least.
Just how strong is this hole gonna look?
Timotino only have a shorty here.
here.
Behind the overdrive at the start, so they were able to grab anything, but he can just
get to a position where he barrels stuff somebody.
No, he's got a weapon now.
Bang, will take the shorty.
He's putting up close here, but that's not going to do too much, but Ethan comes signing
in, finds that kill.
So Latino able to find the enemy chamber, to defuse, being stuck, but now he's got to
go off of this one.
trying to hold the line, takes it down to 1, yet he gets the Clio.
Able to come out on top. This map has his name written all over it.
These hundred thieves now move their way up to map point.
It's pretty incredible what they're able to accomplish.
It looked like for a moment here, NRG was going to be able to scale in
Win, get the defuse, let Timatino swing the corner, get Scuba, cryo right there for the trade.
NOOOOO!
Playing so well is cryo.
Two more kills in that round for him.
22 and 7.
Is that the inverse play?
I forget how the map works out.
Oh, swing of the corner and Ethan, you haven't overdrafted, there's still three players there, so it has to back away.
He's holding onto this judge.
Playing that close corner.
Let's thumb around NRG.
Hang a lot of attention to mid and tiles.
Get a decent amount of map control early, but some of that space now gonna be given up.
Well, they're not gonna have to do a lot of re-clearing. They heard that judge.
It was used by Ethan, so they're gonna be pretty aware of it.
The real question is is this is so good.
and Kiko, at the scuba's position, forced him to ult away.
That's a pretty nice little win.
Now, just Kiko, tucked in and mid, and hit the shot as the TP out.
As Vani, Voodoo's safety marked the door.
Now, could be broken down.
Two players here to try to stop the flood.
To slide in now, and it's going to be the place wall from Asuna.
To be able to find Kiko.
Not now, going to be taking down Brock, eliminated, scuba, plantedly.
Kasing that money goes for the 10 spot!
I'm not sure if that was a miss click, but it certainly was a miss fire!
As Ethan!
I'll take your pick of weapons. I don't think it's gonna matter!
Paranoia of the face, a hunter's fury available.
And a Molly on the market exit.
Cryo the recon, spotting him out, he takes the fight!
He wins it!
The lights is not the brightest on Sunset, so Ethan cannot glide.
Hundred thieves are now up two to zero.
One more map to take this this week.
I mean, they are just feeling it today, but this was Cryo's map.
This was Cryo's turn.
He's been around for a while.
Back to some of those older teams he was on.
This may have been one of his best ever absolutely rinsed NRG on Sunset.
This round of a round of NRG getting absolutely bawdy by 100 thieves.
Just clean reads the whole way throughout the calling from 100 thieves and the prep work has been immaculate to watch.
watch. Yes, it's so much credit for the coaching staff, the IGL. They're piloting
the team absolutely perfectly. As we get ready to go into what could be the final
map, we'll send things back over to Dagon in the desk. We're standing by with a very
special guest. Thank you very much, Achilles and Paperthan. Yes, it is
100 thieves just on the cusp of making history as the second ever winners here
at EWC for Valorant.
And we are joined by a special guest myself,
Big Time and Kukuka,
joined by Mr. Leo Faria, the head of Valorant.
How's it going, brother?
Hello, doing great, how are you?
Hey, it has been quite some time since our time,
since Wild Rift.
It's always great to see you look younger every time.
Hi, guys.
Leo, it has been so great to see the changes
towards a more open ecosystem to 2027.
Kind of just wanted to get your thoughts on that
What it's like to invite more and more players and teams to the competitive pool and we're very excited. Look Val has been
Now come on six years in the market and we have seen how far it has come
We're very proud of what we built, but there's very clearly room for
You know keeping things fresh and things exciting and the way to do that is just to bring new blood into the sport
You know we want to kind of we've been talking about this idea of reigniting the dream
giving young players or sparring players and teams an opportunity, you know, to
fight their way in and to prove that they're worth, to prove that they belong
among the best. So really it's all about just opening that door and we're very
excited. I like it because I think that with Ascension is what we were trying to
achieve and actually achieved because so many teams that we see perform today
come from those tournaments, come from those teams. What have you been making out
of the event? Because I've seen you walking around where you hear the day
the mates played. I was crazy. It was insane. Yeah, look, we were in Paris not so long ago.
The French crowd is special. And just being here again, you know, it's awesome. We know that fans
want more Valorant. We know that teams want to play more. And part of opening the ecosystem is
not only giving opportunities for more players and teams, but also for more organizers, right,
to do more stuff. We're very proud at Riot of doing a lot of events and producing events ourselves.
But we also want to open up opportunities for others to because at the end of the day look if players care about
Competition we care about competition doesn't matter who is who is putting them together and this is just a prime example of that
To add on to that another tournament coming towards the end of the year that I'm immensely excited for is the eSports
Nations Cup what does that mean for you as riot to be able to be involved with these tournaments where people could not only
represent that that teams with that whole countries and then also who do you
think's gonna win on that just a little bit spicy question look I I think if we
ask Valorant fans what they want a national based competition probably
sits at the top of the list I didn't ask for you know for a Valorant World Cup for
a long time and we're very we're very excited it's it's it's a it's a novel
concept I think there's a lot of pent up demand we know that players
themselves are incredibly excited to be able to represent their country and you
know when you watch someone doing something that they care about it's
impossible not to care about it yourself so I think it's going to be very
special I think it's gonna be special free sports gonna be great for Val so
just excited. You can't doubt the second part of the question though Dan.
I'm gonna show my bias and I don't usually do that. Yeah I think my Brazil
have good chances of winning.
Oh, yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Sassie coming back from retirement.
Yeah.
I think he's giving it.
We'll see.
Yeah.
Finally, you know, just the fact that EWC fits so well into that BCT schedule, it has allowed
such young audience, young players and young teams like a BBL, like a roster overhaul,
like CarmenCorp to show up.
How awesome is it to see another tournament that teams can qualify outside of VCT that maybe weren't doing so well in VCT?
Oh, yeah, look again, it's just an opportunity to play more right like we know how important it is for these teams to have
Just reps opportunity to be on stage playing in front of a crowd with a lot of stakes a lot of things on the line
Like nothing replaces experience. I think the VCT has been
fairly criticized for not giving teams enough opportunity to play internationally. We have three
global events a year for if you include game changers, but teams want more and you know, I think
it's great for teams, great for players, great for fans. So again, we hope to see more of this.
Fantastic Leo. And finally, it's 2-0, 100 Thieves. How do you think this is going to shake up?
We were just talking about before off-camera. I think it's going to be
good for 100 thieves to finally
Oh, there you go.
They've been waiting. The fans have been waiting.
I took him to our corner.
But look, you know, it's not over until it's over.
NRG there, the defending world champions for a reason.
So we'll see. They're still valent to be played.
Leo Faria, everyone. Thank you so much for joining us here at the EWC desk.
As we take a look at some of the highlights from Timotino,
who's been on fire for 100 thieves,
especially on this Sunset map.
Yeah, look at the start of this game.
It was Timatino who really got the ball roll in there.
I mean, I love him watching this guy play.
When we talk about those MVP contenders,
his name is for sure in there.
I think that I know that we are very impressed by what happened on map 1
and on this second map and seriously how lost NRG is in some of these situations.
How many crutches, how many rounds where they seem impossible to win
for the side of under thieves and then cryo goes in a crazy fork and one before so many
of these things do not make sense but seriously try to think about them from the energy side
they have to be completely destroyed but i agree with you i think that all tournament wise to me
timatino has proven that he has everything it takes to get that mvp it has been so fun to watch
again just every single player having a moment cryo with the 4k multiple times earlier it is just
this is such a fun team to watch and then you continue to forget that this is an energy squad that
has won the world championship that have been down look out and then always find a way to come back
despite starting the first part of the house so terribly here big time. So NRG are a team full
of tenacity they keep making these combats but is it too far gone here that's the question for me
because I feel like they're just not even getting momentum inside the server it feels like these
games aren't close, they're having to steal away rounds from 100 thieves here, who I think
are looking so much more composed right now.
A part of me doesn't want to jump into conclusions because honestly I do not know how the vibes
here are right now, I'm not listening, I'm just seeing, but seriously I feel like things
are going wrong in the energy side and 100 thieves is just riding that wave.
Absolutely, well we will ride that wave to a potentially decisive haven on map number
three after this.
All right, everybody, it's Spuggie here with Scuba from NRG.
They're about to take the stage for the grand finals.
And Scuba, you've been embarrassed before.
Last time you did it, you raised a pretty huge trophy.
How do you feel about your chances again tonight in the same city?
I'm feeling pretty confident. Honestly, I'm starting to feel like our lucky city to be honest. Um,
As long as we're here today and we give it our all, I think we're going to win.
Now, Ethan was saying the French fans earlier in group stages and on day one didn't faze you.
In fact, you guys are able to feed off the energy of the crowd. How are you able to stay so focused?
I mean, we experienced the worst of the worst that champs last year almost got reverse slipped and the Paris crowd
that no one cheering for us. So it was more of like a, it just pushes us forward every time everyone's booing us.
Last question for you is you have matched up against 100 thieves time and time again
If you're looking at the numbers you guys have the statistical edge
What is it about this matchup that gives you guys the leg up?
I would just say our team is a lot more experienced and controlled in high pressure scenarios compared to 100 thieves
Although I'm not gonna underestimate the metal today. They're here for a reason and we'll see how it goes. That's the luck in the grand final
Thank you
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with these to finally achieve the potential that they have sought to reach for so long.
Yeah, but in some how the conversation cannot turn fully into them, right? They're having such a
good final, but has their opponent even turned up in so many investigations? That keeps being the
question. Haven also the first map that they played yesterday at NRG and the best of three
was devastating. I believe they chose to break the map as well, and we were very worried after that.
I mean, it is scary.
Now, Haven is a map that 100 thieves
have played three times here at EWC.
They haven't lost it yet.
It's sort of a strange choice is a map.
They often times in a best of five,
you're going to want to have your strongest map third.
So for me, now for this to be the ultimate decider
where NRG have to make that comeback,
it's a very, very big question.
Yeah, and we have to look at the individuals.
Winnie Kiko to step up,
when it might have to not repeat that performance.
We're speaking about being electric,
about trying to get in your opponent's head.
All of, well, the majority of those clutches
have gone the way of hundred thieves.
We're so scuba-getting one.
I think I still look at him.
I was highlighting him at the beginning of the day,
and I feel like I still look at him
to try and keep this team alive.
The things are looking way too different
to the rest of play.
I was like, how is this our final?
That's exactly the question.
I need to see the individuals now.
NRG, we've been speaking all tournament long
about how great they are when their back is against the wall.
But the amazing comebacks they've managed
because they look out so unfazed,
but right now they look like they're in trouble.
They look difficult.
They look stressed on that stage.
Can they find that composure right now?
Or the key will be getting crushed.
The EWC dream will come to an end.
And that's the frustrating part.
We've said this so many times
about this team throughout this tournament.
They look stressed, they look a little confused.
There's no highs, there's no lows, it's just kind of stoic.
And then they find their momentum
and you get that pop-off moment by Mata at the end.
And they've done it multiple times during the playoffs,
but now they've got to do it in a best of five down to zero.
Exactly, I need to see the fight right now.
When we talk about who we expect to step up
from this NRG team.
Keiko, where are you, man?
This is the best of five.
This is the final, and I feel like he's not here.
He was an MVP frontrunner coming into these finals.
I need to see him come alive here.
On the side of 100 Bs, Cryo just had an insane nap.
I was so impressed by them.
Bringing out that sunset,
we saw them bring this out in the playoffs,
enormously impressed.
For NLG, that was the first time they've had to play it.
So I think you can excuse some of the issues there,
but absolutely not all of them.
You know, a map in the finals should never be
that dominating, especially when you're such a story
team like energy. Yeah, it's going to be map number three and it will be so wrong for the
competition that we've had so far for this final to be a 3-0. Yes. What can you do when
100 Thieves is having the run that they're having? With all of these situations, when
they look that they're lost, when it's just one player alive and floor on the other side,
you account everyone down. Yeah. It's a final, it's energy. You should have some respect
for them. But, 100th is finding that final for me, literally in the final. It's been
such an exhausting tournament for everybody. Everything happens within the time span of
one less than two weeks. The way I'm barred is here for, they've been managing to turn
all of that pressure into new comps, new approaches to the maps, surprises. I can stare for your
opponent that they have faced and apparently, energy is going to be no different.
I mean, that's exactly it for me. I've been just been even from when we first saw them in the group stage
There's a hundred thieves team. I felt like something was different this time
They're at that international kind of sooner finally managed to lift that trophy
It is about time. That's what I'm saying. I feel like he's coming alive right now
I feel like the whole team is coming alive, but there's one more hurdle left
They need to get one more map over the line, but we know that energy have it in them to come back
It's just can they bottle that magic right here right now?
You saw the referees at stepping up on stage as we get the lobby remade and the players ready to go and
100 these have been so awesome about it feeling no pressure at all on their faces having fun
You heard the comms from them earlier
Yeah, why the greatest player ever in that clutch situation getting the deep use and pushing them to 12
And those are the types of vibes that you want to see in here from a team feeling no stress
So the question is, can NRG turn it around and ask some of those questions of this 100th
Thieves roster, who just seem to be going through things so smooth.
Yeah, it doesn't always feel like it.
It doesn't seem like it from the outside, but sometimes being up to 2-0 is as dangerous
as being down 2-0.
It's all about keeping that calm and level mentality.
You can't count your chickens before they hatch here.
It's also 100th Thieves who have to be able to stay calm.
We need to find that energy lover guy, the one that's holding the sign, because I need
him to tell me how they turned this around.
How they bounced back.
We need to start getting these people on the desk because we are watching and we know
and we are aware we were there for this moment for energy being the best team in the world.
But now it does not look anything like that.
In fact, the player that has turned up the most today has been Mitch.
Paris is a city of amazing memories for this NRG squad, but now it could all change.
It could be an amazing place, but also a deeply haunting place of where they couldn't quite
get it done.
Can the comeback start right now, Deagon?
That is the question.
We are moments away from Agent Select, Scuba Brockmata, Ethan the World Champs, with Kika
who has been so electric throughout this tournament, but the power has been turned off in the first
two maps as we go into agent select here in Haver.
Yeah, and we jump again with this energy,
with Ethan being playing on the Neon,
exactly what we saw composition wise in the previous game.
As I said yesterday,
Mara could not find anything of value with that Phoenix.
We expect that to be different.
I expect Brog also to turn up on this map.
A hundred leaves that stick in with that same composition.
We've seen all tournament long.
As I mentioned, a perfect 3-0 record here on the map.
at EWC is Haven the one to send it home.
Yeah, main difference here, right?
Being cryo playing on the side
for a kicker playing on the chamber.
Well, honestly, for Cryo's comfort,
for how he's playing, for how he's turning up in this final,
let it be on the side of her.
I trust him way more than any chamber.
History waits to see whose it author will be 100 thieves
looking to grab the pen and write their name in it.
Will they be able to do so here in Haven?
2-0 up against the reigning world champions, whereas NRG, they have been down, but not out so many times.
Will 100 Thieves put them to the sword? Let's find out as we go to map number 3 and send it on over to Achilleos and paper thin.
It's all up to NRG. They have to take this into their own hands. Something they have faltered with, failed to do across the opening two maps.
It's back into one of their picks, but I'm right there with big time.
It feels like a potential rough one going over to Haven where
a hundred thieves have had so much success.
Flow us at that in this tournament.
It is a bold move, but for NRG, it needs to be the right move.
It needs to be the start of a comeback.
That is so unlikely, so rare to witness as it would have to be a reverse
sweep. I'll think back to last year.
It was Fnatic who opened up with two dominant maps against Eratix, then Eratix were able to complete the reverse sweep.
Is this going to be the beginning of that? Kiko under pressure, TP's out.
We have the safety, Mata, it'll be awesome to know with that Molly.
It's an opening kill.
The trademark will expire.
You're looking for timing to do the smoke.
It's going to be Ethan also with a frenzy in hand.
able to find that kill, Spike now planted with 3v5,
no damage suffered as well on the side of NRG,
and they're starting a sight and they're gonna make this damn day flawless!
Boron can only find the one that fuses in an NRG on the board nice and early.
Okay, the exact start that you need here to get the momentum going,
to get the blood flowing,
just gonna see if you can hold on, don't give up the 50,
Keep things under control.
It's exactly what you wanted.
That great utile jump at the corner of the exit of Sewer.
It's so difficult there.
You lose a player as under thieves.
I hope both teams lose.
Well, not possible.
Let me explain how that works.
Hate to break it to you.
No buyout, other than the bandit for Tumikino.
The early condition, awareness there from Pico.
Good job.
Could be fouled, but it's gonna be Cryo taking down Ethan.
Since the Matilda's just gonna be low on health.
A little bit more as well.
Eventually, Mada will be able to find the end window
but Cryo with that classic.
Get it, Ken.
Taking down a target.
Go dead, Mada, storming forward.
Quick turn to the sidelines for that 4K.
Can't make it happen.
They hold it back!
And suddenly it's just Scuba.
The judge collected 4-4 off!
This is a huge...
This is the classic.
Take it down and tap it again.
It's catastrophe!
They're just unreal with the classics.
What can you do?
I'm at a loss for words.
I'm shell shocked.
I thought this was round over, right there.
It felt like Mata had it secured.
The bang, I mean this one here.
Disgusting.
I
Jesus wow well there's a plenty of good reasons to lose your voice and that's one of them
Third one
Ridiculous
And now it's full classics for NRG were gambled on the A site. I
don't
Anticipate that this was where hundred thieves is thinking about going but you might lose Timotino
You might lose the outlaw here
They've got quite the setup on the outside of this
He's on the elbow. Let's get one
Lot of that counter swing now a time to walk
He'll back a kill to the team. I'm just looking to make his exit will be a little do so
Chase now coming in though. It's over top of the ball. He and Timotino lows down another two players
Collect what they can outlaw and phantom will be collected, but
Spike is being planted on the opposite side of the map, and bang, ready and waiting.
Intercepts to find the first apparent way to be lobbed in and swing,
going to be going through, and he can't get that second shot off in time.
Bang, it's a little bit faster, a little bit healthier.
And it's another one going over to 100 thieves.
Yeah, even though you do run into the trap that was set up,
a little bit, the great thing here for 100 thieves is they're hedging their bets across the map.
Three players nowhere near the A site so even if that goes awry they can quick pivot over go for the plant
And they're just able to swing through bang
Off to a hot start four and one
On the Omen Odin still gonna be there, but it's gonna be countered this time
Or I looking for the counter spam through the wall that was gonna be Brock's position
Actually just trying to take a little bit of long a control will at least for now
establish himself with the drone. Make sure that clear a lot of this space.
That's not Sam. Still a fast scaling but Osuna will take it for the damage to the wall so.
Go it up!
The play is just trying to get that healing going. Think that they're going to be going for this.
The work down to the sewers, meanwhile to Metino able to scale up long.
Get himself so far forward so rapidly.
Brock now realizing how much they'd give it up, gets the right read, gets the kill.
That's huge because now they can stay committed to the other side of the map.
They're trying to lead the way.
Mada right here alongside Scuba.
Trying to hold the line, has this running back and use it relatively safely.
That's going to be a Molly and Starr, Nassana, nearly dead.
Almost burnt alive.
A lot of taking the space to push forward, awesome up, will be able to keep himself in the mix for a little bit longer here.
30 seconds left.
As now, push up to the mid, Korra will utilize that Odin just for the one, but Kiko holds him back.
The nice inventory and time has started to bleed dry. 19 seconds remaining.
The TP forward, it's a nice little hello, how do you do it from Kiko?
Binding back, Monod dead, however Kryo able to find Kiko.
Kiko like we're gonna be retrieved of Brock
Like separate beneath them think as well gonna be there as Austin up will get killed off
two to two
And Archie they tie it up. Hey, you're just not really able to sell this fake as
100 thieves over on the A site because Brock deals with it so quickly and there's just literally nothing else behind it
Timotino trying to see if he could sneak ahead but Brock
so aware
Letting them get through, it's going to take a little bit more from 100 Thieves.
They're trying to open up the playbook early, and NRG has the counters, they have the steady protocols.
Make sure that they're not giving up much, still giving them enough for most of a buy.
Austin is just on a stinger, but he's one away from a run at back.
Timatino also crucially one away from an overdrive.
They've left Vorah out in the island over XC and look at where Ethan has gotten to.
It's a pleasant surprise to talk.
Tiny bit of damage to be found by Ethan.
Was she bored, catching Vorah off guard.
We'll go find that kill. Now the spot out.
He's looking for Rudemore trying to flush Bang out of sewer.
Cannot do so. Meal on off enough.
They're over on the site.
I was about to be popped and Ethan cannot get away.
Bang able to collect that kill cry on out keeps pushing aggressively forward 20 on a timing with Kiko delivery within that smoke
It's a full of the wayside and so far so good for NRG
Get him out try to clutch it out and they just give him too many targets
Defuses in an energy take the lead by one
There a little bit sharper right now a hundred thieves looks a little bit shaky to me
This is what I'm kind of worried about is all that adrenaline from those first two maps when it starts to crash
Things like your aim. Okay. Sure. Why not?
One of those rounds maybe you can chalk it up to
some lucky spams and things like that, but
NRG look a little bit more dialed in
So you have to settle
That's 100 thieves
You want this attacker side to be explosive, but now you're on a real eco.
Dang, with just a...
Buffy there.
My god.
A lot of players dinged up on that.
Yeah, cry out of 47.
Really cool.
Just...reforcing this position.
17 or more than half, and he just spreads his way out.
Molly's gonna be chucked in here.
Ben, he would've been saving this position now realizing that.
Can go back in.
back in. Glazewall however, further interrupts it, further takes him lower.
You know Ted, where that recon, curve ball,
he's gonna be turned away from it and our cheap will still be able to find some
kills in the back end of that one and now just reflood back through.
And bang, unfortunately for him just camping his opponent's a bit too much
credit, suspecting that that Molly was gonna land at his feet.
at least have the spike planted and gotten a little bit of additional funding.
You're exactly right. It was a little bit panicky.
And again, it feels like 100 Thieves are starting to press,
where on the first couple of maps, they just kind of were smooth.
They were playing really well, really well coordinated.
And here, I'm not saying the coordination's bad, but some of their shots are getting pretty wiffy.
Some of their decisions are getting a little bit panicky.
And that's an opening you cannot give to NRG.
This team has been through the ringer so many times.
They've been in so many do or die situations
throughout their last couple of years.
You just can't give them hope.
You can't give them opportunities.
You're going to have to lock in.
And that's not easy to do.
Under thieves.
You've got a couple of young players
Never been quite to this level.
It's the first shot at it.
What a start they've had, but that NRG team
is never going to let go, is never going to give up.
He's going to have to reel it in a little bit here.
Hopefully, NBS had a good speech.
Keep the boys a little bit calm.
This buy very critical for them on this half.
That's the first time that he's had to do it,
so it shouldn't be too difficult.
Tour de force is gonna be waiting for them on the other side.
Three ultimates are trying to utilize for themselves in broads.
Shifting over is just gonna be all immediately cleared.
Real chance that a reply in the recon also getting that triple ping.
It's not too scary, gonna be said from Bora,
but doesn't find anything at all.
Push forward into the smoke, and Mada catches two.
Bang, not checking towards Plot.
It is a main grinder in the hands of NRG.
They tear apart a hundred thieves.
Again, you're seeing mistakes here. Bang looks a little rattled.
Needs to be checking every angle on that TP before he commits to it.
Little things like that. You're looking the wrong way. You're trying to check the left side corner.
And Austin is just a little bit too far behind. Gives Mod of the opportunity.
Coordination, starting the Falter. And NRG is sharp it on top of it.
That's all three.
Ultimate's gone.
And just the Tour de Force invested.
Meanwhile, Brock two charges from having that Hunter Spherey online.
Damn near a stack deck given that you do have Kiko with us outlawed.
He'll have money for an operator.
Nice try.
Playing off of information from that drone.
Destroyed as he can find another look to the third it gets it
Just cryo and vorup making their way towards beat the C connector side watched by moda
Wall is round and our team starting to look alive starting to look like themselves
yes, this is
The team that you know, we've all come to know and expect
Almost feels like sometimes they the more pressure that's on them the better they get
Like carbon you did the harder you press the more they become a diamond
Now you've got to Latino with an op no often vested here for NRG though, so maybe an opportunity for under thieves to
Little bit of a surprise you get that early man advantage
The mid, rewarded again, 100 deans, just not finding the ability to fight back.
Mama goes out with that run attack, finds another kill before cryo, can shot it down.
Still five players strong.
I got Spike.
Spike to be recollected, but given this operator in hand, I don't think you can really try
to play this.
Latino C of Scuba will give him a glimpse there at window, but there's no reason for
to do so.
A lot of stores a curveball there.
Yeah, it's really dangerous spot to be in.
So sat forward and they're at the great back into the spawn
and NRG should have a pretty good idea
where these players can and will tuck away.
They absolutely should be hunting.
Once the time starts to tick down, nothing but cash.
There's zero reason in my mind that you don't at least go for this.
Once we get down to maybe that 25-second mark,
start exploring the map.
Thirty seconds left.
They're just checking over towards A.
I mean, they did leave that wide open,
so there is a world where they went over there.
But yeah, here we go.
Now they're starting to make their moves.
Watch out!
Cover the goal!
There are more sent to fire here.
Give some level of alert, Cryo.
First one at risk.
He's ready to come through out of the window and Cryo, it's just so damn wet there, and
Kiko gets on the flight.
A flawless from NRG in every regard.
None fall and all weapons taken away.
Perhaps that's why Kiko didn't buy an operator.
he was just gonna be able to pick one up, pluck it off the corpse of 100 thieves.
Very well could be. They read this mid push so so well.
It's NRG's turn to look like they've been doing their homework.
I think we should go A to A. And honestly like I'm
getting a little bit of a
sneak preview there. Full stinger purchase.
So I'm cleared.
Keep those free fills at space.
Don't never spotted him.
Ethan just plays him in with the outlaw.
And the Stinger Pie.
Not looking like it's going to bear much fruit here.
Clear the trademark.
Follow that tracer from the classic.
Knows that Austin is going to be tucked into the cubby.
I mean, if you're 100 teams, what more are you left to do
other than just try to displace Ethan?
This is not going to work.
Scuba now in from behind, could just TP past that drift line, but a three-mottled,
takes the fight right through his doorstep, back-to-back flawlesses, and Archie up eight to two.
It's crazy how one side of these maps have been, and on the defender side here of Aven,
a team that I've always really been impressed with some of their defender side ideas on this map at times,
But then, with what we saw against BBL, I had deep concerns, but here, just got the good reads, the right plays.
But I don't, you know, I think 100 Thieves, not respecting Kiko's positioning there.
Not throwing a curveball or something out to maybe keep them a little bit off balance, cost them.
I think they're gonna try A again and look at this, NRG's ready.
and just going through the cross play, TP forward bang, immediately take it down, push up into the lobby,
and it is just instruction at the hands of NRG, yet again!
They have finally arrived!
And they are giving 100 dbs, no room to play, no room to breathe!
Smothering them out of this map!
What else is there to say?
It's unbelievably one-sided, I mean it's just been kind of a story of this match so far.
NRG, again you know just going for this aggressive player,
100 Thieves and too bad Ethan's already scaled forward.
I will say this is probably the map where I think his neon looks the best
from what we've seen at EWC.
He knows the risks he can take, he knows the tendencies of 100 Thieves.
He's been punishing them time and time again, and I guess we're just gonna try this again
TP up into a ball, HSC up and over, and Bronx got me out, and of course he does!
Nothing they try!
Goes their way!
Only two rounds found! One of those is the eco,
and nothing more!
Tender to NRG making a statement as they look to send us to a fourth map. Yeah, I'm pretty sure we're gonna see a set
So amazed but under these just banging their head against the wall
And it's
Rocking the odin
Laying down the law
What else needs to be said dominance absolute dominance from NRG
It's just an insane performance to be able to rebound in this fashion and a map that's been so good for 100 Thieves this entire
EWC long
They picked up coming into this 13 rounds collectively across Breeze and Sunset
one maps worth of rounds and
Now they build up this monster streak is it to absolutely
Absolutely annihilate hundred themes on Haven just absolutely insane. We'll see you guys
We have some of this app time as we toss it over
This crowd is absolutely electric. What do we think can we go into my ball?
Is
Mr.. Is
They're going to be able to come back in this match that's what's going on
I think so, but we need to do a bit of a real temperature check here.
How's about I take 100 Thieves and you take energy?
Of course.
You go first.
Okay.
Who is here for 100 Thieves?
Ok, ok, ok.
Please, everyone, give it up and a hug!
Hugs!
How about 100 views?
Don't be afraid, ladies and gentlemen,
H-N-N-S-N-E-S-N.
H-N-N-N-N-N-N-N-N-N-N-N-N-N-N-N-N-N-N-N-N-N
And here's John!
Becoming more and more of a mixback here with the crowd energy.
The way they've been playing this even so far.
Looking to win them back over.
Yes, it's just one big streak of green there for them nine rounds in a row
See if they can make it 10
Decent start there get a pretty good connection on the shock dart on the rock
It is a must win for under thieves it goes without saying that this pistol
should be kind of the only lifeline that Under Thieves is going to be able to throw out there for themselves.
Keep a float. Just try to keep Ascent a little bit at arm's reach if possible.
Get a bit of space and Kiko does it again.
Breaking open seat. Meanwhile, the whole rest of the team is close to the garage.
garage now going to be spotted on top of the set up for that Molly.
Well, they have been here for the moment curve all around the back.
Flanks, we found the drop.
Sweating set.
Two taps, two kills.
Now all down to Tino.
Couple clean ones, but there's no way to break that stack.
Ten rounds in a row over the top, 11 overall now.
NRG.
Looking to very quickly push this into a fourth map.
And you should be expecting some kind of buy up here.
As NRG, oh what a ping reveal.
I mean, the combination, the curve ball, the recon,
then the double, beautiful, beautiful work from Brock.
You know, just not much left to do there.
Three man stacked, staring you down.
The most anyone has in the kill department under these is six.
across 14 rounds. This has been unbelievably one-sided so it is gonna be
the Sninger by for under thieves. Already the Odin for Brock in round two.
That is wild. But when you're up this far you can go ahead and take those
gambles. You can take those risks.
We're trying to hold the lock by some time until the rest of the team try to arrive, but
Amon is going to be able to fight through with the singer.
The form they can get in and back is just either dead, but now, a couple more kills
to be found inside in, and Kiko, Kazuna in his sights, 12-2, one more, and NRG will give
was at least one more map in this grand final.
Just a thing of beauty.
The way that they play off of each other here on Haven,
the crossfires that they're able to get going.
I mean, look at this, three players bursting out together.
You know, yes, a little bit of a punch back.
The angles they're able to create around the site itself.
Yes!
Make it so difficult.
And no, even time out here.
Just kind of accepting their fate or 100 thieves, it feels like.
You have a Guardian in the mix.
Timatino got lit up somewhere along the way,
but he's only got to band it.
So he's just basically a human drone at this point.
Trying to run in there and see what he can do.
I mean, it's just been a fall off from everybody
across the board.
This Phoenix has been such a big comfort for Osna.
So far, not really to be the case here, on Haven.
File, the push forward into the fast lane, does manage to shut down Ethan.
Gonna be up and recovered eventually.
Meanwhile, to Latino, here in window, awesome, quick check out.
Going to be called in.
Lays wall sent, they check this position, yes they do.
No attack from where he's at.
He tries to escape, tucking down below the stairs.
The bottom will be able to find a prop. Cleans up Asuna.
And Bang will just be found.
He's got a million bullets and he's got a solid idea where you're at.
You just don't stand a chance.
Cryo split away from Bora. Just a stinger.
And they're not taking any chances.
Run it back to lead the way. Cryo trying to cheat forward.
Hello, NRG! They are already awaiting the red carpet roll-down form.
Tried to be interrupted, four out of five won.
Four balls remaining and it's Kako on the draw.
Absolute dominance on display. NRG quickly send us to a fourth map.
If you had any questions about that haven, they just answered them in spades.
That was a royal clutch for them
They just come through and are unbeatable. There was no way anybody was taking them down on that map today
Just I mean you think after
The the thrifty the eco win
For hundred thieves. You're like, oh, okay. I guess this is just gonna be a fast 3-0 and our Jesus
Completely ran it back the other way
Just destroyed.
And Hunter Deep still with an opportunity to potentially close this out of 3-1, very possible.
But you have to imagine what that pressure is going to be like if energy come back and they tie up the score as they look to pull off a reverse sweep.
It's a position that Hunter Deep is now being in.
So we will see how they cope with it, whether they can rebound for now and send things over to the guard.
Thank you very much Achilleos and paper thin and it was 11 dominant rounds in a row by
the Rating World Champions.
NRG show up and put on a shellacking against Hunter Thieves.
It's 13-2 and the series is back on.
I mean look, that down 2-0, we say NRG where are you?
You need a hero.
Now's the time.
With all tournament we've been saying look, every time it gets hard that's when they step
up the most.
They did exactly that. They pushed the game to a map 4. They showed why they could lift a trophy in Paris last year.
That tenacity hasn't disappeared. We're still alive. We still have a series.
Yup. You know what's crazy?
As NRG loves these lower bracket reverse sweep runs, they seem to do it so often.
And so now we're in this situation where they've just absolutely slammed that round 3, that map 3.
going into the next map, they have the momentum and this is what they feed off of to get a lot of those wins.
Especially after losing yet again. They win the pistol. Yeah, they lose round two yet again.
This keeps happening here at the end of why does this keep happening?
But at least this time they had the answer. Yeah, they had the answer.
But I think 100 thieves have just done a good job at prepping when it comes to those second rounds.
They're very proactive with what they want to do.
And a lot of the time they chase the kills, which NRG keeps giving to them.
to them, but I think after that round, NRG, they timed it up.
Big time. We were all chatting, hey, who's your MVP candidate?
Maybe we need to start circling some names for 100 Thieves.
And Mata says, hold on a second, put my name in the hat here.
Yeah, I mean, he stepped up massively.
It's so hard when you're down in a best of five like this.
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, to find that composure,
to be able to bring it back, to be able to dig deep inside of yourself,
Deep inside your soul to know, hey, I'm good enough.
I can make this work.
Mada puts the team on his back here at Haven.
He runs this map.
He takes the win for NRG,
and it felt like nothing could stop him on this one.
It really felt like he took a lot of those matters
into his own hands as well,
not relying on anyone to set him up.
He just went and pushed for a majority of those kills.
You can see he set himself up.
The flashes through the cages, through the smokes,
constantly playing with someone behind him,
leading the charge. I think Mata he really stepped up this game not just in
fragging power but also play style to make sure energy has the aggression on
board. He has been the one to pop off in those victories as we see the story from
yesterday to today on Haven it is completely different. That's our
crazy. It's eluded. What are we looking at here? What's the change up from the guy? I mean this
map he was explosive. He looked like the best player in the server yesterday on
on this exact same map, this exact same agent,
he couldn't find anything.
This goes to show you how much violent can be a mental game.
He had this performance in him,
but against PBL they shut him down.
Today, a hundred thieves couldn't do it,
and he activated, he came alive.
This is the difference maker.
Big time players make big time players,
and he did exactly that.
Yeah, sometimes I wonder if it comes down to the prep
that maybe NRG had had getting into this game.
But the way he was playing,
it didn't look like he was prepping for anything
or reading anything.
He was just like, guys, I'm going to send it.
And he did.
And he got so many of those kills.
Yeah.
We've talked a lot about the composure on the faces
of the NRT players.
We're like, wake up.
And they're like, no, we're good.
We got it.
A lot of that has to do with the experience of this roster.
Again, the second oldest roster here at EWC
on the opposite side.
100 thieves, they have themselves the 30 youngest roster
here at EWC.
And this was the question that I wanted to have answered.
We in 100 Thieves finally get counterpunched by the reigning world champions, how will they respond?
I mean that's the biggest question for me. I said being up too nearly is dangerous.
The moment you get complacent is the moment your opponent gets back in the game.
And that's kind of feel like that, if I like that just happens to me.
And that's what happens when you're a young squad, we saw it with VBL.
You see it often times when the squads aren't as experienced on the international stage,
which is very true for 100 Thieves.
But NRG are on the other side of that, they've been there before.
they've done exactly this before.
They know how to win tough games.
For 100 Thieves, you have to go back, you have to reset,
you have to forget about the score,
you have to forget about the match point,
and play the VALORANT.
Focus on the in-game stuff.
Be inside that server.
Be present.
I hope that they're able to find the same level of comms
that we heard when it was here, the greatest player ever.
And then you get 13-2.
You'd need to still have that same level of focus
as we move on over to map number four on Ascent.
So what are your thoughts here, Athena, as these two America's
squads are looking to finally beat each other and close it out
and make a new name, a new chapter in their story?
Yeah, I think I'm definitely a little bit worried for 100
thieves here.
They did pick it, which means they're
trying to do something in terms of the prep,
in terms of the gameplay when it comes to playing against NRG.
But the last time they played this
was actually quite a while ago.
They played it against RRQ and group stages,
and they won it 13-10.
So not too convincingly, you know, on the other hand, NRG, they just played this recently and slammed on it.
I think the biggest thing for me is NRG play exactly this composition that we've just seen with the chamber.
Everybody's on exactly the same roles. It's perfect comfort from what we've just seen.
Moving from Haven to Ascent for this squad should feel fluid. It should feel easy.
It's a hundred thieves that are going to be a little bit more fiddly, and they're going to be feeling uncomfortable now as we move towards the smartphone.
Yep, map number three, going the way of NRG, but it is a 2-1. We'll go to map four after this.
Okay, we man, it's just me and you.
If we can just win this round, we're EWC champions, and our names will be in the history books forever.
I need you to step up right now, Wingman. It's all on you. You get that fight planted, and we have the upper hand.
They surely can't have much to work with.
Run, Wingman! Run!
I guess they did have a lot left to work with.
I think it's our soulmate for the team.
We had kind of a joke, whenever we played against someone, we'd say,
Monkeys always stuck together even before the plushie came out.
It was like a jungle wipe inside the team and we all called ourselves Monkeys
because Monkeys always stuck together.
Then our plushie came out, it was obviously a Monkey
and I think it's kind of nice, it connects our wipe
and it looks cool in real life and on camera as well.
In 2024, when I first joined DCT, I wanted a hat but I didn't know what.
So I looked in the arena where I could get and I saw a Tivus hat and I'm a big legend fan.
So I was like, okay, that looks perfect. So I just got that and I kind of like stuck with it.
At some point I wanted to change it to a different hat like every year.
But I was like, I'm just going to stick the Tivus hat. So yeah, it's kind of just stuck.
One that I bring for every match is Doggy. He's a little dog.
He was a present from my wife.
He was the first player that she gave to me and she gave to me before I applied to Istanbul
to play champs on 2022 that I want. Since 2022 he is with me on all matches and I'd like to have
him die in the table because he's a present from my wife so it just feels good to have him die.
Whenever you go to participate at any event I think like it would bring all of our soul to
share the moment as a monkey to share the like team life is the audience and of course it's
like part of our family. My girlfriend made it 10 mates so I think that's the coolest I like her
so much and I just went through your heart. The only times I've like forgotten it, I've
been like twice and I lost both games. So from now on I like always make sure I have my service
hat and also like when I don't have it my like my family messaged me and they're like
I want to go through this hat like oh you need it so bad so I kind of was like I do it for them
and also for the for the good luck. Yeah it just gives me luck and I'll just be more comfortable
when you're with me. Sometimes I just smell it. It smells like my girlfriend, so it makes me more comfortable on stage.
I think it's actually a cool idea to have a player, because each team has its own story, which can introduce themselves to the new audience, so I think it's nice to have it.
Because it's a gift from my wife, I think mine is the coolest.
First impression of Ethan, super eager to learn more, whether it was inside the game
or outside the game.
I think the reason why Ethan is so good and so special right now is he's playing TAC
FPS since he was like 16, so he has such a long career in eSports, so yeah.
Profits already got one, but Ethan shop-shot. Ethan challenging.
Oh, God, he was the only thing that came in with it.
Oh, wow! Oh, my God!
Being like a superstar, everything counts.
Strike being a support player in the right hand in Valorant,
but then also into the IGL role, and he won champs in both roles.
Doing what he needs to do to team.
I think he's the best flash and he shakes in the world, like Kairis guy,
and those kind of agents.
I think I see other people shop play those agents, and it's like,
it looks so bad, and then when he plays it, it's like,
okay, you can make that work.
Play is in our DNA, whenever we let it out, it becomes our superpower.
Now imagine an entire city being built to supercharge it.
Cadillac City, powered by play.
We are live here in Paris at the STC arena for eSports World Cup 2026 Ballerina.
It is the grand finals and NRG have finally won a map here.
You can see the hype from 100 Thieves. They're still ready to go.
They're still willing to fight and try to get that third and final map to close out this best of five between these two squads.
Well, they're an NRG, you're awake, you're here in the server, finally, they do get that map across the line.
But it doesn't change the circumstances here.
100 thieves are still on match point.
One more map can secure that trophy for them.
I think the pressure is still on NRG to continue that comeback.
But mentally now, you've got to be in your head if you're 100 thieves.
Can you find that composure for a young squad, a relatively inexperienced squad internationally?
Can they close it out now?
pressure for a share for both sides of the stage here. 100 Thieves going into their map pick of a
scent and map that energy is known to be very well played on their defensive side is really phenomenal.
I think on this map Brock with that Odin he was going crazy. Last game we're going to see it again
this game on the Sova and now for both these teams just making sure they solidify this map.
100 Thieves obviously trying to get away with that EWC winners title before NRG they just want
to solidify their legacy and move on to that fifth map.
Take it all the way and make sure that they show them
the reason why they're considered veterans.
It has been so fascinating, this NRG roster,
as they have played the villain to the crowd
from the Plains to now the Playoffs.
And they round by round, map by map,
continue to earn the respect of the fans
and take it back from 100 Thieves
as we get ourselves into Agent Select
map number four here on Ascent. Yeah, for NRG this is exactly the same
composition that we saw in Haven. We've seen it from them. On Ascent, already this
tournament, they love this kind of archetype. Kiko on the chamber, he's
normally so strong on the defense and we just saw the insane game Madder put up
on that Phoenix. I want to see that aggression from him. I want to see him
not stop. Hold W, play like you're free without a care in the world and that's
what he's going to excel. Yeah, same on the other side, a hundred thieves playing
the comps are so familiar with.
Timotino on that jet able to use that operator to the highest extent.
I was actually surprised by energy loss game.
Main reason being Ethan.
I feel like his neon was really good fighting that A-Locky.
It felt like we saw a different side of Ethan on this dual list.
And he actually performed.
I think it's kind of crazy saying that when you're up against players like Timotino
and Osna.
Kind of crazy.
And now the comps staying the same.
Both these teams have definitely done the homework on each other though.
We also got to see a smiling bonk car from a marquee moment by Brock on the Odin.
Pop it off there and it's less about how that did for NRG and more about how
Hunter Thieves will respond because we are now in the championship rounds.
Only champions go all five maps.
Will it be there or will it be ending here in four?
Let's send it on over to Paper Thin and Achilles.
starting to find out if NRG still yet have more fight in them.
One of the thieves will be able to regain their composure,
steady the ship, and close things out on map number four.
One of the things that you very much have to remember is that when we did crowd heretics the first winners here at EWC last year,
they had to do it in reverse sweep fashion, NRG very much looking to do the same.
It feels very possible now, I mean, it just was so shaky, 400 thieves, a little bit of a heal up there for Austin up, took some shock damage in the beginning, aren't there, clear by Ethan?
Out of mid, good deal of fight, one before getting taken down between them, two, look at the same circumstances, and now a 3v3.
Oh, the timing here for a curveball.
Wait, coming in. There's a spot out for it trying to counter swing, get some value there,
but his dad eats quite a bit of damage.
Forces them back though. Let's see if there's going to be a matching rotation from NRG or
if they're expecting a re-hit on the A. They would have loved to have gotten that curve
ball out of Austin there, but he held on to it, saving it, trying to see what they can
do about Kiko. 30 seconds left. Don't see the rendezvous in play.
He's just going to be running out of it. Teleports ready.
Haven't just now got to get his back off the floor now. Use it to go for that quick more
peek, quick exit and then know exactly where he's at. The timer's going to be running low
as he tries to delay them. Finds another kill and look at the hell.
There's 92 between.
Cryo and Asuna.
They try to get this pistol to go.
Spot on to one.
Asuna gonna be slotting forward.
Gonna catch Kuba off guard, but as he swings, he dies.
Cryo now has it all to do.
All on his shoulders.
Just holding from both, but it should just be the one-two punch.
The push to the corner, it's Kuba.
It's out ahead of his teammate, but it doesn't really matter still is able to find that kill a 3k form and another pistol in the hands of energy
Feels like it's starting to unravel
Nice early opener here for Timotino
Hopefully should be feeling like he's got a little bit in the tank there off of that
Just barely able to take down Kiko, but now he's so sharp
the chamber just feels like a perfect fit for a player of his caliber and scuba
continues to be an absolute nuisance in the pistol rounds he's been really
racking it up for NRG there continues to just thrive same kind of pistol buy
we've been seeing from under thieves now they did get an eco to go twice on the
other one but a bandit for timitino and yippee the music
Leaves me
Concerned
Quick little tech pause
Yeah, we went three maps straight without having a one so true
Pump the brakes here, but I'm being told that they're going straight back in just about so winning on those final ready checks
And then should be able to resume
They usually just kind of like a
Quick little
Earbud issue or something like that is often kind of what these are and then they kind of
Sunplugger you plug it back in you're usually good to go. It's okay
Marshall
It's not a specter scoop
Double thinks Ethan arranged but just outguns the band able to take him down
They're doing good damage to be found. Kiko is well tagged to 72.
Look at the awareness here from NRG. They know they're going to want to try to punish that.
You know, unable to find a kill. Quick little back pedal though from Brock.
You know that space. Trademarks still to hold the front of the A site on that entry. Meanwhile,
Lana, unable to intercept the enemy jet.
Now a two player advantage in the hands of NRG.
They find themselves yet another flawless.
Just been rocking them up across that last map, and may just continue.
O'Bline gonna be taking on the kickoff, and still gets his vision back best enough to take down the rest.
So 3K for him, flawless for NRG, back into a 2-0 start.
Yeah, I mean, it's all the little things that NRG does, especially when they're clicking like this,
That makes this such a difficult team to beat.
It's the way that they, you know, even goes out, does some damage, gets a kill, takes some damage.
So trades places with Brock, falls back to a little bit of safety, don't give anything up easily.
And then Kiko would hit his trademark right around the corner there.
100 thieves walk right into it. Good news here for thieves.
We will have awesome assault.
So you have the ability to maybe create some space.
He's hanging out of the spike right now, but bang.
Looking for that mid aggression, looking for that push out.
Scuba holding a paranoia in case anybody were to fall into their trap, but...
It's going to be a side step here from Hundred Thieves at least to start.
Don't worry a bit about Cryo, he's looking for a key to line up there with his cage.
He does get where it needs to be, lands right at the front door.
They'll be giving the checks here.
The only players they have in mid, they'll think Energy could be pretty reasonably comfortable
that this lurk has not come through.
Now Smoke layered forward on a B main, and a sloping approach, and another one over towards
Market as well.
Dash in, look at that switch, Mon, I'm looking for that.
Hell he's gonna be able to find it!
Kometina dead, off of a snapback!
And the North Slam shut the Hunter Team's face.
Plenty of damage, gonna be changed here on both sides.
Ultimately it is NRG getting the worst of it,
but Kiko finds that rock,
storms back in, catches Bang!
And NRG now!
Let's convert this Malinus once again.
Put the legs up and eat them.
Lying away behind them. Forage P, no problem.
3-1-1, 3-0 for NRG.
The alarm bells should be ringing right now.
This is a lot of hesitation from under thieves on this execute.
They had a timing.
They couldn't really pull the trigger on it to get in there before NRG is flooding into the site
to prevent them and then an unchecked corner
Spells their demise, and oh boy.
I mean it sure it's a scent, sure it's defender's side, but that is a brutal start after getting brutalized on Haven.
Lorne Bells certainly have to be ringing now.
He'd go, maybe just back away briefly.
If he's beaten to the flames, he'll back up the full.
No.
It's fishing a little bit.
Oh, there's some damage.
Ethan certainly needs to be careful.
Almost straight shot.
That's going to be him eliminated.
But Kiko's going to be able to find the one that outlaw coming through now.
Balli going to be layered in.
Retrieval of the spike, certainly not allowed.
He's not yet.
Guys, I'm honest.
Just going to keep going for it.
It says, well, I remember where the spike was and I'm pretty sure you want to grab that
thing.
Just halbs them down finds it to the smoke hunts the last player and it's yet another flawless for NRG
Starting to figure out
100 thieves fighting success previously with those thrifties and now they're starting to deny it. Yeah, exactly and again
It's a double down on a trap play in mid
Solid earlier, you know thieves didn't walk into it this time they do
An NRG is more than happy to welcome their victims and the really
concerning thing here is how much money you've given up because energy players
have not been dying. It's been flawless into one death and to flawless. So you're
a lot of catch-cats. Yeah, here's such a deficit. This round has to be
They're gonna have any shot in this map, it feels like.
It's a little bit of a spam back and forth, but...
A little bit of a spot.
They're all drilling forward.
Off now, gonna be confirmed in Brock.
He's up on the forward line, just trying to spam through.
They clear up the damage there, but Manna, curveball, and Ketchers cry out, run it back.
Immediately gonna be invested.
100 Thieves
Heading for the hills
Peek, an opening shot not to be found. Molly at his feet.
Tavacino takes the up draft out towards relative safety, but still it's quite a bit of damage
There's South Plainham at every twist and turn right now
Just great aggression
Knowing they could strike and cryo
dealt with
Matt is holding the off angle in the corner
Operator now down
Last curveball ready to go try to save them all friends the paranoia comes through and it's gonna be a smoke on top as well
But mom I'm just a hair off with that cross there. So ending in for a
elimination
Sheen is waiting for his timing is scuba
Smokes forward finds the kill look at that final one
is something diabolical those are something at hundred thieves you cannot
contend with well it's it's been about I mean these two teams going back and
forth on their various maps but here it's starting to be a route and NRG you
feel like now hundred thieves is on the ropes and NRG is just pummeling them
with blow after blow, and they just can't find a response.
The fans in disbelief, I'm in disbelief.
After the way those first two maps went,
now it feels like we might as well have just started a different series,
and it's like we're in a completely different universe.
Yeah.
The total shift has taken place from map two into three,
and now contending for NRG in four.
I need to eat staggering.
It's going to be shocking for 100 thieves.
It'll be so far out in front.
So favored to try to close things.
Playing on map four.
On that you have a drop at this entire tournament.
I certainly felt like this one was going to be in the bag,
but at the moment, it's just been struggle street.
It's a collective five kills between all players and a hundred thieves across five rounds. I
Didn't go back to Haven they were just bottoming out the kill department to
Where the recon for cry out there's no further aggression. It's all just a bit of a ruse
Do you have the Bladestorm for Timotino, but look at where Kiko got to
comes the peak
Waiting for it. He's dead
That work collected those knives popped
It can absolutely nothing, Kiko.
Quick little readjustment finds Asuna.
Dodges the pair of evens, ducks into the corner.
Nelvos flotted the pass lane, set up Kiko, ready for it.
Push in, a greeting with a shorty.
Another 3k for Kiko.
flawless for NRG. Something's gonna get pretty damn soon if you're hunted
thieves. I mean they just look completely outdone and completely outsmarted
right now. The way we were talking about the thieves during the first two
maps is now the way that we're gonna be talking about NRG. The homework, the prep,
Insanely good, the way that Kiko able to shut down that danger of the Bladestorm from
Timotino right off the rip.
It's just compounding into air after air.
Disaster after disaster.
Flash forward and Kiko aggressively pushes out.
That smoke goes down and he's got, oh actually it's Madu's got Asuna.
Missed the shot.
continues to have the worst of times 0 7 and 0 at the moment on this Phoenix
We're on the back of pain and deaths
This island push
Outside of a main drone at the ready for Bora
As to send this has to get information has to try to clear these players
Pretty much still there in front of so them down on entry
Got her.
You know, all TP, just over the top of heaven.
Kiko, gonna go back, Puddle, he now has the confirmation.
Bangs!
Oh, he's able to find Scuba.
She's catching us straight through that smoke.
So scary with that Odin coming through.
It's also dangerous, but that's a great reveal.
A great reveal, but not a bangable position.
Yeah.
We'll get anything from there, and Shotzar's going to find a little bit.
Sliding forward, as Ethan trying to take the fight to them, kind of up the pace.
Okay, a hundred thieves at last will find themselves a round win.
Keep the lion's share of their weapons.
Alright, we need to see them start streaking some rounds together themselves.
If you're going to feel like they have any openness, and I think stuff like this, you've got to start doing spamming the smokes.
Getting a little bit more aggressive trying to anticipate your opponent's movements, that's something NRG has been doing so well against you
Weight lifted off their shoulders
How much more
They still have to shrug off
That's the real question
A little bit of Odin spam over at B main
Cryo this time
really saved
I don't think we can commit for that one, but Timothee no left to live another day
Scrooge wanting to show some presence keep some interest drums up on B swings in by the timing is brought
They just want to clear the camera
You're all that's now to go through is awesome. I know you with that running back Ethan
You'll be facing port alongside Kiko clean up that alt
And for now, huh under thieves starting to scramble
Recollects back on the cat, Kiko now taking down that tour de force no longer in the equation, but
Lotta found him in. Hedges cry out on the flank, Ethan spray and pray towards
Tray but nothing to be found there. The plant can be committed to.
That Hunter's fury but it's going into health.
I'm playing this one forward, and Scuba tings through the floor to Metino able to find Ethan at the same time.
Bora cleans up another, and now it's just Scuba to try to spot away, get himself out to safety.
The save having to be committed to in another round, gonna be given over to Hunter Thieves, Asuna on the prowl.
Should be good for his first kill here, and will be able to get himself on the board and run.
They're starting to create some space for themselves.
They're starting to keep their opponents a little bit off balance
so that they're able to at least get on the site,
get some plants, get some money in the bank.
Cryo, nice punish on the Brock there.
So he's trying to clear some utile.
Does get taken down himself, but the site hold very, very nice.
Everybody for Under Thieves getting involved.
Now we got to keep it going if you're Under Thieves.
You gotta just don't take your foot off that gas pedal.
Brock, shocked art early, does connect on a Timitino.
Takes him down to 83.
Goes that up an Elfer, Makiko.
Catching that glimpse.
Rescues him, finds that elimination,
but Austin puts you forward.
Takes down Ethan and Mata.
Not even to find much value off the alt.
But keep them contained.
They'll stop them from scaling forward.
Well, it's gotten that hunter's fury out
This is already pretty nice for NRG
Total map control confirmation of where
The trip is for cryo, so
That's gonna be scuba
trying to use that against his opponents that
theoretical safety net
Turn into a Venus flytrap there
Now they're gonna walk right into it. Oh boy things are coming down
How many can scuba get is the real question should be traded at some point
Looks like the reading is decently well, it's only gonna be the one
Very much is here our hundred thieves
Set up the finger responded Manna modeling there at main gets a curve ball through shuts down cryo
23 seconds remaining on the clock to push forward and Manna holds the door
4, 0 from Heaven, able to find the final, that's NRG already locking up with Garanty to leave the hop, 7-2.
The chance to really pull in this up once again.
Yeah, for sure. Money's pretty much going to be there the rest of the way you feel like for NRG.
So it's going to be on 100 thieves.
Getting some more rounds to go so they don't get put back down onto an eco.
Well played by Scuba, loved the way that he used that trip against his opponents.
Lated it out, got confirmation that tees up mana for the timing on the hot hands into the door hold.
Brock just going for the timing spam.
And that's got a hundred thieves standing outside of B main.
They know how dangerous he is over in that space, such a menace.
So difficult to deal with once he has that Odin available on the defender's side.
Astonido finds Mata over and short.
I don't know if that was off the Jigglepeaker, or if that's just blind.
I see the smoke now dissipating, so I think he just caught him.
I think you're right.
Let's get back in the replay.
By the way, that could very well be 100 teams saving grace in this round,
but Brock is still gonna be here with that Odin.
Totino to try to clear him for a ball through, tucks back to the wall, bangs here, and Brock does get tagged by that.
Very good shot puts him to 31.
Gernley is now going to be exchanged, the reposition is going to be spotted, knows that he's going to move over towards that generator side.
Quick little short hop on that, up-caps and scuba. Overwhelms very quickly, is unable to find anything at all.
Shotgunner Johnny on the spot for a lucky to be alive break that window
Bronkel reposition of winning this trap in heaven
Man so close he did get in a better position to actually be able to get the
wallbangs ready to get that pen through bang does get eliminated but the Tita
fights Brock and without that fight going their way this seems unlikely Ethan
Kenny get it done the time working against him taps to the fuse clears the cam
Now they know he's gonna be committing to it
Still got a little bit in the tank
Looks a little bit labored at times, but starting to find their moments
Even though yeah, Brock has the Odin. He's able to spam through the wall
Kind of was curious if even was gonna rip the overdrive there, but
I had to just get it done with the guns
Almost did
Little bit scary there for a moment for under thieves
They hold on there's a chance to make this a five and seven and a half of themselves. It becomes very doable credible
They can do that then I really do
Okay, he's just offset enough meanwhile Asuna able to find Ethan in mid.
Kiko now that he's spotted, he looked to run him down, he makes his exit over to market, but Asuna so very fast to try to chase him, but he'll be denied.
Clean headshot from Kiko, keeps himself alive into the fight.
Brock now just repositioning, considering that peek, but we'll tuck that, rejoin in alongside Scuba.
Troll blocked him out on A.
The drone not gonna give you anything here. Everybody hiding or wrapping the other direction. That being said, NRG pretty well has read what this looks like.
No ultimate here for Bang to try to pick it up if this goes sideways. This just has to work. Bang's just gonna be there for the lurks.
All fangal for scuba recon gonna be sent to the theater just slow creeping forward now quickly
taking down
It's 25 seconds. Do you have the time to actually go for this pivot bang does not have the alt
He's gonna be scaly board. We're trying to just continue to keep these players on this side of the map
But look at where Mata is and look at where bang is gone six feet under the door shot
12 seconds remaining hundred thieves is getting completely corraled
Cycle the round and map!
And NRG will pick up another on this defender's side.
Just trying to get a little too tricky at the end of the round there, but I mean, it was not going to go great either way.
That's just a great hard read.
You just sense that B isn't going to be their pivot.
You know, it looks like maybe under-thieves are going to have a chance here, get a couple kills on the Phoenix.
But then you just snap right down, lost it up to 6, him and Cryo trying to do something.
Spent all energy, they've got a couple ultimates.
And then...
I was going to tap, Hunter's here, he's going to be called in, Ethan able to find the first.
Looking for those tags, looking for that pulse, and we'll be able to connect to another one more.
Or grab my Lada, and now immediately run it back in play, Kerp ult going to be sent through.
He finds a one, Tomethino!
Tomethino with Asher in the corner, keeps himself alive, but damage is suffered.
And it's still five players strong, NRG, want to make this another nine and three.
This time in their favor.
It's unlikely you're going to get any ults here.
Cryo, just the Guardian.
I mean, Ethan, he's weak.
They can clear him. There's a chance
Now it's not looking good that eight and four
Off the table
Unless they can cleanly breach this position, but not to be
Scoobin eight little five and three K for the IGL and it's another flawless round for an archie
Continue to rack these up
Six rounds in the lead at the half
It's a brilliant defender's side. So many reads that they had.
Absolutely insane here. Poor energy continuing to string it together, but let's send things over to Ian and Lou.
It's getting heated. Are we gonna go all the way? Time will tell you. Join us back in the crowd. It is.
Falling into the eSports World Cup Grand Final. We've got fans from all over the world.
Does anybody speak English? Just me?
There are people who speak English in the audience, maybe a little bit here.
I believe.
I'm very proud.
I want to go on the other side.
My dear, what are you doing here?
Do you know anything about Valorant?
What brings you here?
What brings me here?
I know absolutely nothing.
So I discover the universe of video games.
And I love your glasses by the way. Okay, what's your name sir?
Uh, my name is Adnan.
Nice to meet you. Who are you here to support?
I'm actually here for the fun. I don't have a bad name, so...
Yeah, I wish good luck for both teams.
Oh, you've got to pick one, please.
Well, so far, uh, I kind of want to go for energy, so we don't have more content to watch.
We'll see if the teams are in the crowd, Lou.
Let's just do a quick check. Who's taking this?
100thies!
Hey!
Ah!
Shot!
I'm gonna give a shout-out to all the camera ladies down there doing a magnificent job and this crowd is amazing.
Let's get back into it.
Factor P!
Back in we go.
9-3, four more rounds for NRG.
Close out this fourth map and extended all the way to five split
As it should always be as that final map
They have been dominant these last two
You're at another must win pistol here for hundred thieves
Give yourself a good shout into this it is a scent it is defender side
So a lot of times this can be where big swings happen for all of a sudden
And the other team really has a grip on that attackers half
Lot of classics here for 100 thieves a couple bandits in there, too, but two classics a ghost
Scattered pistol by I mean without good bang in particular he's been with the classic that should be the only gun he uses it feels like sometimes but
He's on clear. This is all fake. That's all it took. Keep those players there.
What can you find? Shoulder spot. This player now going to be coming through.
He takes two of them low. It can't take either of them down.
Twenty-three health between Ethan and Moniz. They do remain standing.
More not to be shut. We'll just leave that one open.
Smallly up and over the top. Could maybe find a kill, but no.
They get deep enough into the site to try to avoid that damage.
Awesome. Thank you for the noise.
The double lurk in to be made.
Kiko in behind the wall.
Brock backpedaling.
Can just rewrap over to Marki perhaps.
The point is there to intercept him though.
It's just not health now.
Clio.
Bonnie is forming it again.
A third kill and it's just Mada waiting for Brock to arrive.
The sheriff in hand, the push to his gap.
and Clio holding Alley and 4k on that Cypher, 100 Thieves.
Another round of win.
Moving up to 4, exactly what they needed to see at the start of this half.
Yeah, really encouraging signs here for 100 Thieves.
The fact that you lose a player early, he's able to do quite a bit of damage.
You're able to counter this two-man B main hold,
and you're able to get the round of win.
This little energy down, bit by bit,
And find a big big pistol in and Timotino knows it. He knows how important that was for them
They'd love to close this out and for
The mountain in front of them
Just starting to get at that first level a lot more to go
So fast on the draw
Well, 4 will get spotted out. There's not much they can do about it.
A real win. Trying to collect a kill.
Just the 4. Classics in hand for NRG.
Getting anti-value against this buy. Gonna prove to be very difficult.
Bang. Taking a reposition. Reswinging.
He's gonna be able to collect 2 kills. Ethan Brock was gonna be struck down.
Kiko able to find the 1. Looking for that second.
Will get the wallbang shot.
And now it's just Mada.
Anything that he can get to try to build up towards and run it back.
It's a good read by Vora, but Mada's gonna try and wrap all the way around the world.
Spike is...
I mean, yeah, now gonna be spotted out. Obviously does need to die. We'll just go for the orb.
Let's get as much charge as you can.
And unfortunately, you're playing Phoenix, so you can't really take this into your own hands.
If you maul yourself, you're just gonna stay alive.
30 seconds left.
That's true.
No options other than to go and fight.
And the cam even gets a spot on him to boot.
They're just gonna be patient around the spike.
I think it's absolutely the right play.
Don't give that extra gun over.
I hope it goes for the outlaw.
Should be around over.
Indeed it is.
He takes it down with the bulldog.
We're buying a bit of time.
Maybe just assessing what they want to do going into this anti-bonus.
True.
Take a pseudo time out there.
Man.
Nice reposition from Bangor.
Well, fake of a reposition, I should say.
Here you go.
Confidence builder, 400 thieves.
if they get this bonus.
They're right back into it.
And suddenly, energy, all the more at risk.
A lot of people find one.
Timothy will head and not escape.
He's trying to tailwind out.
Come on, back to the head.
Jumped out in the bar.
Get find some damage on the Bora.
I'm going to take a pause here, NRG, and consider their options, but with all that layered cypher
util at the front of A, I don't expect that to be a little bit heavier B, but actually
split 2-2.
Doesn't tell you much there, Kiko, kind of absorbing that on purpose, and then the rest
to the team start to make their way in.
How do you get this hit to go?
I mean, 100 Thieves has read this completely wrong.
They've gone over to A and are hoping
that somehow in our deal, deciding correctly.
OK, shut down on the alt.
Turnball out.
Awesome.
I'm able to take some space towards switch,
but back over into the site.
Walk your drive and shut down these entries.
It is going to be good for one.
He took it over towards that site.
them is able to shut him down how they won't fall they gave you
that's a case of you must have other way it's cheeky
weapons gonna be recovered it's gonna have to try a door part one by one first
Player found.
Lotta.
Stacked up.
Improv high low.
They will deny the heroics from cryo cells.
Round goes away and then RG.
Another step towards closing this out.
Another step towards pushing this to split.
Personally, I'd like to see a little less gambling.
It is the bonus, so okay.
I think with that Cypher utility where it was, I would have liked to have seen a hundred thieves
been a little bit more proactive on the other half of the map.
Use that Cypher utility as sort of a delay tactic if you're going to be ending a play
for retake anyway you like to wear on that B site.
But that's okay.
Still they can string some more together here.
Get a real map going.
Kiko did us have that two out of four so that's in play.
Good kill for Tintatino.
A lot of eliminated, nice and early.
It's a 4-4 shot, not going to connect.
He's able to get out scot-free.
He'll get himself into a decent position though.
Try to control this top mid-spot.
Bottom of the draper.
A lot of the way, there you go.
How much vision do we have?
I don't know.
I was asking myself the same question.
I'm gonna have to see that one back.
Regardless, right on the out, and Tivotino taking over this round.
The classic, the jump click away, click is there.
The crowd erupting, begging for the ace.
But once again, just like we had all the way back on Breeze,
I don't think he's gonna be able to find it.
Asuna, whole position, the shutters went down,
will describe the orbit. If you can get the kill, he'll have his own ult on line, but
push out into the open scuba finds that kill. Bricks a lot of sight and Timotino playing
this one out wisely. They know that they don't have the money at the moment to really try
to chase for this to put bodies on the line. So they will just allow for scuba to survive.
100 Thieves still win this out once again the gap brought down to four.
Really good. Really good stuff there from Timotino.
I mean you've had these moments for 100 Thieves where their players start to hit these big multi-kill rounds that are difference makers.
We saw this on the first two maps when it looked like maybe there was going to be some pressure.
Maybe the energy was going to be able to push back.
I just saw him. Yeah, he jumped and saw him, crazy, absolutely crazy, but if you could get Timatino fired up, if you could get these clutch plays, these big multi-kills to come through,
that seemingly were in abundance for 100 thieves during those first couple of maps, and you got to believe in the comeback, but NRG's coaching staff don't want to let that happen.
They're going to sit down a little bit with the boys
and see if they can steady this thing.
It's gotten a little bit too out of control
and probably want to go over some execute ideas
or some big picture ideas.
Now you can at least get a couple more rounds squeezed out.
You just need three more.
I have decent timing for them, but see
what they're going to be able to put together for this next round.
One elimination found for the 100 Thieves. Hold on to quite a bit.
Well, let's see what this looks like. See exactly the adjustments that NRG trying to
make to me. Looks like pretty safe early play, a little bit of mid counter play.
I think they're from top mid.
Now the blades used early here for Tymetino.
Nothing spot at all.
Obviously knows the Phoenix is there, but couldn't find a punish for it.
No 9-3 curse? Well, we'll see.
Time will tell.
Maybe one hell of a curse as well.
Bring this series to its end in cryo.
Finding one, Tymetino with the quick peek out mana.
Dead on the floor.
100 Dives not done yet.
So, re-ramp that energy.
Quick spot in, Kiko gonna be blinded.
Skuba, behind Asuna there, a tree, but bang!
Holds down, A main.
Another elimination foul, the trip wire there, and Kiko's face.
As the door gets shut.
Skuba TP passed it, I don't know if they're aware of that.
Bang, at least maybe.
He's gonna try to play alongside Kiko, you would suspect, but the trip getting cleared.
He's gonna slowly drip his way over to this position before I see if he is ready and waiting for it, but he just can't get that Odeon to sing.
Some damage pound on the kill, not there. Nero kept it up, gonna be invested from Cryo.
They get the reveal and Timotino is here a hell of a lot faster and sooner than they might have anticipated.
TP towards alley.
Depies at some more time, Kiko a minor amount of noise made at Pizza.
The head shot down.
The tail went forward.
Some blind shots in.
He's got the Panther behind this as well.
And Scuba is dead.
Timitino finds him eventually.
There's 100 thieves.
Three rounds to go to tie this up.
Now they look sharp.
Now their decision making looks really good.
The aim is much more steady.
Timitino, feeling it.
Last couple of rounds have been crazy.
The cryo coming alive again.
The hero from Sunset.
They're able to spare some blushes from Maven.
Maven, Tim, and Tino just starting their role.
We go.
We continue.
We're halfway up the mountain almost.
It feels like we're getting there.
I'm going to let you guys know what happened
this one that's all case you forgot that the half it wasn't that long ago but
now a hundred thieves are running their way back into this point some time has
gone by
Austin has got his all Mike get into boras hunters fury for the next round
depending on how this goes
They're trying to clear close left, but Kryolan Gordon's holding on M1, and they're tearing them apart!
It was a matter of time before they got one of their own!
Hundred Bebes!
Find the thirty!
Find the flawless, I should say. My brain's starting to break down.
Well, Hundred Bebes Brains are starting to re-engage. They're getting back online.
This one's easy, sure.
They just have a good read and have a good choke.
You know, the crossfires there with the phantoms and the Odin.
But to me, the signals that Borah is really back into this match,
all the players, the nerves are starting to wear out.
They're getting that energy back.
The crash that we saw in Haven.
Pieces are being picked up and put back together.
It's looking maybe that the welding is going to be sturdier than before.
We'll see though.
Big reveal out and Killatino finds the collage!
Oh, he was gone!
For about a map and a half, but boy is he back!
He waited on that!
His proxies kept giving him the angle!
He wasn't making any connections!
Crazy.
He's just able to linger.
Lines are bolted up and that is devastating.
Beyond his years with that play right there from Timitino.
That is incredibly, incredibly well done.
Now, you got to save.
You're looking at a couple players with 200 credits.
You got to make the call here early.
30 seconds left.
The hundred thieves can go hunting.
I mean, these players with the phantoms,
I think absolutely should be starting to push the map.
Just see if they feel the comfort to do so.
I mean, you can use the opt to maybe hold down mid.
You know, the spike is there.
Just are you going to get anything out of this?
Ten seconds left.
Flash.
For a ball out.
Two left, able to find.
We got about a damage, but now Molly here at his feet.
Cryo all the timing it's about to be devastating as Kiko has fallen
Nothing saved
NRG once again
faltering
As hundred thieves are one round away from tying this up living up to their name there at the end of this round the thieves
steal everything from NRG
And now they're the ones reeling now. They're the ones on the back foot now. They're the ones scary
Down the void of the end of their run any WC 26
Is there gonna be a second time out indeed there is an RG
Maybe the last one
They have to figure something out.
They've tried a couple different things.
Some big executes trying to work the map a little bit, but some of that mid presence
that Timatino has been able to establish either outside of pizza or from short a has really
been causing problems.
Those opening kills, he's able to push some space at the main.
He's doing a lot of different things on the map and doing them really well.
Big difference maker cryo starting to come alive and some of these holds and some of
He's anchors, starting to play like that player we know he can be.
So energy again.
Maybe trying to find answers that weren't in the playbook at all.
So Bonkart, phenomenal coach.
Gonna have to put some of his best out there.
We've seen from him yet, Mada, very close to his own one away.
Something you're probably talking about here.
Ethan has an overdrive.
This is a very doable eco, pseudo eco.
Kiko does have a rifle.
They're being quiet.
Maybe worried about some kind of counter play,
some kind of trap from under thieves,
but under thieves more into a default type.
We use this drone to try to tee up Timotino with that up again.
Just come in, RG, wise to it.
This is that smoke to cut it off.
It's a good counter.
something I'm sure was talked about during that timeout.
We wait.
We're going to run the clock down, try to make 100 thieves sweat.
Good news is, yeah, you're going to have the weak side.
The bad news is, it's where all the Cypher util is.
Or maybe just in position in front of us
is for that puncher's fury.
And then we'll go ahead and let her rip.
Outside of the same time, it'll scale forward.
Potshot's hand and he will get snapped back.
Mono with that stinger, able to find him,
and now he's gonna be spotted out making his way over to Alley.
And Cryo from this site will be able to find that kill.
The pink reveal, he's dead.
Cryo, hungry for more as he fakes on NRG.
He cannot find the ace, but he will find this round win.
Let's Kiko can do the unthinkable.
The scale forward is dead, and he slaps him down!
And they tie it! 10-10!
Again, it's just like Cryo disappeared for a map and a half.
Now he's back into his groove, back into his comfort,
and he is shutting NRG out again.
This has been brilliance on display.
This one right here may be the most important of them all.
The 4k for the Cypher. How many times do we said that today? A couple.
Oh man, Cryo. Gunning for that MVP maybe. And we are all tied up.
And this right here could be the most pivotal round.
The one that determines whether NRG can close this out or if 100 thieves will take this
series, take for an attempt to prove that curses do exist.
Look at the ults here for NRG.
Gotta make these work here.
has to be this round money's not great either
top's going through lasna tucked away timatino the repeat able to fight kiko
hey fight's broke!
monna able to hold his own for one timatino lingering on that molly trying to find a
little bit more value but now is going to be crowded into a corner completely surrounded
and flushed out as monna comes away with the goods
values falling low, ethan desperately trying to say tough tier as shock dot goes up the
Shotgun goes up and over. Can he strike? Can he catch him up on?
It's gonna be Skoda!
F*** the first! And now, suddenly, bang!
The last one standing!
Energy faithful here in the crowd.
Trying to spur them onto this win to regain the lead by one.
Trying to clutch us out. Has still that paranoia.
Clears the closed corner.
He sent in the boats, could just blind up both.
Those three, but there's the curve ball out in reply
and Scuba to hold his own.
NRG not finished yet, not willing
to give the lead over to 100 thieves.
The confidence here from NRG
that just doubled down on this fight.
It looks miserable.
You shut down the running back,
you get two taken out with the off,
But then they are just so pressured.
They feel like they have to go for this.
So they're sending players in through market,
and they just have to keep pushing.
And they're able to barely get through.
And the rotation's just a little bit slow from Hunter Thieves
to get there.
Tometino trying to stay alive as long as he could,
but the wall's just closed in too quick.
You know, hearing this spread, chumps the corner,
but for a second he's going to have another clap.
He finds a kill to Ethan.
The Hunter's here, he's coming through in reply.
to try to hound down this jet, gonna prove to be difficult to follow up pulse however connects.
He dodges out the third and final. Purple forces him away. The scale forward. Hasn't been able to continue.
At least not yet.
Not a well slotted in bang trying to watch that tree side. Twain's in though to his death.
Mata, taking his head off, gets it back into a 4v4.
Not ready yet.
Quick flank's coming.
Watch 4.
Mata trying to keep him protected.
Hasuna, does he go for the curveball here?
Could have them outdone, but he's just gonna try to swing into it.
Mata takes that every day of the week.
The way.
Hornell, you're just going one at a time!
Your name is Hunter Thieves, that's single Thieves!
You can throw more bodies at this problem, but they do it in sequence, they do it alone!
NRG will get up to 12.
These hundred teams may have just let this map slip out of their grasp.
Definitely feels like it.
Lada has a 4k energy, has a map point.
That's one you're going to be kicking yourselves about.
I'm very concerned about that because you can just hold that A site, you've taken so
much space on the map, just wait for NRG.
You cannot wait them here, but everybody just starts peeking in one at a time, bang, then
Asuna, then Bora, and you've given the round away.
So certainly, the time out, the last one,
you would think, going to be called here by NBS.
Calm them down and say, hey, guys,
we could have had that round.
You just need to wait.
NRG happy to pause for ages.
They're one of the most patient teams out there.
Play together a die alone.
He's unfortunately chose the latter.
Now, need to run back these next two rounds
to push this into overtime if they want to avoid this going
over to Split.
The recovery that we've been seeing from them in this half,
it's been an incredible watch.
Rounds like that, it feels like you squander
all of that good effort.
And you serve it up so easily.
And this split is concerning.
Considering Thieves got blown out on it one time.
We've seen this event, although NRG hasn't even shown it.
We are just looking for some utile there.
The Cypher cam is around.
It's going to be a tour de force.
Kiko, looking for a player to make a play out of the smoke.
Looking for some kind of trickery, some kind of trap, but it's just a drone that sees the Phoenix,
and now you're going to hear the neon, that's on purpose.
The cryo, so far making the right read to not let go of A.
Reinforcing, give you the strong side here.
Just got to avoid that tour to force.
Just a matter of the timing now.
As soon as those duelists get over there, and when 200 these players start to cheat, because look at Timitino, he's taking a bunch of space with that op.
Full five, into A main.
He's been firing squad the drone, go out over the top of smoke now onto that tree side paranoia.
Going to be exchange for bang, Cod, the cryo, spray and pray able to find two.
He's going to be forward cryo, in with another, he's looking for that fourth, the flash connecting
on him, Austin, however finding Scuba.
And he might just be Mr. 4k of the tournament cryo, can he find it?
The Flash here in Austin to take the second hundred thieves.
A monster round to be found.
Here's one more to go for overtime.
This is exactly what you needed here.
Get them a little more disciplined.
Don't overreact, don't over stretch.
Slowly but surely take your advantages on the map.
Gain a little bit of space.
You can lean your strong side over here.
Recognition of that attempted fake sell with noise and cues by NRG with their two duelists
Then you're able to hold the line cryo up to 24 here we go again
For timing shock drop down once there in reveal an awesome up and he's gonna get caught Kiko
Able to have him as now three players up through mid through market
and cry out again pressure on his shoulders to swing out bang
gonna be able to find one cry out get another
follow cleans up two
and scuba has to do it all
the bang will end it
and then the climax but get ready
cause we have more hundred thieves
they push this into overtime
All right, finally! We get a close map between these two beautiful stuff from the top of the box.
It's like for a moment there with the six-shot scuba hat on the timitino that it was going to be maybe a little close.
Both those players on thieves that were still alive were pretty weak.
Yeah, jaw dropping. We've had tons of that here today.
We get Mada and Cryo topping the charts there. Kiko with 21. Great stuff on the chamber, but now we see is this just going to be whoever can get that attackers round first.
And it's a hundred thieves who get the first crack at it.
Little spam. That doesn't dissuade anybody. If a hundred thieves just have the confidence to just go for the breakout here, you have a little bit of a window.
window.
An energy, starting to reassess here, jumps peeks into mid, nothing to be spotted there.
Asuna, catching a glimpse there on an Ethan sense of the volley.
Put him down at 51, Timatino, one of the try to clear this health position, the curveball
going to be sent through the full block, connecting it to Asuna, profiting Skuba, eliminating
Ethan, gone, Rada.
Spiked down.
Able to find one despite all the floor of the volley there, and their feet down towards
hell, but Asuna finds another as Kiko will fall.
for ball up and up in the top.
The feed is eliminated, and it's just Broclet standing.
That's not for one!
100 Thieves!
Check the open round!
That's exactly what you needed.
The confidence to just make a play.
No hard read.
You're just kind of guessing a little bit here.
Let's see if we can find open space on A
And punish it and give yourselves match point beautiful stuff from us enough
What a moment they need one more
My god after a three to nine half
Under thieves
Complete the run back push it in the overtime and now hold this series this tournament in their hands
Think about this Achilles they've had two timeouts during their attacker side did NRG
They didn't really amount to much
Maybe one round in there out of those that you can really attribute to it
So here you've got to get it you have to
But it is feeling very, very difficult.
I think for the side of 100 Thieves, you're probably just talking about little things
that you can shore up.
Same ideas, same thoughts that got you a lot of those rounds after your time out.
You were down by a couple, just hold the line, but they're going to maybe go for some aggressive
here again.
So I don't creep back, dodging it out, but Kiko still lies to it, suspicious about that smoke.
That is a critical shot down to the top, Simitino.
Left on the floor, a 4v5, they want this tournament to end right here, right now.
They gotta take a pause, split the map a little bit, go for that 2-2, NRG thinking the same.
Let's take a moment. Let's see if we can make them make a mistake.
I've done it before, they've gotten a little bit antsy.
And they've got that kill, so they're gonna feel like the B side may be the weaker of the two anyway.
You know, if you got that Phoenix and that Jet there, it's unlikely the Cypher is gonna be there.
This is gonna be the side of the map where there isn't gonna be the Sentinel.
We went for that trap fairly early. This could be your moment.
The 2-2 split, creating pressure on these players, Nasuna.
Holds them back for now with Amali.
Still the Blaze wall to try to play in. Tuck's boarded, might have been caught by that relay.
And yes, he has been now. With that Recon, he is going to be noted, but he's still holding his own!
Two kills down, looking for more!
How has he found Skulma?
He set the team up so incredibly well.
Brock has a hundred spirit, but he's trapped here at Boats.
2v2, trying to settle it all.
Slow on the scaling.
Check forward, bang!
Instantaneous!
Finds a kill, and that was all on Brock!
Box in, contain!
A spot to one!
But he ends up falling!
But he ends up falling, Kyle gets it done!
100 Thieves!
Oh, your EWC Valorant winners here in 2026!
It has felt like a hundred years since they won a damn thing, since they have lived in a trophy!
But here today, they come out on top!
The City of Lost becomes the City of Thieves!
They plunder, they plilfer, and they persevere in Paris.
Unbelievable stuff from the 100 Thieves.
A hot start.
A worrying map 2.
A worrying first start to Ascent, but they get it done.
And what a moment here.
Some of these players finally getting their time to shine on the international stage at NBS.
Oh my god, he's done it again.
That he has, well now it's time to go on to the stage and celebrate our winners!
Gentlemen, incredible, we cannot lip this just yet because there's something we need to do.
There is one more key to Crush. Come with me, 100 Thieves.
What an incredible victory they came to Paris with a purpose and they shock the world.
in our grand final. Who wants to do it? Who wants to take the honor?
Timotino steps up to crush the final key. Stand by Timotino, not yet. Hold on,
stop just one second. I need to know how the fans are feeling right now.
What do you want to tell the 100 teams boys before they smash the energy key?
You played a great game, but Brock there are other guys than the Hogan!
Yadato Kielondo time for some key crushing here!
and take it away. This is it.
The Nathieves came, conquered and crushed everyone standing in their way.
NRG, the final key to be crushed here in Paris.
Gentlemen, there's only one thing left to do.
The trophy is there.
For the taking please put your key inside of it and raise it high in the air in front of this packed out crowd
Ladies and gentlemen raise the trophy your winners and fellow in an e-sports
World Cup
Beautiful stuff here from 100 Bees. Lou, let's begin.
Of course, Timotino, as you're breaking the trophy on stage, of course. First of all,
Congratulations, bravo to our bilingual king because yes, Timo Tino speaks French and I'm going to ask him my question in French.
Last time you mentioned Kylian Mbappé when we were on stage and it seems like maybe you were starting a bit of a legacy here with that trophy.
Is that what you want to do in the future?
Start being a legend of Valorant like Kylian Mbappé in football?
I know I'm going to become one and there's no one. That's for sure.
I know I'm going to become a legend. That is for 100% sure. Back to you Ian.
Thank you Lou. I'm standing by now with Asuna. Now you've been a part of this organization
for such a long time through the builds and the rebuilds. Why do you think everything clicked here
in Paris? We have an amazing coaching staff, amazing RGL and we just meshed really well
and it took us a while to get going but I'm glad that we hit our peak right at the right time.
You deserve it. Congratulations. Thank you.
Effective more. Congratulations again. Now I'm turning to you, Vora, I guess, not many French people knew your name before that tournament.
But I think you've been, you know, proving kind of a point for yourself as an IGL.
So what do you want to say? How does it feel, you know, showing what, leading the boys to the victory?
It felt amazing. I'm glad that my team has so much confidence in me, my coaches, my boys, you know.
It's always a surreal experience, perform well and call great games, you know.
I want to be able to do this without their trust, and I'm so happy that we're here today
for all these people to show that we're actually a good-ass team, so thank you everybody.
You guys are indeed a very, very good team, we're very happy.
Obviously, I'm happy to have been able to lead my teammates to the victory that made me trust them,
without their trust, without their talent, without the staff.
It obviously wouldn't have been possible, so I'm really happy and I want to continue to do it.
Bang, it's an incredible achievement.
I was lucky enough to meet some of your family that came out to watch you.
your mum Tina's here, your auntie Mary's here.
It's got to be such a cool experience,
not just to be in front of this awesome audience,
but to have family watching along as well.
Yeah, it feels great, honestly.
It has such a supportive family.
I don't think a lot of people have that kind of luxury.
So I feel like you're super grateful for it.
Gonna give a shout out to your mum.
Yeah, love you, mum.
Love that.
And last but not least,
because we're not forgetting someone, trust me,
but I wanted to ask the coach.
You know the coaches, of course, you've been working with some young, fresh blood here, young players, yet you guys seem so composed against a very, very experienced team.
What made the difference today?
Today we had to win against our demons. We lost against Energy four times this year, and we made sure it doesn't fucking happen again.
So, yeah, today was the fucking day.
Today was the day, we have always lost against energy four times in a row and today we needed it to be different and that was it, so we are so proud.
Thanks again to you, a big applause please, for the coach and the hunters.
Luke, the celebrations are just beginning, I need you to head over to the totem, we'll get to that in a moment, but Paris, who do you think is the MVP?
Crayon, come here, man.
You are our MVP of Valorant at the eSports World Cup!
It's Crayon!
Congratulations!
Listen, I know that this is a long time coming for you as well.
Such a tremendous achievement,
but how proud are you of your individual performance here today?
It feels really good.
I still feel like I didn't perform to my own expectations,
But it's been so long that I haven't won a trophy yet. So I've had many dows throughout my career
But just at the end of the day just never stop believing in yourself and the people around you
You're a very humble and modest man. You deserve that award and congratulations once again. Thank you so much
Listen guys, there's one thing that you all need to do
You need to make your way to the totem and this is where you pick which three crushed keys will go into your
Key and into your trophy as you leave. Can you take this trophy?
please guys and head off into the sunset and on your way to the Turton to be
finally crowned truly the winners and I want everybody here in Paris one more
time huge ovation effectively one more time for your valorant at the eSports
World Cup winners 100 DEEEES!
there you have it potential achieved world title one earned here at the eSports
World Cup hundred thieves get the job done in a 3-1
and a fantastic come from behind victory in this last map.
It can't be more impressive than this.
Just when you think the game is getting out of hand for them,
they're down so big at the half they make the comeback.
They show that composure that we've been looking for
and they lift that trophy here today in Paris.
For 100 Thieves, this has been a long time coming.
This team has played with honor.
They've played with the power of friendship
And overall, they're so, so hard working
and it's so nice to see, especially Osuna,
who's been on this roster for so long,
finally lift the trophy.
There's been proof all throughout today,
but especially on that last map, on Ascent,
knowing that you have to start on the attack.
The things are most likely going to be decided
on that second half.
Karahia watched the performance.
How can he say that he did not deliver?
There were at least four rounds
It would have been impossible without him to lift that trophy here today.
The only team that made it out as the first seed that actually continued in the tournament.
They do so flawlessly and now they only have to choose what names, what orgs they want on their trophy.
I fell am brother Cryo winning the Sony MVP and they are standing by at the totem to choose their keys.
Well, yes, but we're
It's the moment that everyone was waiting for the hundred thieves will be able to choose who will be part of their trophy
Who is gonna be the one
Choosing and picking
Shall we get you for our congratulations once again? I know this feels amazing
So that's not what I'm going to ask you.
What I'm going to ask you is, who do you want to be part of the base of your trophy and why?
Which team should we go with first?
First, definitely NRG.
They've been gatekeeping us from every international this year.
When we finally got to finish our storyline at a grand final at an international,
I think it's absolutely we need to get them in there first.
It's a very good storyline, I agree with you.
So, NRG are the first team that will be part of the 100 team on Valorant.
They eliminated them at every international event.
Does it feel a little bit like a revenge, you know, after all this time together?
Absolutely. I mean, like I said, Gatecaf were international from them and to beat them like this is just...
I don't know, I still have no words for it. It's an amazing feeling.
you deserve indeed next up is there any suspense or do you already have that
team in mind next up I want nonchim I love all their players I think they gave
us prior the most exciting game we had this entire tournament I love those
guys and I want to bring them home with me out of respect you're bringing them
home with you absolutely that's amazing on the ground
So, the key to the Nongshim Red Force in the 100 tips trophy.
With respect, I love these guys, they are super respectful, I love to play against them.
So I want to bring them back with me to the house.
and I'll have to take G2 home with me as a reminder.
So two Americans, no EMEA?
No, they're kind of bad.
I'm not taking it personally, of course.
Second and third key, so I'm going to go with G2 Esports.
A little bit more in the 20h this time.
We're taking them off. We want to have them in the stock.
But why is this? Why G2 once again?
Can you explain it to the camera?
Once again, gate cap from every international by Energy and G2 and the first international
I get to in tier 1, I win it and it feels great and it just reminds me every day that
you know, we'll get them.
It feels kind of like a statement indeed.
It's nous empêcher de nous qualifier à des événements internationaux NRGG2.
Vous ferez donc partie de notre trophée and I think it's going to soon be time for you
to reach out to the totem hall to place also your trophy but I want to have your last words
about this entire experience in Paris, this trophy, EWC 2026, what are you bringing home
apart from the trophy, of course?
Bringing a lot of confidence from my fans, bringing a lot of excitement from my family
and my teammates.
I mean, we're going to ride this all the way to Champs-Ferre-Sure and it's great.
I mean, we did it for NA and we're showing the Americans on top.
America's on top indeed, a full American finals.
Ladies and gentlemen, I'm going to ask you to make noise for Vora and for Leandro Tils, the winners of the WC Valorant 2016.
The teams that will take the steps of Totem Hall and sign their name in the legend of the WC.
100 thieves climb to the top of the totem here for the second
time ever in valorant at the eSports World Cup and immortalized their name as title winners in 2026.
This team has come across so many obstacles, so many roster iterations before they could finally
fix it all. And now no longer the fourth place, Chris, no longer the team that loses to NRG
In a best of three or a best of five, they've now submitted their place and America's as a region is proud of them.
So many rookies that we've seen in the past two years that have completely stolen our hearts.
Timo Tino Bora, MBS I would say, not a rookie of course, but him having to go into that tier two,
having to battle in America's, picking up these players and actually making the rest of the world
see that he can do it again that he still has it and that he will keep finding this talent to bring
them to the top. It doesn't get better than this. A young squad back again in international
and they made it work once more. And there it is your winners hundred thieves of valorant as we
We recap the action in our STC Revolve.
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