It's only the end of Map 1, but I have a good idea of how NAOS operates, and it reminds me of the old TS roster: very strong gameplan at the start, but when the enemy gets a good read on their stats or uses their own stats against them, they just fall apart and feel lost. Hence, the 3 - 9 curse turning into a 13 - 9 win for FCY. Here's to hoping Map 2 will be a better showing.

This is the Valorant content I live for: the desk talking about who lifts weights the most.
Actually not a joke, I like it when the desk just gets to talk about whatever.

This was a 2 - 1 right? What happened with the second map?

What a game. PRX can hold their heads up high, they had a damn good run with this roster. Now it's time to focus on getting Something to Champions. I feel like they'll have an even greater run in Champions.

EG, though, have another shot at FNC and taking the trophy. I would love to see EG win this, continues the narrative that no team wins an internstional event twice. Or we might see tha narrative broken, who knows?

Alright, I'll give you that. DRX have definitely earned the praise they have gotten, while Team Secret just had that Champs 2021 run and haven't had anything recently to show they can compete with the better teams out there.

Shut the fuck up.

PRX 3 - 2 EG
As promised, I fully support W Gaming here. I believe that they can make it to the Grand Finals and win this event. And even if they lose here, it was a pretty good run.

Well DAMN if they can make it top 3 why not just win the whole event at this point? I admit my take was trash, and I apologize to the PRX fans that I have offended. PRX even withough something is a great team, and I will be supporting them in the Lower Bracket Finals.

I will admit that I was wrong about some statements about PRX - those were more in the spur of the moment comments - but it just feels frustrating to not see something in this international event. They could have been absolutely dominant in this event, but because of those visa issues we'll never really know what they could've achieved with their new roster. But Top 4 isn't bad at all!

Plus, this event has been nothing short of shocking and full of upsets, with EDG and EG having miraculous runs, that I was really rooting for EDG to win this. They really did have a chance at sending PRX home, and it was a shame that match turned out the way it did.

As for my DRX comment, yeah I still think they're pretty overhyped. As a Pacific fan, I never really liked how casters hyped them up as Pacific's top team - that would go to Paper Rex and their 2nd place finish at Masters Copenhagen. They have been consistent, but they have been to so many events in VCT you'd expect them to get the trophy eventually. It's super frustrating that I just want to see another Pacific team on the international stage other than DRX.

But I'm not entirely pessimistic. I'll be fully supporting the Pacific teams this Champions: if PRX can get something his visa, I think they can make a good run in Champions. And with DRX out of Masters Tokyo, they'll have time to fix a lot of the player issues they've had recently. And as for the last Pacific spot? Anyone but Gen.G, please. TS, Zeta, or Talon would be pretty interesting to see.

Yeah, pretty much. Your team subbed in a streamer instead of a literal player that they decided to bench before the event. What's up with that?

FNC 1 - 2 EG
This might be the most entertaining match in this event so far. I'm absolutely rooting for EG here, I think they can win this whole thing!

NRG 2 - 1 PRX
Gloves are off, I don't think PRX deserve to win this event. If a single player is what they need to become the best in their region, it just brings into question the quality of everyone else. The Pacific league has some great players, but as a fan it just feels sad that this is what we have to show for: a handicapped team, an overhyped Korean team that never really was able to make it to the top, and T1 (which was alright for a first showing, I guess).

Man, what a match. I feel bad for EDG, but they had such a great run. Can't wait to see what they have in Champions. PRX on the other hand, I'm absolutely disappointed in them. If the top teams in this tournament can push them around like this, I fear they won't be lifting a trophy anytime this year. They need to get something in Champions LA, they just look absolutely shaky right now.

Ok nah what the fuck was that EDG, how do you give your opponent an 8 round lead

AYO WHAT

PRX 1 - 2 EDG
I absolutely believe in miracles. You have the top Pacific team, unable to reach its full potential because of circumstances out of their control. And then you have the underdogs, nothing to lose and everything to gain. This isn't based on statistics or past information. This prediction is based on a willingness to believe. Now I ask the question: will you too?

TL 2 - 0 NRG
As good as NRG is, TL will probably come better prepared into this match up.

I used to pray for times like this 😭

As much as I want to agree on that, they still have some things to work on.

even better matchup though, have fun!

You gotta wonder what really happened with LOUD. Coming out on top at VCT Americas, losing against their rematch with their region's third seed, then losing against EDG without winning a single map. If I had to guess, they just didn't prepare well enough and didn't expect all these teams to bring their A-game. Guess we'll see what they bring in Champions LA.

At this point in the tournament, it'll be VERY unlikely that something would be able to join them. Maybe Grand Finals if the PRX team are really hard at work getting him his visa. But for now, CGRS is part of their roster, and they're gonna have to make lemonade out of lemons.

PRX 1 - 2 FNC
Fnatic have been absolutely consistent with each of their members. You could say the same for PRX as well, but that was when something was in the core roster. And CGRS is a pretty good controller for them, getting the info they need, but he can't be relied on to get frags or clutch imlortant rounds. It's going to take a miracle for PRX to advance.

DRX 0 - 2 NRG
I'm not even gonna sugarcoat it, I want DRX to lose. I want them to be absolutely humbled in this event. They have been overhyped, they have become stagnant, and this should set up a pretty interesting run for them at Champions.

ONE 0 - 2 NAOS
NAOS clears this one.

NAOS 2 - 1 BME
Honestly, I think BOOM might win this. Still, a case is to be made for NAOS.
You see BOOM, being the third representative of SEA in Champions 2022, fill in the spots of xferro and fl1pzjder with members of ONIC G, and proceed to come out on top of their respective region.
Then you have NAOS, combining the best of South Built Esports with Team Secret's Witz and other great players from PH teams, and proceed to come out on top of their respective region.
I'm predicting all three maps will be absolutely close, but if NAOS won't prepare for BOOM, I can see them winning this one.

XIA 1 - 2 NAOS
Yeah sure, why not NAOS?

NAOS 2 - 0 FCY
NAOS clears this one.

That is true, NAVI and T1 are the last seeds for their respective regions, so this could just be a case of a slightly stronger team sweeping teams that barely made it to the event.

EDG 2 - 1 TL
Hoping for an upset, but I predict one of these maps will go either way. With EDG's performance though, I believe they can pull an upset over EMEA's top seed. Still, Team Liquid have beaten Fnatic, and that's no easy feat.
EDIT: spelling

Holy fuck, is LOUD still asleep?

Man, wouldn't it be interesting to see DRX get knocked out of the tournament before playoffs? It'll be interesting to see how they would prepare for Champions if they do. Or they become second seed to Playoffs, which is more likely.

Nope, just the right amount 👌

Delusional Gen.G fan, welcome to the LCQ club.

DRX 3 - 1 [insert Korean team here]
What an absolute waste of a Masters spot. Absolutely disappointed in TS, and saddening to see Zeta not make it.

I feel ya 🙁

In another life, this could've been a DRX vs. TS match. 🙁
Anyways PRX 3 - 1 DRX

Can't believe my worst fears have come true 😭

TS for sure winning if they see DRX again 😭😭😭

TS 2 - 1 GEN
I'm not going to say this'll be a clean sweep, this is going to be a really tough match for both teams. Playoffs chances on the line, I'm going to side with TS if they can anti-strat Gen.G and do their homework, which they have done really well in the past.

Bro I'm dead 💀💀💀

Lower Bracket run it is, then 😔

🥺🥺🥺

I'm just silly like that 🤪

I said what I said, I will live and die on this hill 🫡

TS revenge arc, let's fucking go! Haven was absolutely nerve-wracking, but the first half looked so dominant from TS, if it weren't for JessieVash it would have gone in favor of Zeta.

I had my worries in Ascent, especially with how notorious Laz is with his Odin plays. Thankfully, TS came well prepared. Some heroic plays from Dubstep as Jett, the man is goated. However, I do think TS is playing on hard mode here, dragging these maps out to overtime.

GGs to Zeta, they still have a chance in the Lower Bracket. True test for TS will be tomorrow, going up against DRX. I have hope they'll be able to take down the Pacific titans, if they play this really well.

DRX 1 - 2 TS
No, I am not delusional 🙂 That TS win wasn't a glorified scrim 🙂 Yes, TS can beat the best Pacific team again 🙂 Yes, I do think TS is the best team in the world 🙂

T1 2 - 0 GEN
I personally bear a grudge against Gen.G because they defeated TS and only barrly managed to make playoffs because RRQ lost. All I want is T1 to expose these frauds 😫😫😫

Then there's no need to buy into it. Why go along with it if you know he needs improvement? There's respectable ways to approach this discourse: talk about his good plays, suggest what he can do better next time. This match against TS, I'd suggest he needs to work on his mental because he was clearly affected when he was missing his OP shots. He also needs to step up as a duelist and try to play smartly, he kept getting picked off when entering site. If he continues to make the claims that he is the best and underrated, that's his problem and should be called out. But if he takes this as a learning step and works on himself, that should be respected.

The man overheated, pressure got to him, happens to players all the time. Even in high-stakes competition.
Y'all need to stop worshipping the man just to beat him with sticks and stones when he performs less than perfection.