BLAST Rivals Season 2 wrapped up the penultimate major event before the StarLadder Major Budapest 2025 — and clearly answered the question of who enters the winter phase of the season with maximum confidence, and who urgently needs to rediscover their form. The tournament became a perfect illustration of the fluid balance of power in CS2: some teams exceeded all expectations, others disappointed, and some left a mixed impression despite having the potential to do better
SURPRISES OF THE TOURNAMENT
1) FURIA — the championship run that cements the “Brazilian winter”
FURIA entered this tournament as favorites — but exited it as absolute dominators. A series of victories over Vitality (2–1), paiN (2–0), paiN again (2–1 in the group), and then a confident 3–1 grand final win against Falcons only confirmed their form. Two key factors:
- molodoy — the phenomenon of the season
The Kazakh talent became the team’s core: consistent 1.25–1.35 ratings throughout the event, multi-kills in key rounds, calmness, maturity — all of this elevates FURIA to a new level.
- YEKINDAR — the best rifler of the tournament
His duels on crucial positions often decided rounds: entries, retakes, aggressive pushes — the Latvian is currently playing his best CS in the last two years. FURIA are the undisputed Surprise #1. Yes, they were tournament favorites — but no one expected such stable and confident championship-level dominance.
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2) Falcons — near-sensation and m0NESY’s mega-form
Falcons lost only one match — the grand final — and even there forced FURIA to their limits. This is the team’s best tournament in many months.
- m0NESY became the event’s MVP despite the final loss
A 1.56 rating in the semifinal against Vitality, multiple clutch rounds, and flawless AWP control. His form now resembles his peak in 2024.
- kyxsan has built a true top-tier structure
Falcons increasingly look like consistent finalists of future tournaments: discipline, synergy, a well-defined map pool, stability. If they maintain this pace, they will be a legitimate top-4 contender at the Budapest Major — at the very least.
3) paiN — steady progress and newfound confidence
paiN became one of the most pleasant discoveries of the event. The team:
- reached the semifinals,
- challenged FURIA twice — in the group (1–2) and in the semifinal (0–2),
- showed growth in chemistry and firepower.
They lacked experience in decisive moments, but their potential is enormous. biguzera especially stood out with stable rounds in high-pressure situations.
4) Vitality — solid performance with a hint of unfulfilled potential
Vitality reached the semifinals and showed strong maps and good individual performances — but a 0–2 loss to Falcons hit their ambitions hard. Why Vitality are considered a “surprise,” not a disappointment?
Because:
- the team displayed quality CS in every match before the semifinals,
- ZywOo delivered another top-level event (top-5 in Rating 3.0),
- the team structure looked stable.
A semifinal finish fits within expectations, but the match against Falcons showed that Vitality have unused reserves and may hit their peak precisely at the Major.
SOLID RESULTS
1) Passion UA — the main underdog and unexpected factor
The victory over The MongolZ in the opening match was a real sensation. Even though the Mongolians are struggling after Senzu’s departure, it doesn’t diminish the importance of the young Ukrainian team’s win. What worked:
- discipline on key maps,
- strong clutching,
- confidence against Falcons in the group stage.
What failed:
- the match vs paiN — complete collapse of structure, lack of experience, lack of stability.
The big question: Can Passion UA find stability before the Major? For now, the team looks dangerous but inconsistent.
2) TYLOO — a team of small steps and big hopes
Although TYLOO exited early, they cannot be called a disappointment. Why?
They showed a very respectable level of CS:
- 1 map taken from paiN (1–2),
- 1 map taken from Vitality (1–2),
- both series were extremely close and came down to potential comebacks.
Main star:
JamYoung — second-highest Rating 3.0 of the entire event. This is the best signal for the Chinese scene in the last two years. TYLOO may become one of the main surprises at the StarLadder Budapest Major.
DISAPPOINTMENTS
1) Spirit — a team losing itself
A year ago, Spirit were a “guaranteed semifinalist” of almost any event. Today — only a shadow of their former roster. What went wrong at BLAST Rivals?
- losses to Vitality and Falcons — teams at their level,
- their only win came against the struggling MongolZ,
- lack of energy and lack of individual star performances.
A 5–6th place finish looks acceptable on paper — but the content behind it is a complete failure. It feels like Spirit are entering a phase of long-term stagnation.
2) The MongolZ — a fall from the top that can no longer be ignored
Not long ago, The MongolZ were world #1 and the scariest underdog on the planet. Today — regular early-exit candidates. Key problems:
- Senzu’s departure hit the team extremely hard,
- controlez plays well, but cannot fill the superstar role,
- the structure has collapsed, discipline has dropped.
Losing 0–2 to both Passion UA and Spirit is a serious alarm bell. If the team does not “reboot” before the StarLadder Major, their run in Budapest may be short and painful.
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What This Tournament Really Showed
- BLAST Rivals Season 2 confirmed that the global CS2 scene is entering its most unstable stage of the year:
- FURIA and Falcons head into the Major as two of the deadliest contenders of the season.
- paiN and Vitality maintain positive momentum, each in their own way.
- Passion UA and TYLOO are teams that live by the principle “low expectations — high output.”
- Spirit and The MongolZ urgently need change — or Budapest could turn into a disaster.
