BLAST Bounty 2026 Season 2 continues Stage 1 with a match between Gentle Mates and paiN. In the first round, the teams will play a Bo3 series, where the winner will take another step toward reaching the LAN Finals, while the loser will leave the tournament. Even though Gentle Mates independently chose this opponent, the Brazilian roster looks like the favorite of the match, as they have a higher ranking and much more experience on the international stage.
BLAST BOUNTY 2026 SEASON 2 STAGE 1 — FORMAT SPECIFICS
Stage 1 is played in a Single Elimination format. All matches are played as Bo3, and only the winners continue the fight for a place at the LAN Finals.
Gentle Mates, holding the 20th seed, chose paiN, who received the 13th seed. This is a fairly bold decision, because the Brazilian roster remains one of the most dangerous opponents among teams in the mid-ranking segment. At the same time, Gentle Mates have a strong Inferno and Ancient, which may make the series much more competitive than it seems at first glance.
HEAD-TO-HEAD — FIRST OFFICIAL MEETING
Gentle Mates and paiN have never played each other at official tournaments, so the upcoming match will be their first head-to-head meeting.
The two teams are in different situations. Gentle Mates are only trying to establish themselves among stable participants of major international tournaments, while paiN have been regularly playing against teams from the world top 20 for a long time.
CURRENT FORM
Gentle Mates — a bet on discipline and Inferno
Gentle Mates’ recent results leave mixed impressions. The team lost to magic and Ninjas in Pyjamas, faced 3DMAX twice and traded wins, and also confidently defeated Wildcard.
The best individual form is being shown by CRUC1AL, who has a 1.10 rating over the last three months and remains the team’s main force in key rounds. mopoz and sausol also play an important role, as they provide stability in rifle duels and work well in positional play.
paiN — experience from big tournaments
The Brazilian roster is going through a difficult period. Recently, the team lost to 3DMAX, Phantom, and Sharks, but at the same time earned victories over LP and METANOIA Wolves. Despite inconsistent results, paiN’s level of opposition has been significantly higher than Gentle Mates’.
snow has the best individual numbers with a 1.08 rating, consistently creating space for the attack and often winning opening duels. saffee and biguzera also play a major role, adding experience to the team and helping control the tempo of the game.
MAP POOL & VETO
Statistics over the last 3 months (Gentle Mates | paiN):
- Cache: 33% | —
- Dust2: — | 62%
- Mirage: 55% | 33%
- Inferno: 67% | 50%
- Nuke: 40% | 45%
- Ancient: 69% | —
- Anubis: 50% | 60%
Expected veto:
- paiN will almost certainly ban Ancient — a map that Gentle Mates have won in 69% of their matches, while paiN themselves practically do not play it.
- Gentle Mates will most likely remove Dust2, as it is one of paiN’s strongest maps with a 62% win rate, while the European roster does not have current official statistics on it.
Likely picks:
- Gentle Mates: Inferno — the team’s strongest map with a 67% win rate, where they regularly show good team coordination.
- paiN: Anubis — a map where the Brazilians have a 60% win rate and can implement their aggressive style of play.
Possible decider map: Mirage looks like the most realistic option for the third map. Both teams play it regularly, and the difference in win percentage is not large enough to give either side an obvious advantage.
KEY DUELS
- CRUC1AL vs snow — the main individual duel of the series for control of key rounds.
- mopoz vs biguzera — the battle for space and stability in rifle duels.
- sausol vs saffee — a duel between two experienced players that may determine the outcome of decisive late-round situations.
PREDICTION
Gentle Mates have a strong enough map pool to put up a fight on their own pick. They look especially dangerous on Inferno, where the team shows its best results and high-quality team coordination. However, paiN remain the more experienced roster. Despite a series of less-than-ideal results, the Brazilians regularly compete against stronger opponents, have a deeper lineup, and adapt better during Bo3 series.
Projected result: paiN 2–1 Gentle Mates
