StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 Stage 3 continues with a matchup between Imperial and The MongolZ — both teams begin with a shared 0:0 record in the Swiss system. The winner will immediately move closer to the playoffs, while the loser is sent to the lower portion of the bracket, where every mistake becomes far riskier. Both teams have already overcome difficult challenges in the previous Major stages and are now fighting on LAN for every chance to progress further.
STARLADDER BUDAPEST MAJOR 2025 STAGE 3 — THE ROAD TO PLAYOFFS
Stage 3 takes place from December 4 to 8 in Budapest, where the 16 strongest teams in the world compete for playoff spots and a chance to move closer to the championship. Among them are NAVI, FaZe, Astralis, Liquid, NiP — and now The MongolZ versus Imperial becomes one of the headline duels of the day.
The Swiss format remains unforgiving: Bo1 in standard rounds and Bo3 in matches that decide advancement or elimination. Here, even one poor start can destroy an entire campaign — so every detail, every decision, and every clutch matters.
HEAD-TO-HEAD — A BALANCE OF EXPERIENCE AND AGGRESSION
The history between these current rosters includes three meetings in 2024 — The MongolZ lead the head-to-head with two wins against one for Imperial. All of those series were played on LAN, which makes the statistics even more relevant.
In the HLTV world rankings, The MongolZ hold a top-5 position, while Imperial remain around #34. Advantage on paper is clear, but the Major is known for surprises — especially in Bo1.
CURRENT FORM
- Imperial — climbing back into the fight
The Brazilians gained momentum at the end of Stage 2 by defeating M80, fnatic and MIBR. Try has looked convincing in deciding rounds, and the team has shown composure under pressure. However, stability is still a concern — small mistakes often cost too much.
- The MongolZ — top-tier level, but inconsistencies appearing
The Mongolian squad continues to deliver strong structural Counter-Strike with aggressive firepower, yet recent results raise questions about their current form. Losses to Spirit and Passion UA in the previous stage are an alarming sign before the next Swiss phase.
MAP POOL & VETO
Statistics over the last 3 months:
(Imperial | The MongolZ)
- Dust2: 62% | 44%
- Mirage: 69% | 46%
- Inferno: 57% | 50%
- Nuke: 75% | 40%
- Train: 56% | 0%
- Overpass: 73% | 50%
- Ancient: — | 62%
Expected veto scenario:
- Imperial are likely to remove Ancient — the strongest map for The MongolZ.
- The MongolZ will ban Train or Nuke to avoid the comfortable game of the Brazilians.
Most likely battleground: Mirage or Dust2
And here the advantage starts to shift toward The MongolZ: their pace and aggression on these maps could be decisive.
KEY DUELS
- try vs blitz — snipers fighting for tempo control
- chelo vs Techno — who dictates aggression when taking sites
- VINI vs 910 — experience against youth in retake scenarios
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PREDICTION
Imperial have found their form, but The MongolZ possess better overall stability, a stronger map pool, and higher individual peak performance.
In a Bo1 format, those factors usually decide everything.
Prediction from Mauisnake: The MongolZ will win
Projected result: The MongolZ 1–0 Imperial
