The Thunderpick World Championship 2025 delivers a truly global showdown as Natus Vincere face The MongolZ in a Best of 3 semifinal. This clash represents two defining storylines of the year: NAVI’s resurgence toward elite form and the Mongolian roster’s continued rise to the top of the world rankings.
Group Stage Journey — Two Different Trajectories
NAVI began the group stage with a hard-fought 2–1 victory over Imperial, showing resilience after a shaky start. They followed it up with another narrow but confident win against Aurora (2–1), securing first place in their group and direct advancement to the semifinals. Under Aleksib’s leadership, the team has finally found structure and discipline. b1t (1.17 rating, 80.6 ADR) remains the cornerstone of NAVI’s consistency, while makazze, promoted from NAVI Junior, has seamlessly adapted to tier-one play. Meanwhile, w0nderful continues to impress with clutch AWP performances in key rounds.
The MongolZ side began their campaign with a clean 2–0 win over 9z, showcasing their signature high-tempo aggression. However, they were dismantled by FURIA (0–2) in the following series — a result that exposed their struggles against structured opposition. They recovered by defeating 9z again (2–0) to clinch a semifinal berth, but questions remain about their consistency under pressure. Senzu (1.11 rating) and blitz continue to lead by example, while Techno has found newfound reliability on rifle roles — yet the team’s over-aggression remains both their greatest weapon and their biggest liability.
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Head-to-Head — NAVI Maintain the Edge
Across 14 previous encounters, NAVI lead 9–5, with three matches going into overtime. Their most recent meeting came at ESL Pro League Season 22, where NAVI claimed two dominant victories (16–12 on Ancient, 13–3 on Nuke). Under Aleksib, NAVI have learned how to contain The MongolZ’s relentless pace with tight rotations and near-perfect retake coordination.
Still, The MongolZ have proven they can bite back — their two wins at PGL Astana Major 2025 were testament to their ability to destabilize even top-tier systems through unrelenting aggression. This semifinal promises a stylistic clash: NAVI’s calculated control versus The MongolZ’s chaotic instinct.
Current Form and Key Players
NAVI have won four of their last five series, highlighted by confident play from b1t and w0nderful. makazze continues to evolve as a key secondary fragger, while Aleksib’s tactical discipline ensures NAVI stay calm even in late-round chaos. Their composure and synergy under pressure are clear indicators of a team regaining its identity.
Despite flashes of brilliance, The MongolZ’s recent play has been inconsistent. They often rely on early-round momentum and individual heroics from Senzu or Techno. blitz, the tactical leader, balances chaos and control — but against a structured team like NAVI, their risky mid-round calls may backfire. If they fail to secure early map control, their attack often collapses under utility pressure.
Map Pool and Veto Analysis
Map Statistics (Last 3 Months):
- Dust2: NAVI 80% | MongolZ 54%
- Mirage: NAVI 50% | MongolZ 59%
- Inferno: NAVI 58% | MongolZ 50%
- Nuke: NAVI 56% | MongolZ 64%
- Train: NAVI 86% | MongolZ — not played
- Overpass: NAVI — not played | MongolZ 75%
- Ancient: NAVI 50% | MongolZ 69%
Predicted Veto:
- NAVI will likely remove Overpass, where The MongolZ thrive on map control and rapid retakes.
- The MongolZ might ban Train or Ancient to avoid NAVI’s defensive pressure and structured defaults.
Possible Picks:
- NAVI: Dust2 or Inferno — maps that highlight their tempo control and spacing discipline.
- The MongolZ: Mirage — a comfort pick for their fluid mid-round aggression.
Likely Decider: Nuke — both sides are evenly matched statistically, but NAVI’s composure in clutch rounds gives them a small edge.
Key Duels
- b1t vs Senzu — The defining battle of mechanics and tempo. Both are fearless entry fraggers who thrive under pressure.
- Aleksib vs blitz — Structure versus spontaneity. Aleksib’s slow, calculated leadership will clash with blitz’s intuition-driven calls.
- w0nderful vs Techno — A contrast of AWP philosophies: the patient Ukrainian sharpshooter against the instinctive Mongolian risk-taker.
Psychological Dynamics
NAVI enter the semifinals with renewed confidence — their synergy and communication have improved visibly since their rebuild. They look cohesive, calm, and methodical. The MongolZ, meanwhile, bring energy and unpredictability but struggle against teams with tight spacing and crossfire setups. Their recent loss to FURIA exposed this vulnerability — they can keep games close, yet often falter in late-round discipline.
Beyond the semifinal spot, this match carries VRS ranking implications: a win could elevate NAVI back into the top 5, while a loss may drop The MongolZ out of 4th place.
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Prediction
Expect a tactical, momentum-driven series where every map could go the distance. The MongolZ will have their highlight moments, but NAVI’s structure and mental composure should prevail. If b1t and w0nderful maintain their current form, they can close this match without needing a decider.
Predicted Score: Natus Vincere 2–0 The MongolZ
