Elimination tournaments do not forgive weak moments. Here, not only form matters, but also the ability to consistently close out series without the right to make a mistake. It is in matches like these that it is determined who is truly ready to fight for the major goals of the season.
Tournament context
BLAST Bounty 2026 Season 1 is a ranked online tournament in Europe that opens the season and directly affects the distribution of Valve Regional Standings (VRS) points. 32 teams compete in a single-elimination Bo3 format, where every loss means immediate elimination. The tournament carries a weight of $500,000 in the VRS system, and its results form the basis for seeding at the LAN finals and key events of the first half of the year.
For Monte, this was a chance to establish themselves in the top-40 and reduce the gap to the zone of stable participants in major tournaments. For Falcons, it was an opportunity to confirm their status as one of the strongest teams in Europe and maintain their position in the top-3 of the VRS.
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How the match unfolded — Falcons vs Monte
Score: 2:0 in favor of Falcons
- Nuke (Monte pick) — 13:10
Monte started the map in an organized manner and kept a tight tempo in the first half, but Falcons quickly adapted to their setups. m0NESY and TeSeS consistently won the opening duels, and Falcons managed the economy more effectively. In the second half, Falcons took control of the map, not allowing Monte to develop their attacking plays. Several consecutive streaks without dropping rounds finally broke Monte’s resistance. - Mirage (Falcons pick) — 13:7
On their own map, Falcons looked completely dominant. Their defensive structure left Monte no room for aggression, and fast rotations shut down all possible approaches. Monte won rounds only through individual moments, but overall control of the game remained with Falcons. The second half was played under the full dictate of the series favorite.
Player of the Match — Ilya “m0NESY” Osipov (Falcons)
It was m0NESY who became the main driving force behind Falcons’ victory.
- K–D: 42–25
- ADR: 102.5
- Rating 3.0: 1.75
Key impact: High ADR, consistent opening duels, and dominance in decisive rounds. His play on Nuke broke Monte’s economy, and on Mirage m0NESY completely controlled the center of the map and the mid-rounds, leaving the opponent no chance for a comeback.
VRS results
- Monte — –2 pt → 1361 pt
(further complicating the fight to return to the top-30 zone and a missed chance for a significant jump in the rankings) - Falcons — +2 pt → 1878 pt
(securing their place in the top-3 of the VRS and confirming their status as one of the main favorites of the season)
For Falcons, this is another step toward stable dominance at the start of 2026. For Monte, it is another signal that without consistent wins against top teams, it will be extremely difficult to secure a place in the upper part of the rankings.
What’s next?
Falcons advance further in BLAST Bounty 2026 Season 1. The team continues the fight for a place in the LAN finals and for strengthening their position in the top-3 of the world rankings. They remain one of the main contenders to win the tournament.
Monte are eliminated from the tournament. The early exit means losing the opportunity to gain significant VRS points and falling further behind in the fight for stable status among second-tier teams.
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Match summary
Falcons closed out the series 2:0 without unnecessary drama, demonstrating the difference in class, stability, and individual form. Monte were unable to impose their tempo either on their own map or on their opponent’s pick. This victory strengthens Falcons’ position as one of the key forces on the European scene, while Monte leave the tournament with yet more questions about their readiness to compete at the level of top teams.
