North America Wins Dota 2 Major as Gaimin Gladiators Clinch Victory
After a long wait, North America finally secured victory at a Dota 2 Major. Gaimin Gladiators, the representative for Western Europe, emerged as the champions of the Lima Major with a flawless 9-0 playoff run.
Entering the Major on a hot streak and as the second-seeded team from the highly competitive Dota Pro Circuit region, Gaimin Gladiators and Team Liquid finished the group stage as top seeds in their respective groups. They dominated the competition and set up a clash in the upper bracket finals.
The match was expected to be the ultimate test of Western Europe’s dominance, but it turned out to be a one-sided affair due to a medical emergency that forced Liquid’s support player Boxi to leave the event early. Fortunately, Liquid’s analyst and former pro player Mathis “Jabbz” Friesel stepped in, but the quick turnaround and difference in skill were evident as Gaimin Gladiators secured a convincing victory in the series.
Liquid reached the finals after ending Talon Esports’ underdog run with a 2-0 victory, but the rematch against Gaimin Gladiators was no closer than their previous encounter.
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While game one had some intense moments and Liquid never gave up the fight, Gaimin Gladiators finished game two in just over 21 minutes. From that point on, it was clear that Gaimin Gladiators had the upper hand, especially since their player dyrachyo dominated with the Lina hero while Quinn disrupted Nisha’s gameplay.
This sentiment extends to the entire Major, as teams quickly established their identities after experimenting in the group stage.
Like any high-level event, the meta evolves, but the teams that went the farthest had a good mix of deep hero pools and comfort picks that excel in the current patch.
Gaimin Gladiators proved this by adapting and finding success even when their preferred heroes were banned. Seleri and the team were versatile and made the most out of their remaining options. Their hard work and practice on this patch paid off.
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Despite the patch situation, the two best teams from the Dota Pro Circuit’s top region secured first and second place. This is the first time since the MDL Disneyland Paris Major in May 2019 that two Western European teams faced each other in the finals at a Major, excluding The International.
For eager Dota players waiting for the 7.33 patch, the wait is almost over. Valve will soon share details about the update, including information about the newest hero Muerta on March 6. The update might even be released without prior announcement.
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