It was the final opening match of the group stage of VCT Champions Paris 2025, and it would be Rex Regum Qeon (RRQ) vs FNATIC, a rematch from VCT Masters Toronto.
The last time we saw these two teams play against each other was in the losers' round one of VCT Masters Toronto Playoffs, where FNATIC won 2-1 in the series.
After RRQ were eliminated from Toronto, they looked to make another run for the VCT Pacific Stage 2 championship and recapture the final championship of the year in the region to become a two-time champion to end the season.
They would qualify for the playoffs and face the best teams in the Pacific.
They defeated Gen.G, DRX, T1, and TALON in their playoff run and made it to the grand finals to face off against the masters of Toronto, Paper Rex.
RRQ would, unfortunately, become the runners-up in that match, but still qualified for Paris.
For FNATIC, after falling short in Toronto, they would try to make another run at the EMEA stage two championship, but would ultimately fail, losing to GIANTX in the second round of the losers' bracket.
Though they would qualify through championship points, ranking third in EMEA with 18 points.
Both teams enter VCT Champions with a plan for redemption to get a final run at glory.
They would choose Ascent.
For RRQ, they would be at a disadvantage, with only a 42 per cent win rate and a 5-7 record on the map, while FNATIC had the reverse of RRQ, with a record of 7-5 and a 58 per cent win rate.
FNATIC started the first half on the attack and would pressure RRQ on the defence, starting with a 4-2 run.
RRQ would quickly tie the match up at 4-4, but FNATIC would quickly gain the lead back, winning the next three rounds.
It would be RRQ who would take the last round of the half, but would still be behind with a score of 7-5 in FNATIC’s favour.
FNATIC’s Chronicle would be leading going into the second half with 13 kills, 4 deaths and 3 assists.
In the second half, they would switch sides, and FNATIC would extend their lead.
RRQ would try to catch up, but would bring the score to 11-10.
FNATIC would take the final two rounds to win map one 13-10, with Chronicle taking map MVP with 25 kills, 11 deaths and 10 assists.
FNATIC showed how strong their game was on Ascent and knew that Rex Regum Qeon wouldn’t have good odds heading into map one.
It still wouldn’t look good for RRQ, even though they chose their second map to be Abyss.
Abyss isn’t even their best map, as they have never won on Abyss, with a zero per cent win rate, and a single loss on the map.
For FNATIC, it wouldn’t be their strongest map either, with a record of 1-2 and a 33 per cent win rate.
Though it looked like it wouldn’t be a strong map for both teams, in the end, they both looked strong.
RRQ would be on the attack and FNATIC would be on the defence.
FNATIC would start the match hot, with them having a 3-2 run, before RRQ answered back, tying the match 3-3.
RRQ would go on a 4-2 run to close the half with a total score of 7-5, with RRQ’s Kushy leading the team with 12 kills, 8 deaths, and 2 assists.
Things looked like they were going up for RRQ as they switched sides, going to the defensive side in the second half, but FNATIC had different plans as they went to the offensive side.
FNATIC would eviscerate RRQ’s defence and wouldn’t allow them to get a single point in the second half as they tore through them by going on an 8-round win streak, sweeping RRQ into the elimination bracket of the group stage with a total score of 13-7.
FNATIC’s IGL would take map MVP with 24 kills, 8 deaths and 5 assists, and he would also take match MVP with a total statline of 44 kills, 22 deaths and 14 assists.
FNATIC moves on to the qualifying phase, while Rex Regum Qeon have to fight their way to the qualifying phase as they face elimination in the losers' bracket.
FNATIC will face MIBR to see who will make it to the playoffs, while BilliBilli Gaming will face Rex Regum Qeon in an elimination match.