It is the Upper Semifinals for VCT Champions Paris 2025 as the race for the trophy continues.
The two matches are FNATIC vs Paper Rex (PRX), a rematch from VCT Masters Toronto Grand Finals, and MIBR vs NRG, a VCT Americas match-up.
The first match of the upper semi-finals would be FNATIC vs Paper Rex.
The last time these two saw each other was in the grand finals of VCT Masters Toronto, where FNATIC lost to Paper Rex.
Now in VCT Champions Paris, the two continue their rivalry this time for VCT Champions.
In map one, it would be Bind, PRX’s map pick, and they would get an easy 4-round win streak on offence, until FNATIC started their run, going on a 7-1 round win streak, taking the lead at 7-4.
With Kaajak leading FNATIC at the half with 18 kills, 8 deaths and 5 assists.
Going into the second half, FNATIC would have trouble trying to extend their lead, because Paper Rex would go on an 8-3 round win streak to take map one 13-10 with d4v41 taking map MVP with 18 kills, 12 deaths and 3 assists.
On map two, FNATIC would get a piece of redemption in a blowout win on Haven.
In the first half FNATIC would have a 8-4 lead on the attacking side, with that lead, they would continue to extend it into the second half where PRX wouldn’t win a single round and FNATIC would go on a 5-round win streak and win map two 13-4 with Kaajak getting map MVP with 20 kills, 9 deaths and 3 assists.
Going into map three, it would be Lotus as the decider map, and the Paper Rex Express would start rolling through the map.
They would take the first half with a 9-3 lead on defence with Jinggg leading the rest of PRX with 16 kills, 7 deaths and 3 assists.
Now, for fans who have been looking for the 9-3 curse to take control of a match, well, you would find it as FNATIC would switch over from attacker to defence and win 10 rounds in a row to take the lead and then win 13-9.
Map MVP would go to Chronicle, who had 31 kills, 14 deaths and 7 assists.
FNATIC would avenge their loss in Toronto and move PRX into the losers' round 2.
The second match would be MIBR vs NRG, a VCT Americas match.
The last time the two stepped into the server against one another was in the group stage of VCT Americas stage 2.
Now, as the champions with the opportunity at the trophy, both teams would be hungry to get a win over the other.
Map one would open with MIBR choosing Abyss.
Both halves would be even as they went tit for tat and round for round, pushing it into overtime.
During overtime, NRG would take the first round, but MIBR would push it to match point, and it wasn't until NRG was forced to defuse the spike that they started to gain momentum, and they would later win two more rounds to take map one 16-14.
Mada would take the map MVP with 20 kills, 19 deaths and 7 assists.
Going into map two, it would be Haven, and this is where MIBR would show their anger, their rage and use it to dominate NRG.
MIBR would take a blowout win over NRG, with them going on a 13-4 round win streak.
NRG would only win two rounds on both halves to give them four.
Now on map three, both teams would be placed in Corrode to decide the winner of this match.
MIBR and NRG would push each other to the limit and into overtime.
In overtime, they would trade rounds, with the lead bouncing back and forth between the two, until NRG would be able to get a defuse off for match point, just to follow up with an aggressive final round on attack to win the map three and the match 16-14.
MIBR would be dropped down into the losers' round two, where they would have to fight and climb their way back, as they are on the brink of elimination.
MIBR will face DRX, and Paper Rex will take on Team Heretics.
Now the stage is set for the upper finals, FNATIC take on NRG for the first spot in the Grand Finals.