Gaimin Gladiators cemented their dominance as one of the best Dota 2 teams in the world after a convincing victory over Team Liquid in the grand finals of the Riyadh Masters 2024. The best-of-five series proved to be a one-sided affair, with GG dismantling Liquid 3-0 in a display of strategic brilliance and exceptional teamwork.
This win marks a resurgence for Gaimin Gladiators, who despite a somewhat underwhelming regular season, peaked at the right moment. It also rekindled the fierce competition between the two teams, reminiscent of their past clashes where they consistently battled for the top spot.
The Riyadh Masters became a battleground for Europe's finest, with both GG and Liquid showcasing a return to form. However, in the end, it was GG's tactical and psychological edge proving too much for Liquid to handle.
Reminiscent of their past clashes, especially during the now defunct Dota Pro Circuit (DPC) and subsequent majors during that period, Gaimin Gladiators now has a 100% win record against Team Liquid for title contention.
This is GG’s fifth win on a LAN against TL. Here’s the list of victories:
The grand finals itself was a masterclass in execution from Gaimin Gladiators. They completely shut down Liquid's win conditions, consistently outplaying them in team fights. As a result of this victory, they have won $1.5 million in prize money and 1000 EWC points.
For Team Liquid, the loss extends their streak of grand finals defeats, adding further fuel to the narrative of their second-place curse. Their failure to cross over the “second-place” plateau and lift a Dota 2 trophy for such a long time is worrying, despite boasting one of the most stable rosters.
Despite stomping Team Falcons in the lower bracket of the Riyadh Masters to book their berth in the grand finals, Liquid simply couldn't match the sheer power and coordination of Gaimin Gladiators on the day when it mattered the most.
The Dota 2 Riyadh Masters 2024 has come to a close, once again cementing Gaimin Gladiators firmly atop the European Dota 2 scene. It also puts them in the race to be one of the best Dota 2 teams in the world.
This victory not only serves as a precursor to how The International 2024 (TI13) is going to shape up but also highlights the incredible game prowess of the team’s prolific mid-laner Quinn “Quinn” Callahan as he wins the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award at the tournament.
Additionally, Quinn also wins $50,000 for his MVP performance.
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