Sunday marked the Grand Finals of the Dota 2 ESL One Kuala Lumpur and it actually was improbable collection. Earlier within the day, Chinese language workforce Azure Ray needed to go up in opposition to Group Liquid in a 3 sport decrease bracket ultimate that noticed them clinch a win.
Then, they confronted a 5 sport slog in opposition to the ultimate boss: Gaimin Gladiators. Everybody loves an underdog and the group was actually behind Azure going into the ultimate sport. In the long run, Azure Ray got here out on prime within the final reverse sweep. It was their first victory of this calibre because the workforce’s inception.
![Azure Ray](https://www.esports.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/ezgif.com-webp-to-jpg-converted-1.jpg)
Photograph supply: ESL
Most Aggressive Grand Finals in Some Time
Followers of Dota 2 are greater than used to seeing Gaimin Gladiators within the grand finals of Majors. Their win streak in 2023 is already a factor of legend. However it’s not usually they should struggle this difficult. They haven’t gone to five video games since their laborious gained victory over BetBoom at DreamLeague season 20.
Video games 1 and a pair of have been extraordinarily dominant from GG. Quinn’s Pangolier, Ace’s Broodmother and Dyrachyo’s Alchemist. Azure Ray have been effectively and really on the again foot. Till they weren’t.
Since patch 7.35 dropped, it has appeared that the workforce that may adapt the quickest is the workforce that may win. We actually noticed Azure Ray adapting to GG’s playstyle reside throughout a Grand Finals. It wasn’t a straightforward comeback in video games 3 and 4 however one factor was sure: the early aggression and assist rotation technique was now not working.
A New Champion of Dota 2 ESL One
Sport 5 began effectively for Gladiators. They lastly ran a sport with no assist Crystal Maiden, opting as a substitute for Grimstroke and Gyrocopter helps. Nonetheless, Azure Ray had them at each flip heading into the mid sport and as they took over increasingly of the map, there was little or no that GG may do.
At a 10-2 scoreline and a 7k gold benefit simply 20 minutes into the sport, Azure’s Outworld Destroyer mid decide was inflicting havoc, having barely been contested the remainder of the match.
It’s uncommon to see GG defeated in such a manner however Azure Ray have proved that Chinese language Dota is right here to remain. After a tough yr on the worldwide stage, this was the right technique to shut out 2023.