brawk was MVP. Ethan became the first player to win Champions twice. Since then: 3rd in Santiago, reverse-swept out of London, and beaten by 100 Thieves and LOUD in the same week.
Nongshim RedForce against the champions NRG, then Karmine Corp against Xi Lai Gaming. Four teams, one group, the one nobody wanted.
The Pacific channel’s pick from Nongshim’s opener.
No team has ever repeated. The first step took two maps.
NRG
Nongshim RedForceLotus 13–5, then Split 13–10. The reigning champions are 1–0 and play Karmine Corp in the Group D winners’ match on Sept 29. Nongshim, nineteen days after losing the Pacific final from 2–0 up, drop to the elimination match against Xi Lai Gaming.
The champions’ first round of note in Shanghai came from mada. The official mic feed runs under it.
A dark day first. Then Paper Rex against G2 for the first playoff spot from Group C, and the champions NRG against Karmine Corp for the first from Group D.
Back-to-back playoffs, as mada put it.
Three maps in a few minutes, from the official channel.
Two series, four maps won, one lost. The playoffs start Oct 7. No champion has ever won the title twice.
Three clean shots from the only player to win Champions twice. The official short.
NRG
Karmine CorpKarmine Corp took Ascent 13–7. NRG answered on Summit 13–11 and Haven 13–9. The champions are through from the Group of Doom at 2–0; Karmine Corp play the decider on Oct 3 against the winner of Nongshim vs Xi Lai Gaming.
Two dark days, then the upper bracket: the champions NRG against T1, and Paper Rex against LOUD. The loser of each drops to the lower bracket, where the next loss ends it.
Karmine Corp took Ascent off them in the groups. Nobody else has taken anything. Two more series wins put them in a final.
The official short from the first playoff match.
NRG
T1Lotus 13–11, Summit 13–7. The champions are 3–0 in Shanghai and play LOUD in the upper bracket on Oct 10. T1’s first Champions playoffs continue in the lower bracket against Paper Rex on Oct 9.
Paper Rex, T1, Nongshim and 100 Thieves are in the lower bracket. Two of them go home on Oct 9.
LOUD against NRG, then Vitality against G2. The winners meet in the upper final on Oct 16. The losers drop to the lower bracket against 100 Thieves and T1 on Oct 11.
The only two-time Champions winner is one loss from the end of the defense. 100 Thieves next.
100 Thieves against NRG, a rematch of the Esports World Cup final, then T1 against G2. The loser of each goes home. The winners meet in the lower semi on Oct 16.
Paper Rex, NRG and three group wins. The only loss was to Vitality, who are waiting on Oct 16.
LOUD took the last place in the field with a 3–2 over NRG in São Paulo. They beat NRG again to reach the last three.
The official short from the series against the champions.
LOUDNRGHaven 13–9 to LOUD, Sunset 13–10 to NRG, Summit 13–3 to LOUD. The sixteenth and last team into the field is in the upper final against Vitality on Oct 16. The champions drop to the lower bracket, where 100 Thieves on Oct 11 is one loss from the end of the defense.
Two wins over the champions in two months. G2 next, and still one loss from out.
NRG came closer than most: 3–0 in the groups, a map off LOUD, an overtime map off 100 Thieves. Still 5th–6th.
The only player to win Champions twice leaves Shanghai without a third.
Six reigning champions have come back to defend. None has made it past the lower bracket since. NRG finish 5th–6th.
The official short. Paris to Shanghai in a year.
100 ThievesNRGSunset 14–12 in overtime, Haven 13–4. The reigning champions are out in 5th–6th, and no team has ever won Champions twice in a row. 100 Thieves, who beat NRG in the Esports World Cup final in August, play G2 in the lower semi on Oct 16.
The fan-storylines of VALORANT Champions Shanghai. Updated after each match day.
G2