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Eternal Fire clawed back from two maps down to beat fnatic 3-2 in the Stake Ranked Episode 5 grand final, locking in a lower bracket run that included wins over Nemesis, BIG, Astralis and MIBR along the way.
The grand final doubled as a direct swing match for the final Major slots in Europe. A win pushed the victor’s qualification odds toward 90%, while the loser dropped into territory where a Major spot now looks unlikely. Eternal Fire seized that swing, riding a standout showing from Samet “jottAAA” Köklü to close the series 3-2 after starting the match 0-2 down.
jottAAA finished the series with a 1.21 rating, the top mark on either roster, and his damage output kept Eternal Fire alive in rounds even as fnatic built early map leads. Caner “soulfly” Kesici and Iulian “regali” Harjău supplied the secondary firepower needed to swing momentum once the series hit its decisive maps.
fnatic’s form through the bracket had looked sharp, and the Ukrainian-led lineup carried a 0-2 scoreline into the decider before the collapse. Dmytro “jambo” Semera topped the losing side’s stat sheet with a 1.25 rating, backed by Artem “cairne” Mushynskyi and Nikita “jackasmo” Skyba, but the roster couldn’t close out the set once Eternal Fire found their rhythm.
| fnatic | K-D | Swing | ADR | KAST | Rating |
| jambo | 81-61 | +3.11% | 80.5 | 75.7% | 1.25 |
| cairne | 73-62 | +1.25% | 74.9 | 72.8% | 1.18 |
| jackasmo | 75-71 | +1.75% | 77.2 | 72.8% | 1.13 |
| mazay | 60-74 | +0.78% | 67.5 | 69.9% | 0.98 |
| fEAR | 52-77 | -4.01% | 62.2 | 65.0% | 0.76 |
| Eternal Fire | K-D | Swing | ADR | KAST | Rating |
| jottAAA | 78-67 | +1.46% | 86.2 | 69.9% | 1.21 |
| soulfly | 64-70 | -0.45% | 78.3 | 73.8% | 1.06 |
| regali | 74-61 | -1.37% | 69.4 | 78.6% | 1.02 |
| MisteM | 57-70 | -0.80% | 63.8 | 71.8% | 0.92 |
| Kvem | 71-77 | -1.99% | 73.4 | 70.9% | 0.91 |
The result of Stake Ranked Episode 5 narrows the Major picture in Europe down to five teams fighting over three remaining spots.
Eternal Fire Surge in the Standings
Eternal Fire’s win marks their third title in a month and a half, a run that has pushed their qualification probability up to 87.9%. fnatic sit at 17.5% after the final, a sharp drop from where they stood heading into the match.
The broader standings now show Astralis holding 13th with 1576 points, down ten on the week, while MIBR occupy 17th on 1554 after a four-point gain. Eternal Fire’s jump to 21st on 1512 points reflects a 104-point swing from the title run. fnatic sit 25th on 1485, up 75 despite the final defeat. Inner Circle hold 30th on 1422, up 22, with BIG just behind in 32nd on 1419 after dropping 13. magic sit 38th on 1381, down 15, and Nemesis round out the group in 44th on 1360, down 14 following their lower bracket exit.
| # | Team | Points |
| 13 | Astralis | 1576 (-10) |
| 17 | MIBR | 1554 (+4) |
| 21 | Eternal Fire | 1512 (+104) |
| 25 | fnatic | 1485 (+75) |
| 30 | Inner Circle | 1422 (+22) |
| 32 | BIG | 1419 (+13) |
| 38 | magic | 1381 (-15) |
| 44 | Nemesis | 1360 (-14) |
These numbers reflect the standings just after the event’s final match and can shift as other qualifiers wrap up. With three Major spots still open and five rosters in the mix, every remaining result carries weight.
Stake Ranked Episode 5
Total Prize Pool: $100,000 USD
| Place | Participant | $ USD |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eternal Fire | $25,000 |
| 2 | Fnatic | $17,500 |
| 3 | MIBR | $13,500 |
| 4 | Astralis | $11,000 |
| 5–6 | IC Esports | $9,000 |
| BIG | ||
| 7–8 | magic | $7,500 |
| Team Nemesis |
What the Comeback Means for the Major Race
Eternal Fire’s path through the lower bracket stands out as much as the final itself. Beating Nemesis, BIG, Astralis and MIBR in succession before overturning a two-map deficit against fnatic is a run built on composure under pressure, not a single hot map. jottAAA’s series rating backs that up, and the roster’s depth through soulfly and regali gave them the tools to adjust once the opening two maps slipped away.
fnatic now face a steep climb. A 17.5% qualification chance leaves little margin, and the squad will need results against the remaining contenders to claw back into range. jambo’s 1.25 rating shows the talent is there, but closing out series against a team playing with the composure Eternal Fire showed will be the test going forward.
The gap between a Major berth and a missed cycle now sits at a handful of points for several of these rosters. Follow TipsGG for continued coverage as the remaining qualifiers play out and the final Major spots in Europe are decided.