HOTU Outlast Gentle Mates to Claim Victory in Portugal
HOTU climbed to 21st in the Valve Standings after defeating Gentle Mates to secure the $5,929 top prize at Roman Imperium Cup V. The final day also saw BetBoom lock in third place with a victory over fnatic. HOTU relied on a spectacular individual performance from Dmitry “mizu” Kondratev, who finished the tournament with a 1.42 rating. The 22-year-old was unstoppable for much of the event, recording a 1.58 rating or higher in six of his nine map appearances.
The Russophone roster features David “n0rb3r7” Danielyan and is led by coach Rustem “mou” Telepov. This victory provides momentum as the team prepares for IEM Rio in April while maintaining their pursuit of a Cologne Major qualifying spot.
Resilience and Tactical Dominance on Overpass
HOTU showed mental fortitude in the grand final after suffering a 13-0 defeat on the second map against Gentle Mates. Their opponents had reached the final following wins over Passion UA during Santino “try” Rigal’s debut and BetBoom. Stability returned on the decider of Overpass, where n0rb3r7 took control. The Rio Major winner produced a 2.01 rating on the final map to secure the championship trophy.
Roman Imperium Cup V Prize Pool Breakdown ($11,788)
The tournament featured a total $11,788 prize pool, distributed as follows:
| Place | Prize (USD) | Prize (EUR) | Participant |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🥇 1st | $5,894.49 | €5,000 | HOTU |
| 🥈 2nd | $2,947.24 | €2,500 | Gentle Mates |
| 🥉 3rd | $1,768.35 | €1,500 | BetBoom Team |
| 4th | $1,178.90 | €1,000 | Fnatic |
| 5th–8th | – | – | Passion UA, 100 Thieves, Betclic Apogee Esports, Monte |
| 9th–12th | – | – | EYEBALLERS, Rebels Gaming, SAW, Ninjas in Pyjamas |
| 13th–15th | – | – | FC Famalicão Esports, Oramond, BESTIA |
| DQ | – | – | ALGO Esports |
The tournament marked the first appearance of 100 Thieves, who eliminated Ninjas in Pyjamas during the group stages. While the win earned the new squad 118 points, analyst Finn “Mischief” Farrer noted they require three additional LAN victories to obtain an official ranking. Follow TipsGG for more updates on HOTU and international Counter-Strike.