Heroic Eliminate FaZe: s1mple’s Debut Cut Short
In group stage drama, HEROIC ended FaZe’s playoff hopes with a 2-1 win (Ancient 9-13, Anubis 13-7, Mirage 16-14). Álvaro “SunPayus” García led the charge alongside xfl0ud and tN1R, while FaZe faltered despite veteran karrigan’s heroics.
Ukrainian superstar Oleksandr “s1mple” Kostyliev struggled, managing a mere 0.85 average rating across all maps after entering as FaZe’s top-rated player. Despite this dip, he closed the event with a respectable 1.11 rating on debut — offering promise ahead of their Austin rebound with Håvard “rain” Nygaard returning.
Final Thoughts
As the IEM Dallas playoffs unfold, every matchup brims with history, strategy, and personal redemption arcs. Who will rise above the rest? Stay tuned — and don’t miss a round.
Familiar Foes Return: Rematches from Astana and Melbourne
The IEM Dallas playoff bracket is officially locked in following an electrifying group stage. GamerLegion clinched the final playoff spot after eliminating G2, while Vitality extended their monumental 28-match win streak — securing a semi-final berth over The MongolZ.
Dallas 2025United States, Dallas, Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center
Vitality
MOUZ
Falcons EsportsThe MongolZ Seek Revenge on Aurora
The MongolZ are set to kick off their playoff journey with a revenge match against Aurora — reprising their PGL Astana quarter-final clash. Aurora had ended a five-event playoff drought in Astana by sweeping The MongolZ 2-0 before falling to Astralis.
Azbayar “Senzu” Munkhbold and his squad are aiming to reverse their arena misfortunes and assert dominance on the big stage.
GamerLegion vs. Falcons: A Melbourne Rematch
Over in the other quarter-final, Falcons take on GamerLegion in a rematch of their one-sided Melbourne encounter — where GamerLegion managed just seven rounds across two maps. This time, with Frederik “acoR” Gyldstrand stepping in as stand-in, the underdogs look to flip the script.
Falcons, however, are hungry to bounce back from their first non-Vitality loss since adding Ilya “m0NESY” Osipov.
What’s at Stake in the Semis?
Awaiting the Falcons vs. GamerLegion winner is none other than Dan “apEX” Madesclaire’s Vitality. A Falcons victory could trigger another high-stakes rematch — this time of the IEM Melbourne and BLAST Rivals grand finals.
On the other side, MOUZ will clash with the victor of The MongolZ vs. Aurora, setting up potential fireworks.