Paper Rex pushed to the lower bracket by Fnatic
Fnatic moved forward at VALORANT Champions 2025 after defeating Paper Rex 2-1 in the upper bracket semifinal. Despite missing Emir 'Alfajer' Beder due to health issues, Fnatic relied on stand-in Domagoj 'Doma' Fancev and secured a spot in the next round. The win placed Paper Rex in the lower bracket, where survival is now their only path.
Paper Rex started strong on Bind, winning 13-10, with Khalish 'd4v41' Rusyaidee punishing Fnaticโs slow plays. However, Fnatic struck back on Haven, using calls from Jake 'Boaster' Howlett and a strong Yoru run from Kajetan 'kaajak' Haremski, which helped them claim a 13-4 win.
The last map, Lotus, saw Paper Rex dominate the first half with a 9-3 lead. Still, Fnatic staged a major comeback by winning 12 rounds in a row, closing the map 13-9 and the match 2-1. Fnatic and NRG will meet in the upper bracket final on October 3 in Paris.
