The 2 most dominant forces in Dota 2 clashed within the grand finals of The Worldwide 2023 immediately, with Group Spirit displaying the combat for the Aegis of Champions wasn’t even a contest.
In a crushing 3-0 sweep, Spirit ended Gaimin Gladiator’s bid for an ideal season and have become simply the second group to ever win two TI titles.
Whereas the 12 months began gradual for Spirit, they labored themselves into championship kind with large wins at Riyadh Masters 2023 and DreamLeague Season 21, carrying that momentum straight into an almost undefeated run at TI12.
From a prime end within the group stage to totally decimating the world’s finest groups in playoffs, Spirit dropped two video games all through their time in Seattle, one to every of Virtus.professional and Group Liquid. That places them at a 19-2 file and a 90.5 % winrate for TI12, the very best win share for a TI winner in historical past—eclipsing TI3 Alliance’s 88.5 % and TI NAVI’s 90 %.
In grand finals, Spirit set the tone earlier than the draft ever began as Yatoro walked on-stage in Local weather Pledge Enviornment with a freshly shaved head.
With that sacrifice to the Dota gods, the bald buff of legend was granted to Spirit, resulting in a game-one stomp on the again of Yatoro’s 18-kill Weaver that dealt 47 % of Spirit’s injury.
Recreation two was a lot nearer, however Yatoro went nuclear on a Faceless Void that had solely appeared 19 instances all through everything of TI12. This included a number of Chronosphere lockdowns and a Rampage to finish the sport—increasing his file as the one participant to ever file a couple of Rampage throughout a TI Important Occasion together with his fourth.
Gaimin regarded like they’d handily take sport three due to Quinn’s signature Pangolier making its 63rd look this 12 months alongside Ace’s Brewmaster.
At one level Dota Plus put them at a 96 percent chance to win, however it didn’t bear in mind Yatoro refusal to lose and Collapse’s metabreaking Spirit Breaker that helped Spirit break Gaimin’s spirit—attempt saying that 10 instances quick.
Lower than a minute after that Dota Plus menu was proven on display screen, Spirit began an infinite sequence of aggressive pushes and picks that snowballed right into a TI win, due to Mira’s Tusk. It was removed from a fairly ending, however Gaimin couldn’t decelerate Spirit, and after a combat for a Roshan went horribly unsuitable, it took lower than 5 minutes to shut out the final sport.
“It’s magic,” Miposhka said in regards to the comeback. “It’s our Group Spirit.”
With this win, Spirit turns into the second Dota 2 group to ever elevate a second Aegis—following OG at TI8 and TI9. Yatoro, Collapse, Mira, and Misposhka additionally be part of these legendary OG lineups as the one gamers to have ever received a second TI, with Larl the one newcomer who wasn’t there for their first win at TI10.
Spirit is taking dwelling $1,414,763 from the TI12 prize pool, although that quantity might jump significantly thanks to Siberian OnlyFans model Eva Elfie. It is a far cry from their TI10 earnings of $18.2 million, however they did recoup a few of that complete by profitable $5 million at Riyadh Masters.
Gaimin’s loss marks the continuation of the “TI curse,” as no group has ever received a DPC Main after which went on to win TI. If Gaimin had received TI12, they’d have been the primary group to interrupt that curse, the one group to have ever began within the decrease bracket and win a TI, and have accomplished the primary “Dota Grand Slam” with three Main wins alongside a TI Aegis.
As an alternative, they head dwelling struggling their first finals lack of the 12 months, $377,214 for second place, and lots to consider heading right into a 2024 season that received’t characteristic a Dota Professional Circuit.
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