Day One of the BLAST Austin Major 2025 is officially in the books, and if there’s one thing we’ve learned already, it’s that no one is safe.
Expectations were shattered, favorites fumbled, and underdogs came out swinging like they had something to prove. Welcome to high-stakes Dota on North American soil, where reputations are fragile, and momentum is everything.
As reported by eTrueSports, Gaimin Gladiators, one of the most consistent teams of the past two seasons, fell 0–2 to Southeast Asia’s rising stars, Execration.
It wasn’t just a loss, it was a systematic dismantling. Execration’s tempo-based aggression caught Gaimin off guard from the first horn, and their carry player “Palos” looked absolutely unstoppable. His Game 1 Phantom Lancer performance was textbook SEAsian chaos, slippery, unpredictable, and merciless.
Then there was beastcoast, who came in with high expectations after a string of strong regional performances, only to get outplayed by a resurgent NAVI roster that looks completely reborn.
BLAST Austin Major 2025The Eastern European squad drafted smart, played fast, and punished every overextension. For beastcoast, it wasn’t just a tough loss, it was a wake-up call. If they want to make a serious run in Austin, they’ll need to shake off the rust, fast.
Meanwhile, paiN Gaming continued their regional resurgence with a tight 2–1 win over Entity, pulling out some bold drafts and even bolder teamfight coordination.
With every LAN showing, this Brazilian squad continues to prove that South America’s rise isn’t a fluke. They’re scrappy, composed, and fully capable of going the distance.
But not every upset was about who lost, some of it was about how they lost. Team Liquid, widely seen as a top contender, narrowly avoided disaster after a brutal Game 1 loss to OG.
While Liquid bounced back to take the series 2–1, their shaky early-game coordination and strange draft choices raised more than a few eyebrows. OG, for their part, looked revitalized, leaning on their younger core to bring explosive energy to the stage. It’s the kind of series that reminds us: even giants bleed.
On the individual side, the standout of the day might be Xantic from Tundra Esports, who turned in an absolutely monstrous Storm Spirit performance against Talon.
His 18/1/13 statline wasn’t just flashy, it was the backbone of Tundra’s comeback in Game 2. If Tundra can harness that same energy moving forward, they’ll be a serious problem in the upper bracket.
New blood is rising, established names are getting tested, and the margin for error is razor-thin. Day Two promises even more chaos — and if today’s results are any indication, we’re in for one hell of a Major.
