The return of Liquid: How two-time TI champions took the BLAST Slam VI title

Two-time TI champions, Staff Liquid, are the brand new Dota 2 BLAST Slam champions. After a gruelling back-and-forth sequence towards Na’Vi, which led to a 3-1 victory for Staff Liquid, the champions ended Tundra Esports’ four-time BLAST Slam championship reign. With its dominating victory, Staff Liquid reminded the opposite Dota 2 groups that they’re again and, presumably, higher than ever.

Not solely did Staff Liquid seize the title from Tundra, however additionally they formed the Dota 2 aggressive meta going ahead. The group’s adaptability and expertise overcame Na’Vi’s chaos, propelling Staff Liquid to the highest of the mountain as soon as once more. Right here’s how they achieved this feat.

Whereas different groups have been targeted on experimental Largo-centric lineups, Staff Liquid performed it protected and caught to its strengths. Through the early levels of BLAST Slam VI, Liquid approached its gameplay with restraint, testing the waters with safe lanes, scalable cores, and versatile help duos that helped its cores: all of the elements that made them profitable up to now.

The results of this was a secure group stage, the place Liquid received most of its sequence, solely dropping a single sport every to groups like Tundra, OG, and Yandex. After a 7-4 group stage, Staff Liquid defeated GamerLegion in the course of the play-ins and made it to the BLAST Slam VI playoffs in dominant style, inserting third general within the rankings.

Through the playoffs, Staff Liquid levelled up even additional. The brand new best-of-five format suited the group very effectively, knocking out fan favourites like Staff Falcons and OG from the Dota 2 event, earlier than defeating Na’Vi to turn out to be champions.

As talked about earlier, most groups have been making an attempt to arrange drafts constructed round Largo, sacrificing its strengths for the sake of the hero. Staff Liquid was no stranger to the Bard Frog, seamlessly integrating him into its drafts with out compromising the integrity of its gameplay. They used Largo to complement their weaker heroes, providing nice early-mid sport heals.

When going through Largo, as a substitute of banning the hero outright, Staff Liquid would ban synergistic heroes prevalent within the BLAST Slam VI meta. Doing this ensured that Largo was lowered to nothing greater than a healbot for weaker heroes, and may very well be safely ignored whereas coping with the enemy group. Staff Liquid confirmed self-discipline as a substitute of enjoying a reactive sport.

After they did use Largo, Liquid principally drafted the hero for its offlane participant, Ace. In the event that they knew the hero was countered in the course of the drafting part, they might flex it to the help position, the place tOfu would decide it up as a substitute.

Whereas Na’Vi set the early BLAST Slam VI meta by dominating most groups with its aggressive lineup and chaotic playstyle, Staff Liquid performed a extra structured sport whereas biding its time. Being two-time TI champions, the members of Staff Liquid have been used to high-pressure conditions and really hardly ever reacted to Na’Vi’s fixed provocations within the grand finals.

The one time Liquid faltered was throughout sport two of the grand finals, the place they have been dragged into Na’Vi’s unpredictable chaos. Studying from this loss, Staff Liquid caught to its strengths, specializing in early lane dominance and a methodical playstyle that slowly starved Na’Vi out of the map within the third and fourth video games, dismantling them from the within.

The final two video games have been masterclasses in high-level aggressive Dota. Liquid rapidly took towers, positioned aggressive wards, and managed contested areas, shrinking the map for Na’Vi little by little till they have been choked out utterly.

Staff Liquid’s monumental victory within the first main Dota 2 event of the yr alerts a aggressive reset within the fashionable Dota 2 meta. Whereas the early post-7.40 season showcased excessive volatility in drafting and general gameplay, the meta wasn’t as outlined as it’s now. Liquid’s efficiency at BLAST Slam VI was a reminder that stability nonetheless wins championships.

Its robust efficiency all through the event and subsequent championship win now positions Staff Liquid on the forefront of the 2026 season. Groups that counted Liquid out early will now have the two-time TI champions of their crosshairs as soon as once more, formulating methods to outplay them within the subsequent Dota 2 event.

After Tundra Esports acquired knocked out by Heroic within the play-ins, it was as much as a brand new group to face tall and seize the Dota 2 BLAST Slam VI championship title. Staff Liquid not solely stepped as much as the plate, however additionally they confirmed youthful groups that they’re right here to remain. Liquid’s fast adaptation to Patch 7.40 shocked lots of youthful groups and signalled a return to its TI kind.

Whereas Liquid had principally been inconsistent all through its 2025 run, its Dota 2 BLAST Slam victory might very effectively usher in a brand new period. Whether or not the group can keep its momentum or if it is a single-event peak is but to be seen, however it’s protected to say that Liquid is unquestionably the fan favorite going into the following Dota 2 event, DreamLeague Season 28.