Dota 2
CS2
BLAST Slam VI’s grand finals saw Natus Vincere taking on Team Liquid, as the two teams took us into an epic championship matchup.
The first Tier 1 Dota 2 event of 2026 has now come and gone, with February 15th seeing the grand finals of BLAST Slam VI conclude. Team Liquid and Natus Vincere were the two challengers for the championship title, as both looked for an amazing start to the year. Although both teams were struggling to really find form, Liquid remained the favourites, even after an interesting Group Stage of best-of-ones.
Read more: tOfu interview at BLAST Slam VI: “We have made a lot of progress over time”
But, with the playoffs having no safety net of a lower bracket, both teams secured themselves a spot into the grand finals.
Team Liquid start 2026 off with a huge victory at BLAST Slam VI
When these two teams met in during the Group Stage, it was a best-of-one with constant action, as they fought it out for over an hour. When the dust settled, it was Liquid that came out on top. However, when it came down to it, NAVI leapfrogged Liquid for the direct placement into the semi-finals of BLAST Slam VI.
Liquid got themselves off to a blistering start in the series, with Michael “miCKe” Vu’s Windrunner dominating in the first game. However, a fantastic second game from NAVI, which ended in a chaotic push to destroy the Ancient had the series tied up at one a piece. Liquid turned the head up once again in Game 3, this time with a nearly unstoppable Kez from their carry.
With their backs against the wall, NAVI tried their best to bring the series back to a tied scoreline again, but it was not to be. The problems with their draft became apparent once the 20-minute mark hit, and Liquid began to hit their stride, while NAVI had no answer. And small windows to make their way back into the game from NAVI were quickly shutdown, as they watched their hopes of claiming their first tournament win in many years dwindle.
Read more: gotthejuice talks NAVI's stability, new coach, and first place ambitions
By 33-minutes, it was all over, with NAVI throwing in the towel, which meant that Liquid secured a superb 3-1 victory in the grand finals of BLAST Slam VI. This would be a huge step in the right direction for the team, having not won a Tier 1 event since PGL Wallachia Season 4 in April 2025. Unfortunately for NAVI, they would have to settle for an admirable second place.
Both teams now get themselves ready for DreamLeague Season 28, which kicks off on Monday, February 16th. It will be interesting to see if the two grand finalists of BLAST Slam VI can match their performance in the upcoming event or if they will fall early.