3 in a row: Gaimin Gladiators and Liquid advance to Bali Major grand final

Gaimin Gladiators and Team Liquid have secured a spot in the Bali Major 2023 grand finals, which will be their third Major grand final encounter.

Showcasing aggressive prowess and consistent performances throughout the season, Team Liquid and Gaimin Gladiators have advanced to the championship match for the third time. This would be Team Liquid’s third opportunity to ultimately defeat their opponents and win a major championship after the Gaimin Gladiators managed to defeat them twice in the previous championship game. Meanwhile, Gaimin Gladiators hope to equal OG’s record set in 2016 by winning three straight majors, cementing their name in Dota 2 history.

Team Liquid and Gaimin Gladiators set third championship bout in a row

Gaimin Gladiators dominated Tundra in the upper bracket finals with a 2-0 sweep to secure their third consecutive Major Grand finals participation this season. Quinn “Quinn” Callahan put on a masterful effort in game one, compiling a staggering 19 kills while conceding two deaths to help Gaimin Gladiators secure a handy victory.

Quinn maintained his impressive performance in game two, recording 12 kills, 13 assists, and just one death. His efforts were well supported by Melchior “Seleri” Hillenkamp on Enchantress and Erik “tOfu” Engel on Lion, who both had six kills to contribute to the team’s victory in the decisive game.

Team Liquid managed to overcome the TI 2022 champions Tundra in the lower bracket and advanced to the Bali Major’s champions match, setting a new record for grand final appearances. With nine appearances, Virtus.pro previously held the record for most Dota 2 Major finals.

Nonetheless, Liquid now holds the record with ten grand finals appearances, despite the fact that the team never performed well in these Championship matches and their nine tries resulted in just one Major trophy, which was won in China Supermajor in 2019.

Will Liquid finally break the curse or the Gladiators make it three?

The first meeting between Team Liquid and Gaimin Gladiators occurred at the Lima Major 2023, where the Gladiators won the title with a 3-0 sweep. Team Liquid and Gaimin Gladiators once again crossed paths in the Berlin Major 2023, the second major of the DPC 2023 season, as both teams put on impressive performances in their respective brackets of the playoffs.

This time around, Team Liquid put on a much more competitive performance, but it wasn’t enough to hold back Gaimin Gladiators as they ultimately won 3-1 to reclaim their title. Both teams will face off for the third time today at the Bali Major grand final, which will begin at 9:00 pm PT.

Header: Valve