Paper Rex finally got what they were chasing for years. On June 23, the VCT Pacific team beat Fnatic 3–1 in the Grand Final to become VALORANT Masters Toronto champions, their first ever international trophy. It wasn’t easy and probably never is for them, but now no one can say they haven’t won it on the global stage.
The match stretched across four maps—Sunset, Icebox, Pearl, and Lotus—with PRX picking up the opener and finishing off the last two. They also grabbed a $350,000 prize money and 7 VCT points. But more than that, they crushed what many fans called the “runner-up curse” that’s been hovering over them since 2022.
PRX Storm Through Upper Bracket
Starting from Swiss Stage as VCT Pacific’s third seed, not many would’ve thought Paper Rex could dominate this much. But they did. Once the playoffs began, they went full throttle. They beat G2 Esports, Sentinels, and Wolves Esports—all 2–0 clean wins, no maps lost. That form put them straight into the Grand Final, with a veto advantage and a ton of confidence behind them.
Fnatic, on the other hand, had a rocky road. They came in as EMEA’s top seed and began straight in the Playoffs, but lost to Gen.G 2–1 in their first series. After that, they went on a survival run, squeezing out wins against RRQ and Sentinels. Then they really kicked in—swept G2, then outplayed Wolves 3–1 in the lower bracket final. They fought tooth and nail to earn that rematch with PRX.
Map One: Sunset – A Statement Start
On Sunset, Fnatic started hot, taking the first four rounds quickly. But PRX bounced back hard, winning eight straight to go into halftime with 8–4. Fnatic tried slowing the game down in the second half, playing more careful and methodical, but PRX read them well. With sharp setups like boosted walls and early duels from f0rsakeN and Jinggg, they kept ahead. PRX closed it 13–11 and took the first map.
Image Credits: Riot Games
Map Two: Icebox – Fnatic Clings On in Overtime
Icebox was in chaos. Pure back-and-forth action from both sides. It was 6–6 at half, and neither team wanted to give an inch. Fnatic pulled ahead 12–7 with clutch play from kaajak and Chronicle, who really got key value out of their utilities. But PRX didn’t back down—they dragged it back to overtime. It looked like PRX might steal it, but Fnatic held strong in the late rounds. Kaajak dropped 32 kills, and Fnatic took it 17–15.
Image Credits: Riot Games
Map Three: Pearl – PRX Flip the Script
Nobody expected Pearl to make it into the map pool. It’s usually Fnatic’s permaban. But here it was—and strangely, Fnatic didn’t look too bothered. They went double Duelist with little practice, as Alfajer admitted later. Even so, they led 7–5 at half and won both pistols to push their lead.
That wasn’t enough. PRX flipped the switch. They slowed down, coordinated well, and punished Fnatic’s risks. Jinggg’s Judge work up close and f0rsakeN’s mid-round calls really took over. PRX won 13–10 and were now one map away from the title.
Image Credits: Riot Games
Map Four: Lotus – Sealing the Championship
Fnatic tried to force a fifth map, and Lotus almost went there. PRX led 7–5 after another tight first half, but Fnatic didn’t fold. They tied it 11–11, then got to 12–11, one round from a decider. But again, Paper Rex found composure. A clutch 2v4 by f0rsakeN and something tied the map 12–12. Then, in overtime, PRX shut it down. They won 14–12 and, with that, the whole event.
Image Credits: Riot Games
Valorant Masters Toronto 2025 MVP
Jason “f0rsakeN” Susanto was the difference maker throughout the event and especially in the final. Across four maps, he had 81 kills and 223 ACS. He led when needed, initiated fights when others hesitated, and played flexible roles without issue. Easily the MVP, both statistically and in-game presence.
Post-Match Reactions
Image Credits: Riot Games
This wasn’t just a win, it was an emotional release. The players, the staff—many of them couldn’t hold back tears after the final round. Years of falling short, now washed away in one night.
“We’ve worked so hard for so long,” said d4v41 during the winner’s interview, clearly trying not to cry.
Coach alecks explained what had changed: “We didn’t go too crazy this time. We just calmed down, thought smarter, and let things happen. That’s all.”
Jinggg, overwhelmed, simply said, “I used to be a kid who wanted to play games. Now I’m a Masters champion. I don’t know what else to say, but I’m thankful.”
VALORANT Masters Toronto is in the books, and now VCT Stage 2 is the focus. Teams still have one last shot to qualify for Champions 2025. But for Paper Rex, this win means more than just points. It’s proof that perseverance does pay off—and that the Pacific region can produce champions. The curse? It’s gone. They did it.
