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Back on Top Once Again

Dragon Ranger Gaming (DRG) has done it again. The Chinese side swept Rare Atom 3-0 in the grand final of VCT Ascension China 2025, earning their place in the VALORANT Champions Tour (VCT) for another season. It’s a triumphant return for the team, who now hold two Ascension trophies in just three years.

The victory not only reaffirms DRG’s dominance in China’s tier-two VALORANT scene but also ends an eventful nine-day tournament featuring eight of the country’s strongest challengers.

From Champions to Defenders

DRG’s journey to this year’s Ascension wasn’t straightforward. Despite qualifying for VALORANT Champions 2025, the team was forced to defend their VCT slot due to a new rule implemented by Riot Games. Both DRG and the 2024 Ascension team, Xi Lai Gaming (XLG), had reached Champions, meaning only the better-performing squad at that event could automatically retain its VCT spot.

Since DRG exited the tournament slightly earlier than XLG, they had to fight their way back through Ascension. And fight they did.

A Flawless Group Stage

DRG entered the competition as heavy favourites, and they made it known early. The team dominated Thunder Gaming and Zhu Chao Gaming in back-to-back 2-0 victories to top Group A without dropping a single map.

Over in Group B, Rare Atom led the charge, sweeping through opponents with equal confidence to set up what many fans hoped would be a long-awaited rematch between the two giants.

Meanwhile, Any Questions Gaming (AQG) and Octagonal Disposition Gaming (ODG) claimed the final two playoff spots after surviving the double-elimination group stage.

A Rocky Start, Then a Ruthless Comeback

The playoffs began with Rare Atom crushing ODG to continue their unbeaten streak, while DRG faced a shocking upset. Any Questions Gaming, led by standout players iamgrq and Dannyy, edged out DRG 13-11 and 14-12 to send them tumbling into the lower bracket.

But if there’s one thing DRG has proven over the years, it’s their resilience. They bounced back with a 13-3, 13-7 sweep over ODG, then met AQG again in the lower final.

This time, DRG wasn’t leaving anything to chance. They stormed to a 2-0 lead with dominant 13-6 and 13-5 victories before AQG clawed back to force a fifth map. On Lotus, DRG shut the door with a convincing 13-7, booking their ticket to a grudge match against Rare Atom in the grand final.

Grand Final: Total Domination

The grand final was a statement. Facing off against the same team they had beaten two years earlier in the China Ascension 2023 final, DRG proved why they belong in tier one.

They crushed Rare Atom 3-0 in style, opening with a 13-4 win on Corrode and following up with 13-10 on Sunset. Then came Bind, their so-called permaban map, where DRG humiliated their opponents with a 13-1 finish.

SpiritZ1, the team’s Duelist ace, was unstoppable. His Reyna performance against Rare Atom lit up the scoreboard with a smooth 4K, while teammate Akeman impressed on Jett. SpiritZ1 closed out the event with 261 ACS, 0.94 KPR, and a 1.29 K/D, earning the MVP title.

Rare Atom’s Third Heartbreak

For Rare Atom, this marks their third consecutive second-place finish at Ascension, a brutal streak that’s earned them comparisons to football’s “nearly men”. One fan on X summed it up perfectly: “Rare Atom is the Arsenal of China, bro.”

Despite their consistency, the team once again fell short of the top spot. Star Duelist zhe had been one of the standout players of the tournament, finishing with an incredible 43/20/5 KDA and 306 ACS in the upper final. But in the grand final, DRG simply had their number.

The Kings Return to VCT

With this win, Dragon Ranger Gaming reclaims their spot in VCT China for the 2026 season, cementing themselves as one of the region’s most successful Ascension teams.

From being forced to defend their place to lifting the trophy once again, DRG’s redemption arc is one for the books, and one that ensures fans will be seeing a lot more of them on the VCT stage next year.