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The final stop before Dota 2’s biggest stage, The International 2025, has wrapped up, and it’s Team Falcons standing tall. The Western European squad dismantled Team Spirit 3-0 in the grand final of FISSURE Universe Episode 6, bagging the title, US$125,000 in prize money, and, perhaps most importantly, revenge.

This wasn’t just another tournament win. It was a full-circle redemption arc. Just over a month ago, Falcons had their hearts broken by Spirit at the Esports World Cup 2025, falling in a brutal 0-3 sweep. This time around, Falcons flipped the script, sweeping Spirit in identical fashion to claim the last tier-one trophy before TI14 in Hamburg.

Game by game: Falcons’ dominance

Game 1 – Troll Warlord takes flight
The opener set the tone right from the draft. Spirit threw a curveball by slotting Marat “Mirele” Gazetdinov on midlane Slardar, filling in for Denis “Larl” Sigitov who’s recovering from surgery. Unfortunately, it didn’t quite land. Stanislav “Malr1ne” Potorak’s Sand King outclassed him, giving Falcons the early edge.

Spirit fought back with trademark resilience, even clawing back a 7,000-gold deficit to even things up. But Oliver “Skiter” Lepko’s Troll Warlord proved unstoppable once he got his items. With Black King Bar and Linken’s Sphere in hand, Skiter shredded Spirit’s defences, forcing the tap-out before the 50-minute mark.

Game 2 – Malr1ne and ATF show up big
The second map was tight for the first 20 minutes until Malr1ne’s Nature’s Prophet took over. Constant ganks and map pressure saw him rack up 14 kills without a single death, swinging momentum firmly towards Falcons.

Ammar “ATF” Al-Assaf then sealed the deal on his signature Mars, dictating teamfights and leaving Spirit with no way back. Jing “Sneyking” Wu also shone on Pugna, providing clutch support that tilted the long midgame in Falcons’ favour.

Game 3 – Bristleback brilliance
The closer was all Falcons. ATF pulled out Bristleback, a hero largely ignored in the current meta, and made it look broken. Spirit’s Illya “Yatoro” Mulyarchuk had Morphling, but the hero needs time — and Falcons simply didn’t give it. Once again, ATF proved why he’s considered the best Bristleback player in pro Dota, bulldozing Spirit in under 30 minutes.

Revenge, redemption, and timing

This victory carried more weight than just silverware. It snapped Spirit’s monstrous 10-series win streak and served as poetic justice for Falcons after their painful Riyadh loss.

It also couldn’t have come at a better time. Falcons’ form earlier in the year was shaky, bottoming out at 9th–11th at PGL Wallachia Season 4. Their runner-up finish at EWC hinted at a resurgence, and now, with their first tournament win of 2025, Falcons have hit peak form just 10 days before The International kicks off in Hamburg, Germany.

Their roster, Skiter, Malr1ne, ATF, Andreas “Cr1t-” Nielsen, and Sneyking, has always had pedigree, but consistency was the missing piece. With momentum now firmly on their side, Falcons have cemented themselves as one of the scariest teams heading into TI.

What’s next

TI14 runs from 4–14 September with a growing prize pool already at US$2 million, boosted by Supporter’s Club bundles. The field is stacked with 16 of the world’s best teams, though it’s worth noting that Gaimin Gladiators withdrew after internal conflicts, leaving the door even more open.

Team Spirit will regroup, they’re still two-time TI champions and never out of the picture. But for now, it’s all about Team Falcons, who’ve found their wings at the perfect moment.