FISSURE Playground 2 Grand Finals Preview: The MongolZ vs FURIA

FISSURE Playground 2 Grand Finals Preview: The MongolZ vs FURIA

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
22d
Thales Costa

After an impressive victory over Team Liquid, The MongolZ have secured their spot in the FISSURE Playground 2 Grand Finals, setting up what promises to be an electrifying showdown against FURIA, who advanced after defeating Team Falcons in their semifinal match.

This Grand Finals matchup represents a fascinating clash between Asia's premier Counter-Strike powerhouse and Brazil's revitalized international roster, both teams bringing contrasting but equally effective approaches that have carried them through a competitive field to reach this pivotal moment.

The MongolZ: Asian Excellence Personified

The MongolZ have established themselves as the undisputed kings of Asian Counter-Strike, currently sitting at #3 in the Strafe World Rankings and recently achieving the #1 spot in the VRS rankings. Their long-standing 5-man unit has evolved from regional contenders into legitimate title threats on the global stage.

Their semifinal victory against Team Liquid showcased the tactical depth that has made them so dangerous throughout 2025. Under the guidance of coach Erdenedalai "maaRaa" Bayanbat, this young squad has maintained remarkable consistency, with Garidmagnai "bLitz" Byambasuren directing the team while 19-year-old Azbayar "Senzu" Munkhbold has emerged as their top performer across recent matches.

The team's crowning achievement came at the Esports World Cup 2025, where they delivered a flawless 3-0 victory over Aurora Gaming to claim their most significant tournament victory to date. This triumph, combined with their runner-up finishes at the BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025 and BLAST Bounty Fall 2025, demonstrates their evolution into genuine championship contenders.

FURIA: Brazilian Fire with International Flair

[embed]https://x.com/FURIA/status/1969464764397998134[/embed]

FURIA enters the grand finals representing a bold new era for Brazilian Counter-Strike. Their internationalized roster features the legendary Gabriel "FalleN" Toledo as in-game leader, Brazilian core duo Kaike "KSCERATO" Cerato and Yuri "yuurih" Boian, alongside international stars Mareks "YEKINDAR" Gaļinskis from Latvia and Danil "molodoy" Golubenko from Kazakhstan.

This transformation has breathed new life into FURIA's championship aspirations. YEKINDAR's arrival as entry fragger has brought explosive firepower and tactical versatility across 18 matches since joining the organization. Meanwhile, molodoy's emergence as primary AWPer has allowed FalleN to focus exclusively on leadership and strategic calling, a change that has elevated the entire team's performance.

The Brazilian organization's recent results speak to their renewed competitiveness. Top-four finishes at IEM Katowice, IEM Chengdu, and the BLAST.tv Austin Major, secured against elite opposition like G2, MOUZ, and NAVI, have reestablished FURIA as a legitimate playoff contender. Their quarterfinal victory over FaZe at the Austin Major marked one of the most celebrated Brazilian performances since the legendary SK era.

Tactical Chess Match

These Grand Finals presents a captivating study in contrasting philosophies. The MongolZ bring their trademark disciplined approach, built around precise utility usage and exceptional clutch play from players like Usukhbayar "910" Banzragch and Ayush "mzinho" Batbold. Their 61% win rate across 396 maps under maaRaa's guidance reflects a team that rarely makes fundamental errors.

FURIA counters with their hybrid identity that blends Brazilian aggression with international structure. The chemistry between YEKINDAR and molodoy, both Russian speakers, has provided crucial communication bridges while maintaining the explosive potential that has defined Brazilian Counter-Strike for decades.

The map veto phase will prove crucial, as The MongolZ have maintained above 60% win rates on tactical maps like Mirage (65%) and Ancient (63%) in their last 20+ matches, while FURIA's comfort on aim-heavy battlegrounds could provide the perfect counter.

Championship Implications

For The MongolZ, this represents an opportunity to cement their status as the world's premier team after their recent ascent to #1 in the VRS rankings. A victory would mark their second major international title following their Esports World Cup triumph and further validate their position as Asia's definitive Counter-Strike representatives.

FURIA seeks to complete their remarkable transformation from domestic powerhouse to international championship contender. Their internationalization project, featuring the retention of their Brazilian core while adding world-class talent, represents a new template for success in modern Counter-Strike.

With both teams peaking at precisely the right moment and carrying the hopes of entire regions, this Best-of-5 Grand Finals promises to deliver exceptional Counter-Strike. The stage is set for an unforgettable conclusion to FISSURE Playground 2.

Featured Image Credit: Helena Kristiansson/ESL


Follow Strafe Esports for all the latest Counter Strike 2 news and our X account for the latest content and coverage. Stay tuned to Strafe YouTube for exclusive interviews, press conferences, and more.

Also join our Discord Channel to discuss everything esports.

 

READ MORE:

Peanut Announces Departure from League of Legends After Worlds 2025

Cosmic Heroes' Hoard 2025 Bring Back Earthshaker's Planetfall

Team Liquid Eliminate Defending Champions EDward Gaming from VALORANT Champions 2025

 

Comments (0)

No comments yet

Log in and be the first to start the conversation!

Log in to comment on this match
Latest news
All Teams Qualified for StarLadder CS2 Budapest Major 2025
All Teams Qualified for StarLadder CS2 Budapest Major 2025
With October 6th set as the invitation date for the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025, we now have the 32 teams that will partake in the second Valve-sponsored event of the year. As per Valve’s new rules, the Budapest Major 2025 will skip the MRQs and directly begin with Stage 1 of the tournament. To qualify, teams had to accumulate as many VRS points as possible. Over the past six months, many teams have been grinding through LAN events to ensure<span class="read-more">more</span>
6d
Ganesh Jadhav
FaZe Clan Reinstates Rain, Benches jcobbb for EPL S22
To adjust for the roster rule violation, FaZe Clan have decided to bring back rain, benching jcobbb for the rest of ESL Pro League Season 22. FaZe Clan to Play ESL Pro League Season 22 with Rain Earlier today, FaZe Clan had to forfeit their game against G2 Esports because of the VRS roster ruling. With the series at 0-1 and unable to play with their current lineup, FaZe Clan had to decide between forfeiting the rest of the tournament<span class="read-more">more</span>
8d
Ganesh Jadhav
Riot Games Accidentally Reveals Warwick as New 2XKO Fighter
Riot Games has leaked the new fighter for 2XKO. The official Brazilian Twitter account for the game accidentally uploaded a promotional video revealing Warwick as the eleventh playable character, ahead of his formal announcement. The post was swiftly deleted, but fans had already captured footage of the reveal. This marks the third time Riot has spoiled its own announcements — first with Blitzcrank’s artwork appearing on an official page, and later when a Season Pass datamine uncovered Teemo as the tenth champion. Warwick’s inclusion continues the steady expansion of the roster and hints that Riot may be accelerating its post-launch<span class="read-more">more</span>
FaZe Clan forfeits EPL S22 opening game against G2 Esports
The official ESL Counter-Strike X account announced that FaZe Clan has forfeit their EPL S22 Stage 2 opening game against G2 Esports. A Management Debacle The forfeit is a result of multiple roster changes FaZe Clan made in recent days. According to the Valve rulebook, an invited team must field at least three unchanged members from the invited roster. The ESL Pro League S22 invites were sent on July 7 as per Valve’s ruling, and the FaZe roster featured s1mple,<span class="read-more">more</span>
8d
Ganesh Jadhav
CS2 Removes Newly Added Map "Transit" Amid Controversy
Just 2 days after the October 2 update introduced two new community maps, Transit and Rooftop, to the Wingman in CS2, Valve removed Transit from official matchmaking. While Rooftop remains accessible, Transit was pulled from the game in today's update due to multiple serious issues discovered after its addition. Reasons Behind the Removal Investigations by the community, including @Ozzny_CS2, revealed that Transit contained a racial slur and potential copyright infringements. Furthermore, the map featured advertisements for a real Russian memecoin<span class="read-more">more</span>
8d
Kaustavmani Choudhury
ESL Pro League Season 22 Stage 2: Teams, Format, Preview, and Predictions
The first stage of ESL Pro League Season 22 was anything but predictable. FURIA and G2 Esports, the two teams with trophies in 2025, just barely made it through. Instead, HOTU, Inner Circle, Gentle Mates — completely unknown teams in T1 Counter-Strike — qualified without dropping a game. Starting tomorrow, October 4, the big dogs join the fray. Stage 2 of EPL S22 will feature the top 8 VRS teams along with the 8 teams qualified via the first stage.<span class="read-more">more</span>
9d
Ganesh Jadhav
ESL Shuts Down Impact League Amid Sustainability Issues
After more than three years running the league dedicated to promoting the female Counter-Strike scene, ESL has made the decision to suspend their Impact Circuit. Following the conclusion of ESL Impact League Season 8 in November, the circuit will be suspended indefinitely. ESL Impact League Draws to a Close The ESL Impact series kicked off all the way back in 2022, with Nigma Galaxy taking the first trophy in Katowice. Later that same year, Season 1 launched what would become<span class="read-more">more</span>
9d
Martin Arévalo-Östberg
Counter-Strike 2 Latest Anniversary Update was Disappointing
Last week, on September 29, Counter-Strike 2 completed two years since its release. While there was no celebratory post by Valve, the community hoped for a big update. But the October 2 update turned out to be disappointing. Especially if you have been keeping up with the rumors and leaks, the update felt underwhelming. Was it all bad? No—there were some interesting updates and tweaks, but none significant enough to be called a big anniversary update. What’s Great and What’s<span class="read-more">more</span>
10d
Ganesh Jadhav
Counter-Strike 2 October Update Comes with Fresh Content and Gameplay Refinements
Valve has released a substantial 6.5 GB update for Counter-Strike 2 on October 1st, 2025, bringing a wealth of new content and gameplay improvements to the tactical shooter. This significant patch represents one of the largest content drops in recent months, demonstrating Valve's continued commitment to evolving the game's ecosystem. The update focuses heavily on cosmetic additions through The Armory, introduces four new community maps that expand the competitive landscape, and implements several quality-of-life enhancements that should improve the overall<span class="read-more">more</span>
10d
Thales Costa