After a couple of weeks filled with unlikely outcomes, lucky dark horses, and unmatched Dota 2 action, Team Falcons has won The International 2025. This result marks the end of the competitive season and closes a historic chapter for the game. It is also the first time in almost a decade that the Grand Finals had no European team competing for the Aegis of Champions.
This year’s event had everything fans could ask for: upsets, rematches, personal rivalries, and legendary performances. The path to the Grand Finals was painted with narratives of victory, defeat, and vengeance, each series adding fuel to the drama that culminated in a five-map showdown. Let’s revisit how the Grand Finalists overcame their adversaries and how the story of The International 2025 was written.
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Their emotion on the booth cameras was something beautiful to witness. — Credit: Twitter (@wykrhm)Team Falcons: Taking the Easy Way Up
Team Falcons carved their path to the Grand Finals the clean way — through the Upper Bracket. Their first challenge was Team Tidebound, which was considered the main Chinese hope for the Aegis of Champions before the tournament began. In a convincing 2-0 victory, Falcons showed dominance early on.
This win was especially symbolic, as Tidebound had been the team that stopped Falcons from qualifying directly to the Playoffs during the Group Stage. Their rematch in the Upper Bracket was one of many storylines of revenge that made this TI unforgettable. This time, Falcons claimed the upper hand and advanced to the UB Semifinals.
Team Tidebound got payback for their Playoffs spot — and it came with interest. — Credit: StrafeNext came BetBoom Team, a perennial powerhouse. BetBoom took the first map, but Falcons struck back with an inspired ATF Huskar pick to level the series 1-1. In the deciding game, skiter unleashed his Troll Warlord, a hero that had dominated the meta throughout the tournament, sealing the series 2-1.
In the Upper Bracket Finals, Falcons clashed with PARIVISION. Once again, they dropped the opening map, and once again they found a way to recover. By turning the tables with sharp drafts and impeccable execution, Falcons closed the series 2-1 and booked their spot in the Grand Finals. Meanwhile, China’s hopes of reclaiming the Aegis were pinned on another team — Xtreme Gaming.
Xtreme Gaming: Doing Things the Hard Way
At the start of the Group Stage, many fans thought Team Tidebound represented China’s best shot at lifting the Aegis. That perception quickly shifted when Xtreme Gaming delivered a perfect run on the Group Stage, sweeping through elite opponents and advancing directly to the Playoffs. Their first series against Tundra Esports was a clean 2-0 victory, confirming them as serious contenders.
But the dream met its first obstacle in the Upper Bracket Semifinals, where Xtreme Gaming lost 0-2 to PARIVISION, shocking fans worldwide and ruining thousands of prediction brackets. From that point, Wang "Ame" Chunyu and his teammates had to fight their way up the Lower Bracket.
This was a big upset, but Xtreme Gaming wouldn’t let it go unanswered. — Credit: StrafeTheir survival run on the Lower Bracket began on a match against Nigma Galaxy, the beloved dark horses of TI 2025. Despite Nigma’s amazing run, Xtreme Gaming ended their fairytale with a swift 2-0 victory, securing Nigma a respectable 6th place.
The Battle For Top 4
Next, XG faced BetBoom Team in the battle for 4th place. In one of their cleanest performances of the event, XG dominated 2-0, eliminating another European hopeful. The Lower Bracket Finals set the stage for revenge against PARIVISION, the team that had sent them down earlier.
Things go around and come around. Xtreme Gaming paid back their Upper Bracket defeat in full. — Credit: StrafePARIVISION started strong with a 1-0 lead, but the series soon turned into the Ame show. Xtreme Gaming tied it 1-1 and then dragged the third map into a grueling 65-minute marathon. Armed with a farmed Medusa, Ame closed the game and series 2-1, punching Xtreme Gaming’s ticket to the Grand Finals.
For the first time in a decade, no European teams stood in the final series of The International. This was truly the end of an era.
Grand Finals: The End of an Era
The Grand Finals of The International 2025 between Xtreme Gaming and Team Falcons will go down in history. Fans were treated to a five-game epic, full of dramatic swings and unforgettable plays.
Xtreme Gaming struck first, winning the opening map after a long and calculated game. Falcons quickly responded, tying the score 1-1. In game three, Ame showcased his Sven, crushing team fights with overwhelming damage and pushing Xtreme back into the lead. Falcons, however, weren’t done yet. Game four saw ATF surprise the crowd with an Ursa pick, carrying the team to another equalizer at 2-2.
The “no stun draft” attacked again. Xtreme Gaming felt the lack of stuns over and over. — Credit: Twitter (@wykrhm)The last map was another straining game that ended with a slow and painful Xtreme Gaming defeat. They got slowly strangled by repeated waves of Naga Siren and Medusa illusions accompanied by dominated creeps constantly pushing towards their ancient.
For Ame, the heartbreak continued. Despite being one of the most celebrated players in Dota 2 history, he once again fell short of the ultimate prize. Known as the “uncrowned king”, he now faces a pivotal question: continue his career or retire without ever holding the Aegis. For fans of Chinese Dota 2, it was bittersweet — pride in their incredible run, but sorrow in defeat.
THE INTERNATIONAL 2025 CHAMPIONS. 🏆 #TI2025 pic.twitter.com/Td3D7ip3WE
— Falcons Esports (@FalconsEsport) September 14, 2025
Meanwhile, history was made elsewhere. Kurtis “Aui_2000” Ling became the first person in Dota 2 history to claim three International titles. He won TI in 2015 as a player with Evil Geniuses, TI 2022 as a coach with Tundra Esports, and now TI 2025 coaching Team Falcons.
Closing Thoughts
The International 2025 has concluded and Team Falcons are the new Champions, closing an unforgettable edition of the biggest Dota 2 tournament in the world. With the season over, attention now shifts to the future. The annual roster shuffle is about to begin, and the first post-TI major event, FISSURE Universe: Episode 7, kicks off on October 6th.
For Chinese Dota 2, the journey continues. The next International will be hosted in Shanghai, giving Xtreme Gaming the chance to play on home soil with the full backing of their fans. The question is: can Ame finally capture the Aegis in front of a home crowd?
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In the meantime, most teams will take a well-deserved break before preparing for qualifiers for DreamLeague Season 27 and BLAST Slam IV. The competitive cycle continues, and so does the excitement.
Whatever comes next, one thing is certain: this International proved once again why Dota 2 remains one of the most unpredictable and thrilling esports in the world. For in-depth updates, metagame recaps, and the next big story, stay tuned to the news section of the Strafe website!
Featured Image Source: Twitter (@dota2ti)
