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After three weeks of spectacular Dota 2, the Riyadh Masters 2024 concluded with Gaimin Gladiators winning the tournament, taking home a whopping $1,500,000.
They etched their name in history at the first-ever Esports World Cup by defeating Team Liquid 3-0 in the grand final.
These 5 Players will be immortalised as the #RiyadhMasters x #EsportsWorldCup 2024 Champions:
🏆 @dyrachyoo
🏆 @ccncdota2
🏆 @AceDota
🏆 @tOfuDota2
🏆 @Seleri4096Congratulations @GaiminGladiator! 👏 pic.twitter.com/USqf9TM9l1
— Esports World Cup (@EWC_EN) July 21, 2024
Despite being the second favourite at +450 with esports betting sites, Gaimin Gladiators faced challenges throughout 2024.
Last year, they choked at the Riyadh Masters, but this year, they turned the script around and emerged as champions.
Their journey wasn’t smooth; they had a shaky start in the group stage, losing 2-0 to Heroic.
However, they quickly adapted, securing third place in their group and moving to the upper bracket in the playoffs.
In the playoffs, the Gladiators reached their peak.
Their fast-paced gameplay and aura item builds helped them win all their games before 40 minutes until the grand final.
Team Falcons were the only squad to steal a game from GG’s perfect upper bracket run.
In the upper bracket finals, GG faced Team Liquid, who were considered their only real competition.
GG quickly dispatched Liquid 2-0, dropping them into the lower bracket and moving on to the grand final.
This grand final was the sixth iteration of GG facing Liquid.
Gaimin Gladiators showcased aggressive gameplay from start to finish.
In Game 1, their draft included Chen, Beastmaster, and Broodmother, creating a small army of creeps that constantly pressured Liquid’s towers.
GG won Game 1 in 24 minutes with an 18-4 kill lead.
In Game 2, Liquid returned the aggression, taking an early kill lead.
However, Quinn “Quinn” Callahan dominated the midlane on his Shadow Fiend, disrupting Liquid’s ganks and out-leveling Michał “Nisha” Jankowski.
Anton “dyrachyo” Shkredov free-farmed on his Alchemist, becoming unstoppable.
Even though Michael “miCKe” Vu picked up a Divine Rapier at 40 minutes, it failed to impact Liquid’s chances.
The final game ended similarly to Game 1.
Despite Liquid’s draft having strong initiation with Beastmaster, Clockwerk, and Tiny, Quinn’s confident play allowed GG to gain control.
By 17 minutes, GG was knocking on Liquid’s door.
Liquid tried to stall, but a dominating team fight led to a 30-minute victory for GG.
Gaimin Gladiators have now won six grand finals against Team Liquid, with this being their first 3-0 victory since the Lima Major.
One #Dota2 player has risen above the rest.
Your #RiyadhMasters x #EsportsWorldCup 2024 PlayStation MVP is @ccncdota2! 👏 pic.twitter.com/eoWwg4B8PJ
— Esports World Cup (@EWC_EN) July 21, 2024
Quinn’s performance earned him the Most Valuable Player title and a $50,000 prize.
Europe’s dominance in the professional Dota scene continues, with GG leading the charge.
Team Falcons, who were a dominant force earlier this year, failed to win this tournament, giving hope to other organisations in the Club Championship.
Meanwhile, China’s comeback saw them place second at PGL Wallachia and fourth at DreamLeague Season 23, but the Riyadh Masters was not their tournament, with G2.IG and Azure Ray finishing in 19th and 20th.
Other regions also failed to make a significant impact.
This victory marks a triumphant comeback for Gaimin Gladiators, solidifying their status as one of the top teams in Dota 2.
