Nongshim RedForce vs Paper Rex: All-Pacific Grand Finals at VALORANT Masters Santiago

VCT Masters Santiago 2026 Grand Final turns into a full Pacific clash (that never happened before) between Nongshim RedForce and Paper Rex, two teams that reach the last day through opposite routes and with very different levels of exposure in this event. One side arrives undefeated and rested, the other drags a long trail of series behind it after surviving every stage of the tournament.

Nongshim RedForce: Clean Run and Extra Prep

Nongshim RedForce landed in Santiago as Pacific’s top seed after winning the regional Kickoff event and went straight into the playoff bracket. They did not need to touch the Swiss Stage, so their first appearance in Chile happened only in the upper quarterfinals. From there, the Korean squad moved past Gentle Mates, then took down G2 Esports in the Upper Semifinals and closed a 2–0 over NRG in the Upper Final.

Across those three matches Nongshim dropped a single map and rarely looked rushed on stage. Their structure on attack and defence stayed consistent, with late‑round discipline on maps like Haven and Bind and solid trading around the core of Rb, Dambi, Francis, Ivy and Xross. That short path means fewer officials on record at this tournament, less fatigue, and full days available to study the Grand Final opponent in detail.

Paper Rex: Long Swiss and Lower Bracket Road

Paper Rex started much earlier in the event as Pacific’s third seed. They needed to battle through the Swiss Stage just to reach the playoffs, opening with a 2–0 against G2 Esports and then edging NRG 2–1 to secure qualification. Once in the bracket, their campaign turned into a sequence of high‑pressure series.

In the Upper Quarterfinals Paper Rex beat FURIA 2–1, but then fell 0–2 to NRG in the Upper Semifinals, which dropped them straight into elimination territory. From there they eliminated All Gamers, defeated G2 again in a tight best‑of‑three, and then faced NRG for the third time at this tournament in the lower‑bracket final. The last rematch finally went their way with a 3–1 score and confirmed their place opposite Nongshim on the final day.

That route forced Paper Rex to reveal far more of their playbook. They played on a wide range of maps, swapped looks across series, and gave analysts plenty of material on pacing, mid‑round calls and reactive setups. The upside is that the team is fully warmed up, used to the stage and battle‑tested against strong opposition. The downside is that there are very few surprises left for Nongshim when it comes to PRX's current tendencies.

Pacific Derby with Contrasting Conditions

Although both teams come from the same league, their conditions heading into tomorrow are very different. Nongshim step into the Grand Final as an unbeaten side that spent the week playing fewer series, taking less damage and keeping more of their preparation under wraps. They sit with a clear advantage in rest and scouting: they can review every Paper Rex match from Swiss and playoffs while their own recent stage record is much shorter and harder to map out in full.

Paper Rex bring the opposite profile. They arrive with much more stage time on the current patch, a clear sense of how they want to attack and defend under pressure and the confidence that comes from winning repeated elimination matches. Their style remains tied to high tempo, early pressure, and confidence in aim duels led by Jinggg, something and f0rsakeN, with d4v41 and invy stabilising late‑round decisions.

That contrast sets the tone for the series. Nongshim are likely to lean on structure, measured defaults, and prepared answers to the aggression they saw from Paper Rex across the tournament. Paper Rex, in turn, will try to ignore the difference in rest days and lean into the chaos that usually brings them back into matches that should be slipping away.

What to Expect in the Server

On stage, the duel should revolve around whether Nongshim can keep games at their preferred pace or whether Paper Rex can drag them into more chaotic fights. Nongshim’s late‑round control and clean trading give them an advantage in slower halves where utility and spacing matter. Paper Rex turn games in their favour when they find early picks, punish passive setups and take over sites before the defence sets up layers of utility.

The Grand Final has all the ingredients of a long series. Nongshim come in with an undefeated record, fresher legs (and hands) and a carefully prepared plan tailored around everything Paper Rex showed across Swiss and the Lower Bracket. Paper Rex arrive with momentum, a proven ability to survive elimination matches and a style that can blow open even well‑prepared defensive setups when their entries connect. For a Masters title decided between two Pacific rivals on international soil, it is hard to ask for a clearer clash of preparation against adaptation.

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Feature image credit: Riot Games, edited by Strafe Esports

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