Team Liquid Are the 1win Essence II Champions

Team Liquid did it again and defeated the defenders of the Aegis of Champions on the last chance they had before The International 2026 begins and teams go all in for a shot at eternal glory.

Let's take a look at how both Grand Finalists got to the last match of the tournament, who they had to defeat along the way, and how this might or might not change expectations for TI.

How Team Falcons Got to the Grand Final

Team Falcons had a good start in Group B and got past the first stage despite a single and very unexpected 2-0 defeat against OG. Their playoff run started with a 2-0 victory against BetBoom Team.

Due to the smaller scope of the tournament, their next matchup was already the Upper Bracket Final against Team Liquid. Team Falcons won once again by 2-0, completing a perfect run before the Grand Final.

This result pushed Team Liquid to the Lower Bracket Final, where they would wait for the result of the match between 1w Team and BetBoom Team.

How Team Liquid Got to the Grand Final

Team Liquid had a similar performance to the Falcons in Group A, but instead of a defeat, they tied with MOUZ, which was not exactly unexpected due to their recent history of underwhelming results.

Team Liquid's Upper Bracket run started with a 2-1 victory against Vici Gaming and, as we already mentioned, they ended up falling to the Lower Bracket after losing to Team Falcons in the Upper Bracket Final.

After waiting for the Lower Bracket Semifinal, Liquid faced 1w Team and, once again, the fans' expectations were subverted after Nisha and his teammates won the matchup 2-0 to advance to the Grand Final.

Team Liquid Are the 1win Essence II Champions

Team Liquid not only managed to bounce back from their defeat in the Upper Bracket Final but also completely dominated the Grand Final against Team Falcons, securing an impressive 3-0 victory to become the 1win Essence II Champions.

This means Liquid took home half of the tournament's total prize pool for first place ($100,000), while Team Falcons received $50,000 for second place and 1w Team earned $22,500 for finishing third.

Closing Thoughts

Despite being a smaller tournament, Team Liquid's victory over Team Falcons at 1win Essence II shows that they are still serious contenders for the Aegis if things work out just right.

There are a lot of factors to consider, such as Falcons preserving themselves, saving strategies for The International, and the absence of several other top teams, all of which increase both the pressure and the fatigue that comes from playing consecutive high-level matches.

Even with these conditions in mind, this is still a very positive result for Team Liquid, who had not won a tournament since BLAST Slam VI in February. A boost to the team's morale is always welcome, especially right before the biggest event of the year for professional Dota 2.

If you want to stay informed about the latest news on roster and meta changes, The International 2026 coverage, and much more, remember to check the news section on the Strafe website!

READ MORE: The International 2026: Predictions and Rewards

Featured Image Source: Twitter (@teamliquiddota)