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Team Liquid Wins the FISSURE Universe Episode 5
FISSURE Universe Episode 5 brought us new information on Team Liquid and PARIVISION right before the Esports World Cup. Apparently, the "TI Aura" is real, and Team Liquid got their share of it. After a small pause, PARIVISION lost the Grand Finals against Liquid, adding yet another point against mid-season breaks.
Let’s take a look at how the teams got through the Group Stage and Playoffs, and discuss how these results change the perspective for both teams going into the EWC — and later, The International 2025.
Team Liquid: Ready for the EWC
Team Liquid came out on top in the end but was the second team to qualify from the Group Stage to the Upper Bracket in the Playoffs. As mentioned in our previous article, they matched PARIVISION's 3-1 score in the Group Stage.
However, Liquid's results were relatively stronger — especially considering that Group B featured tougher opponents. Team Liquid drew against Aurora Gaming, which is objectively a stronger team than Shopify Rebellion, whom PARIVISION drew against.
In the Playoffs, Team Liquid defeated PARIVISION 2-0 in the Upper Bracket matchup and went straight to the Grand Finals. PARIVISION, however, recovered by taking out Aurora Gaming 2-0 in the Lower Bracket Finals, earning another shot at the title.
In the Grand Finals, the first map was a balanced match that ended in a Team Liquid victory. Unfortunately for PARIVISION, things spiraled quickly — they lost the second map 31-9 and the match concluded with a convincing 3-0 for Team Liquid.
Mid-season Breaks Really Are a Bad Move
These results add another big negative mark to the ongoing debate about mid-season breaks. Team Spirit, Tundra Esports, and now PARIVISION all took short breaks during the season — and all three underperformed afterward.
Of course, this isn’t a hard rule — it's not set in stone. But it’s also not just a coincidence. With most (if not all) of the favorites showing signs of weakness ahead of the EWC, even the most dedicated fans are unsure about who the frontrunners really are for the premium tournament.
There’s still time for shifts in performance, but the warning signs are clear: momentum matters.
If you’re looking for metagame analysis, hero guides, and Dota 2 insights to prepare for your ranked matches — or just to better understand what’s happening during the tournaments — check out the Strafe news section. You’ll also find our full tournament preview for the upcoming Esports World Cup!
Featured Image Source: Twitter (@fissure_eng)