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Onto the Big Leagues: Valorant Challengers Americas Ascension Preview
The Americas are about to have some more competition, as the Valorant Challengers Ascension: Americas is about to start. In a few hours time, the best of the VCT Challengers of both North and South Americas face off against each other. A total of 6 teams will go head to head in the tournament. Two each of them being from North America, from Latin America, and Brazil. The winning team will be given a 2-year contract to participate in the upcoming VCT Americas 2024 and 2025 seasons.
The Teams:
The best of the Challengers who will enter the arena are:
- M80 (North America)
- The Guard (North America)
- 9z Team (Latin America)
- Fusion (Latin America)
- The Union (Brazil)
- 00 Nation (Brazil)
These 6 teams will duke it out in Sao Paulo to clinch the top spot in the Ascension to guarantee their spot in the Americas League. And have their shot at glory with the big boys.
The Format:
The tournament features six teams split into two groups of three for the group stage. It follows a single round-robin format with Bo3 matches. The group stage determines seeding only, with no eliminations. Group winners advance to the upper bracket semifinals, while 2nd and 3rd placed teams from each group move to the upper bracket quarterfinals.
In the playoffs, a double-elimination bracket is used. Matches, except the grand final, are Bo3. This format allows teams to recover from losses and offers intense competition. The upper bracket finalist will face the lower bracket finalist in the grand final. The grand final itself is a Bo5 series to determine the tournament champion.
The tournament structure creates excitement. The group stage sets initial rankings, and the playoffs offer thrilling matches. Bo3 format ensures consistency. The grand final, a Bo5 showdown, crowns the ultimate champion.
The Groups:
The Favorites:
It is challenging to predict the ultimate winner of the tournament, as all teams participating are highly skilled and competitive. However, based on recent performances and results, there are a few teams considered favorites:
- 00 Nation has been dominating the Brazilian scene with their aggressive and coordinated playstyle. They have an impressive track record, winning four out of five tournaments they participated in this year, including the VCT 2023 Brazil Stage 2 Masters and the VCT 2023 Brazil Ascension League3. Their roster comprises experienced players like xand, shion, and b4rtiN4.
- M80 has been making waves in the North American scene with their consistent and versatile playstyle. They have claimed victory in three out of four tournaments they participated in this year, including the VCT 2023 North America Stage 2 Challengers Finals and the VCT 2023 North America Ascension League3. With a talented roster of young players like koalanoob, eeiu, and zander4, they pose a formidable threat.
- 9z Team has been dominating the Latin America South scene with their fast and explosive playstyle. They have an impressive record of winning five out of six tournaments they participated in this year, including the VCT 2023 Latin America South Stage 2 Masters and the VCT 2023 Latin America South Ascension League3. Their roster consists of experienced players like mizu, deigara, and Tuli, adding to their strength.
You can follow along with the action at Strafe.com