donk and NertZ stars on day one of BLAST Bounty

The BLAST Bounty 2025 Season 1 kicked off with an action-packed opening day, filled with standout plays, intense battles, and victories that set the stage for an exciting year in tier-one Counter-Strike 2 (CS2). While underdogs struggled to gain traction, the top teams delivered strong performances, making their presence felt from the start. Here’s a closer look at the most compelling storylines from the day.

FlyQuest Ends Brazilian Curse with Dominant Victory

FlyQuest’s emphatic win against MIBR marked a historic moment for the team, breaking a near two-year losing streak against Brazilian sides. Their last victory against a Brazilian opponent came in March 2023 when they defeated 00NATION at ESL Pro League S17. This win not only snapped their “Brazilian curse” but also highlighted the impact of their newest addition, Iulian “regali” Harjău.

Regali’s Standout Performance

Regali demonstrated why he is a valuable addition to the roster. On Nuke, he made a significant impact with critical plays that set the tone for the match. His performance peaked on Anubis, where he achieved a 1.58 rating, dominating the map and leading FlyQuest to a decisive victory. Despite Felipe “insani” Yuji’s reliable performance for MIBR, the Brazilian team struggled to find the cohesion needed to counter FlyQuest’s momentum.

Liquid’s NertZ Proves His Worth on Day One

One of the most discussed transfers of the off-season, Guy “NertZ” Iluz, made an immediate impact for Liquid in their match against 9 Pandas. Historically, Liquid had issues with their T-side, but NertZ’s stellar debut showed a promising shift.

Key Highlights from NertZ

NertZ achieved a flawless 100% success rate on opening attempts, showcasing his aggressive and effective style of play. His 1.49 T-side rating led Liquid’s offensive resurgence, significantly outpacing his teammates and dispelling concerns about their ability to execute on attack. With NertZ at the helm of their offense, Liquid emerged victorious and showed significant promise for the season.

HEROIC’s New Lineup Exceeds Expectations with a Promising Start

HEROIC’s newly assembled roster, created from scratch during the winter break, delivered a surprisingly strong performance against 3DMAX in their season debut. Despite limited time to gel as a team, HEROIC secured a hard-fought victory, earning a $20,000 bounty and showcasing the potential of their fresh lineup.

Standout Performances

Andrey “tN1R” Tatarinovich emerged as the day’s standout, delivering an astonishing 33 kills on Ancient to propel HEROIC to a narrow 16-14 win. Yasin “xfl0ud” Koç then took the reins on Anubis, producing a commanding performance to seal the series.

Álvaro “SunPayus” García had a quieter showing with a 0.88 rating, but given the team’s short preparation window, his adjustment to HEROIC’s system is a work in progress. With Linus “nilo” Bergman and Pavle “Maden” Bošković providing depth on the bench, HEROIC’s impressive start highlights their potential to compete at the highest level, even under challenging circumstances.

This unexpected victory sets a promising tone for HEROIC’s season as they continue to build synergy and refine their strategies in the weeks ahead.

Spirit Handles Fnatic’s Train Experiment with Ease

Spirit emerged victorious in their match against fnatic, who surprised the community by introducing the revamped Train map into the tournament. However, fnatic’s experiment did not pay off as their CT-side weaknesses proved costly.

Donk’s Dominance

Danil “donk” Kryshkovets was the standout performer, delivering a remarkable 1.95 rating on Nuke to dismantle fnatic’s defenses and secure a 2-0 victory for Spirit. While fnatic’s bold strategy to incorporate Train added intrigue, their inability to capitalize on their map pick highlighted the importance of balancing innovation with solid execution.

Results of BLAST Bounty Day One

  • FlyQuest vs. MIBR: FlyQuest 2-0
  • Liquid vs. 9 Pandas: Liquid 2-0
  • HEROIC vs. 3DMAX: HEROIC 2-1
  • Spirit vs. fnatic: Spirit 2-0

Today’s fixtures: (Times in CET)

  • 12.00: Astralis – Wildcard
  • 14.30: SAW – BIG
  • 17.00: Falcons – ENCE
  • 19.30: Vitality – Metizport
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