Paper Rex vs Fnatic rematch set for Valorant Champions 2025 Playoffs

Jack Stewart, Senior Editor

Last Updated: 25/09/2025

Paper Rex and Fnatic have advanced to the Upper Bracket Semi-finals at Valorant Champions 2025 after two entertaining series.

Both series finished 2-1 as Paper Rex defeated G2 Esports and Fnatic defeated VCT Pacific’s DRX.

With nail-biting overtimes and incredible comebacks, the first day of Playoffs in Paris certainly delivered.

VCT Americas Stage 2 champions G2 had already defeated this year’s Valorant Masters Bangkok champions T1.

And their reward for doing so was an extremely difficult series against the Valorant Masters Toronto champions, Paper Rex.

What ensued was an outstanding series between the two top-seeded teams.

The first map was very close with G2 in control of defence, but multiple 5v3 losses have Paper Rex the 13-11 win.

Then on Corrode, the two evenly matched teams took the round to overtime, but G2 managed to win 15-13 to force a third map.

Since Stage 2 began, G2 hadn’t lost on Ascent with a perfect 6-0 record.

Meanwhile, Paper Rex have built a long win streak all the way from the start of Masters Toronto back in June.

G2 began strongly with an 8-4 lead in the first half, but Paper Rex somehow made the comeback to win 13-11 and take the series.

And there were also comebacks in Fnatic versus DRX.

DRX had an impressive 10-2 lead on Haven in the first round. But Fnatic clutched a pistol round and eventually came back to win 13-11.

After a more composed showing, DRX won the second map 13-8 and seemed to have the momentum heading onto Lotus.

However, Fnatic dominated the third map, winning 13-5 to take a statement win into the Upper-Bracket Semifinals.

Speaking about the comeback, Jake ‘Boaster’ Howlett said:

“Once you get the ball rolling, the enemy team will be a bit more flustered, they’ll give you more space, they’ll be too scared to make plays, and you can abuse it.”

Valorant Masters rematch between Fnatic and Paper Rex

The Valorant Champions Upper-Bracket Semifinal between Fnatic and Paper Rex promises to be a very interesting series.

Fnatic and Paper Rex know each other well after multiple international meetings this year.

It will be a rematch of the Valorant Masters Toronto final, which saw Paper Rex come out on top 3-1.

And the teams know each other even better as British Paper Rex coach Jacob ‘mini’ Harris worked with Fnatic last year.

Fnatic’s Emir ‘Alfajer’ Beder called out his former coach after beating DRX, saying:

“Listen to me Mini, I’m coming for you Mini, wait.”

Jack Stewart, Senior Editor

In my seven years of esports writing, I've introuduced esports coverage to newspapers, interviewed some of the biggest names in the industry, and driven viewers mad with the puns in my YouTube scripts. I'm most proud of the latter.

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