Can MOUZ upset the odds and topple Vitality? – BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025 Semi-Finals Preview

We are nearing the end of the BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025, and the final four standing teams are set to be uncaged to fight for the Grand Final. The first Semi-Finals Bracket is going to pit two of the most consistent teams of the year, while the other one is going to see an underdog continue their Cinderella run as the other heads home. Which one of the two is going to march forward? And which one is going to go back with concluding memories of one of the most captivating Counter-Strike events of all time in the US? Let’s find out.

MOUZ vs Vitality

After stumbling through Stage 3, MOUZ have clawed their way back to yet another top-four finish at a premier event, arguably the biggest one of the year, and are still looking to improve it. It took resilience. It took intent. It demanded every ounce of firepower from Spinx to keep the dream alive. Down 0:2, they had to march over the corpses of Liquid, Aurora, and Legacy, none of whom were easy prey. Then in the Playoffs they met Spirit, in an uphill battle from start to finish. Dropping their own map pick and trailing 4:8, MOUZ had no business coming back. But they did. Once again, it was resilience that pulled them through, and with it, a surge of confidence they’ll be riding into this Semi-Final.

In a high-stakes stage match, with the roar of the crowd echoing through every round, it’s nerves that tip the scales. As we saw in FaZe vs The MongolZ, perfection under pressure is a myth. And Vitality, so often a juggernaut, has shown signs of mortality this tournament. This could go either way. MOUZ, a team that has been repeatedly bested by Vitality, now finds itself with nothing to lose. That freedom might just be their sharpest weapon. Vitality can crack. And MOUZ might just be the ones to facilitate that.

paiN vs The MongolZ

Not quite the semi-final anyone had penciled in, but here we are. Both teams have punched above expectations, yet The MongolZ seem to have the edge over the Brazilian team. They’ll likely be the darlings of the crowd, and if they channel even a glimpse of the stature they displayed against FaZe, this match is theirs to lose.

paiN has had a commendable run, but it is given that the only top-10 team they’ve defeated is FURIA, who barely crack that bracket. The MongolZ, on the other hand, have had to fight against the likes of G2, Liquid, and FaZe. They’ve shown they can weather pressure. They’ve shown they belong. It was the only thing keeping them from a deep Playoffs run, and it looks like they have finally broken the shackles.

With far less stage experience than The MongolZ, I find it hard to see an upset brewing. And truth be told, the Asian heart in me yearns for The MongolZ, an Asian team built on humility and heart to keep defying the odds. For paiN to pull this off, nqz, their success factor, will have to deliver something spectacular. But even then, it might feel more like The MongolZ letting go than paiN seizing it. Sorry, Brazilian fans.