The inaugural BLAST Slam is almost done, which is almost crazy to think about considering the group stage happened just four days ago. We are now in the final four of this gauntlet bracket, which has so far proved to be incredibly riveting with upsets seen across the board. And although the metagame may not be that different from that of the previous patch, there have been some new picks keeping things somewhat fresh.

BLAST Slam 1: The Final Stretch

But let’s talk semifinals and grand finals now. Four teams remain in contention for first place and the $400,000 prize: BetBoom Team, PARIVISION, Tundra Esports, and Xtreme Gaming. The first two squads are not a surprise in this regard, especially considering how Team Falcons are now out of the tournament after losing to a resurgent Gaimin Gladiators in the second round.

For Tundra Esports, this is the territory they belong to anyway, even though they’ve been struggling since DreamLeague Season 24 and the ESL One Bangkok WEU qualifiers. As for Xtreme Gaming, finishing in fourth place at least was definitely not in my bingo card for BLAST Slam 1, and they should be commended for finding their groove right away despite being a new roster. Very PARIVISION-esque of them, which is of course a good thing.

BetBoom Team vs. PARIVISION

First on the docket is a regional matchup, with BetBoom Team and PARIVISION both hailing from Eastern Europe. Likewise, both of these squads are at the top of the Dota 2 food chain right now, up there with some of the best like Falcons. PARIVISION in particular are so far proving that their fourth place finish at DreamLeague wasn’t just a fluke, and that their immediate chemistry and understanding of the metagame are all legit.

The same goes for BetBoom Team, though they had to bring fewer new players onboard compared to PARIVISION. Placing second at DreamLeague right behind Falcons was a huge accomplishment for them, and it’s looking like they’re also one of the teams to beat in this first half of the new competitive season.

This matchup is going to make the fireworks fly. Both squads favor a breakneck pace to their playstyles — something that EEU teams have been doing for years now. If you like your Dota cranked up to 11 and seeing both teams run at each other, you should tune into this set in particular. And given that both teams are more or less evenly matched, I think this will go the distance at three games.

Tundra Esports vs. Xtreme Gaming

As for this fixture, things couldn’t be more different between the two participating teams. Tundra has been around the scene for years now like we said, and even won an International two years ago. Meanwhile, this new XG roster, while composed of players that all qualify for whatever the Dota equivalent of a veteran’s discount might be, still has to prove that they can hang with the best after forming just a few weeks ago.

This matchup is more for the “thinking” Dota player that appreciates a more balanced style. Neither of these teams play like angry cavemen trying to bash each other’s heads in with sticks that often, and can slow it down when the situation calls for it.

Of course, this isn’t to say that they can’t go unga bunga when needed either, as evidenced by XG’s penchant for going with Ursa-based drafts throughout this tournament. Tundra can also play hardball if needed, like when they crushed OG in less than 25 minutes for their first group stage match.

Tundra is more likely to win the set on paper, knowing how much talent is on their roster. But if they underestimate XG and fail to consider their momentum thus far, they could pay dearly for it. Personally, I think it’ll be either 2-0 in Tundra’s favor, or 2-1 if XG ends up winning.