MIBR bstrdd: “I didn’t want to be so deep on social media and Twitter… I want to focus on my game and I didn’t want external factors to disturb that”

Following one of the wildest series in Game Changers Championship history, Hotspawn sat down with MIBR’s bstrdd in Seoul. After trailing 10–2 on the final map, MIBR pulled off a record-setting comeback to eliminate G2 Gozen from the lower bracket, a result that shocked the arena and lit up Brazilian social media, especially after the online controversy the previous day. In this interview, bstrdd talks about the emotions behind the comeback, her journey after leaving Team Liquid, and social media noise.

Hotspawn: So firstly, bstrdd, I think this is like a record in GC: coming back from a 10-2.

So I just wanted to ask you about your team’s emotions during the entire thing from 10-2 to 14-12, the whole way.

Bstrdd: We were pretty nervous on the attacker side because, overall, in the whole Championship, we can say that that’s our best side. But against G2 it didn’t just fit, and I believe that we couldn’t show and impose our normal game on it. And we got into such a shock state. But when we went back to the defence, we just tried to not lose hope, and we tried to believe as much as we could, and not minding the score and just focusing on our game, because we believe that teams that win clutches, they win the matches.

Hotspawn: I think you guys won a lot of clutches in that map to get to this point, so congratulations again. I wanted to ask you a personal question. I’ve wanted to ask you this for years now.

Why did you pick bstrdd as your handle? 

Bstrdd: It was because my favourite film is Inglourious Basterds, you know, Quentin Tarantino. I’m a fan of his movies. Bstrdd is pretty original and unique. I couldn’t believe that someone else would actually pick such a nickname, so I decided to go for it, because I could choose something that is impactful that was not necessarily my name, Paula. And also because of style and being more fancy, I took the A out, because I used to play Counter-Strike, and in Counter-Strike the name of all the players were without vowels. So I decided to go that way.

Hotspawn: And what made you decide to switch to Valorant, out of curiosity?

Bstrdd: I would say I changed because within my group of friends they wanted to change and test the game. And as soon as Valorant was launching, I had just gotten a new PC, so we decided to test it out. I ended up liking it, and I wanted to livestream back in Counter-Strike. But then I started doing Valorant and I started liking it because I started to be actually very good at the game.

Hotspawn: This has been a very tumultuous year for you because for the last four years you’ve been part of Liquid, and you joined MIBR this June. So you had a very short window to try and make it here to the Game Changers Championship.

I wanted to ask about your journey since joining MIBR and how you guys have grown as a team?

Bstrdd: So it’s not news that I was kicked out of Liquid, and I said in interviews before that my world crashed. I lost my ground when that happened, because I was really sure that we would end up winning the world championship this year because we were pretty strong. But at the end of the day, we still had some online and offline issues, principally online. And I would say that they decided to exchange me, but that is okay.

And in my mind, to be honest, that just hyped me even more to hit them harder and improve myself not only as a player but also as a person. And I believe they’re improving more and more. And in the end, it’s all about the mentality.

Hotspawn: I got to talk to lissa before this and she mentioned that she was your biggest fan, and it’s amazing for her to play on the same team as you.

What do you think of her as a teammate?

Bstrdd: Lissa is a rookie player with lots yet to learn, but as much potential as she has to learn. And I’m so thankful to be in such a position where I am overseeing the evolution and improvement of a rookie player, because in the end, I’m always pestering her to improve and shine because I’m sure she has all the potential. And I’m really thankful to be playing at her side. It’s like a feeling of a mother, you know?

Hotspawn: Tomorrow, you guys are going to face off against either KC or KRÜ.

Is there any particular team that you want to face more, and who do you think is going to make it?

Bstrdd: I really want to face KRÜ. They’re playing so well during Champs, and overall, we had many opportunities to practice a lot with them. And I would say I always wanted to play as much as I could with them because I still think there’s a rivalry there, who’s going to be crowned the next Queen of LATAM, and I want to be crowned that way.

Hotspawn: Completely understandable. Touching on that topic, at Game Changers so far you’ve managed to come third, second, and second.

Why is this going to be the year that you break that curse?

Bstrdd: I think in the end we are a new team and many things changed here and there, but I believe it’s all about mentality: to focus not on other plays but always on our own game and what we have to do. If we do that, I believe we can deliver an even cleaner game. And I am really confident, regardless of who we end up facing, we can win every time.

galera, eu sei que eu mesma engajei com o trash talk, mas sempre deixei claro que esse tipo de coisa é exclusivamente dentro de jogo e sobre jogo.

vendo agora mais os tweets sei que essa treta passou do limite.
a gente nao sabe da intencao de ninguém, vamos ser mais gentis pois…

— MIBR lissA (@lissavlr) November 27, 2025

Hotspawn: There was a lot happening on social media yesterday, and I wanted to ask:

How has your team been dealing with it?

And I noticed there were a lot of fans in the arena supporting you guys today. How has that experience been?

Bstrdd: I thought it was really nice that we had an opportunity where the whole Brazil united against the cause. But personally I didn’t want to be so deep on social media and Twitter specifically, because as I said, I want to focus on my game and I didn’t want external factors to disturb that. So I just basically tried to focus on myself and not use social media as much.

Hotspawn: You talked about the fans: anything you want to tell them in particular?

Bstrdd: Please keep rooting for us. We still have so much to show you guys. And regardless of what happens, or what the results are, I’m pretty sure we will still make you all proud. I’m really thankful for everybody: my fans, my boyfriend, my family.

Hotspawn: Finally, lissa mentioned that her personal goal was to win Champions someday.

What is your personal goal?

Bstrdd: My biggest goal? My biggest goal is to win the Championship, of course. And the most important is to grow up as a person.