PRX and NRG set up rematch in Masters Santiago semifinals

Paper Rex and NRG are set to collide again, and this time, an upper finals berth is on the line. After their thrilling group stage encounter on March 2nd, the Masters Toronto winners and the reigning Valorant Champions will face off in the upper bracket semifinals of VCT Masters Santiago on Monday. PRX came out on top in their first meeting, winning 2-1 in a series that went down to the wire. NRG stormed back from 12-7 down on Haven to make it 12-11 before f0rsakeN delivered a series-clinching ace to deny the comeback. It was the kind of finish that left both teams knowing unfinished business remained.

PRX: America’s Kryptonite

Paper Rex have been on a one-team demolition arc of the Americas region since arriving in Santiago. They swept G2 Esports 2-0 in the opening round of the Swiss Stage, then defeated NRG to qualify for the playoffs before downing FURIA 2-1 in a reverse sweep in the first playoff round. It’s a run that has elevated PRX’s record to seven wins in a row, counting from their lower bracket run in Pacific

PRX banned Abyss (their consistent permaban this year), NRG banned Bind, and Haven remained as the decider. PRX won their own pick 13-10, dropped Pearl 10-13, then edged out the decider 13-11. In Kickoff, PRX had strong showings on Split and Corrode, while maintaining Haven and Breeze in their back pocket as solid decider maps.

What makes PRX so dangerous is the chaos they manufacture. Their double-duelist compositions, aggressive off-angles, and unpredictable pacing force opponents into uncomfortable decisions. Invy’s Fade has been a weapon across the tournament: his 60-kill, +22 series performance against NRG the first time around helped dismantle their opponents.

If PRX win their game and if G2 win their own semifinal match versus Nongshim Redforce, the upper final could be yet another PRX versus Americas series.

NRG: Built to Come Back

NRG’s defining trait is composure. Time and again in the group stage match against PRX, they clawed rounds back from seemingly losing positions, including erasing a 5-point deficit on Haven to make it 12-11. Coach bonkar’s timeouts have become almost legendary for the adjustments they produce mid-series. NRG permaban Bind and lean heavily on Haven, Abyss, and Pearl, all maps where Ethan’s structured Tejo and double-info setups thrive.

The question for the rematch is whether NRG’s prep-heavy style can crack a PRX team that has now played them once and won, and has had time to watch their game versus BBL to make possible adjustments. However, the odds for the team that lost the first time to win a rematch are historically high in Valorant.

The one team NRG did not beat on their Champions Paris run was Paper Rex. They’ve faltered to them once, but whether they can rewrite the narrative in the semifinal remains to be seen.

The updated Playoffs Bracket after Day 7 at #VALORANTMasters Santiago! pic.twitter.com/groqHxWErK

— VALORANT Champions Tour (@ValorantEsports) March 7, 2026

VCT Masters Santiago Elimination Games

Before the semifinals, two more matches will determine who stays alive in the tournament. BBL Esports vs FURIA and Gentle Mates vs All Gamers are both lower bracket elimination matches, with the losers heading home. Both games promise high stakes and fireworks in their own right. But for those waiting to see whether PRX can complete a full sweep of the Americas region, the rematch with NRG could replace BBL vs NRG as the series of the tournament so far.