Team Spirit crowned Dota 2 Riyadh Masters 2023 champions after defeating Liquid 3-1

A high-octane finale saw Team Spirit emerge as the Dota 2 Riyadh Masters 2023 champions after they quickly dispatched Team Liquid in a convincing fashion. This is the second time Team Spirit faced Team Liquid in the Playoffs, with the earlier meeting taking place in the Upper Bracket Final, 2-1 in favor of the former. While Team Liquid looked red hot after their Lower Bracket Final clean sweep win over Talon Esports, Team Spirit proved to be a significantly bigger challenge.

This is the second time Team Spirit has made their way to the Riyadh Masters final, after having done the same previous year too. In the 2022 iteration of the event, they faced off against PSG.LGD in a best of three, which they lost 2-0. PSG.LGD was eliminated this time by Quest Esports in Lower Bracket Round 1.

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Team Spirit is the Dota 2 Riyadh Masters 2023 champion

Unlike last year, the Riyadh Masters 2023 grand final was a best-of-five series. The first game was won by Team Liquid around the half an hour mark, with zai having a dominant performance with Naga Siren.

Team Spirit again picked Faceless Void against Naga Siren, but this time around, Yatoro had the last laugh. Game 2 almost lasted an hour, with Team Spirit finally clinching a victory and leveling the series.

Yatoro had a commanding performance throughout the rest of the series, with Game 4 seeing a scintillating displace of Terrorblade and its prowess.

Team Spirit wrapped up the series 4-1, winning the title of champions and a $5,000,000 prize money. The Riyadh Masters 2023 crown is the first significant win the outfit achieved after winning the PGL Arlington Major 2022 last year.

The group, with a slightly different roster, etched their names in the annals of Dota 2 history in 2021 when they won The International. The recent win puts them in a prime position to have a dominant run at the upcoming The International 2023.

Coming second, Team Liquid won $2,500,000. The team has appeared in every Major final of this Dota 2 Pro Circuit (DPC) season, with Gaimin Gladiators defeating them in each of them.