Less discussed how there was no pressure during this match, which hasn't been the case for LOUD this year, and how that will help them as they advance through the upper bracket.
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Fnatic and LOUD faced off in a rematch of the LOCK//IN grand finals in the opening match of the VALORANT Champions 2023 playoffs, with Fnatic continuing to be the overwhelming favorite. But after dominating consecutive international championships, Fnatic found the burden of the crown too much, and LOUD benefited.
Fnatic suffered their second loss in all tournaments and first loss at an international tournament in 2023 after losing to LOUD 2-0. Despite claims about LOUD’s togetherness, its two key players, Erick “Aspas” Santos, and Felipe “Less” Basso regained their championship form in the team’s most difficult match of the year. If you need more information about Prime Aspas and Less make a loud comeback as they exact LOCK//IN retribution on Fnatic at Champions 2023, then read carefully, and don’t forget to share with your friends.
This victory was noteworthy due to Fnatic’s supremacy going into Champions, but it was also LOUD’s chance for atonement following their shocking elimination from VCT Masters Tokyo. There was some hope that LOUD might pull off this surprise, but mainly because of their LOCK//IN performance.
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Everyone recalls the championship games in So Paulo and the 11-3 Icebox loss that LOUD supporters continue to brood over to this day. However, when examining that series as its whole in 2023, LOUD was one of the few teams to push Fnatic to the limit. Despite previously not being at that LOCK//IN level, they needed to regain it to secure this significant victory, and they did so.
In 2023, practically no other team can claim to have beaten Fnatic on both Ascent and Lotus as LOUD did. Although the goal was to stop Fnatic’s top duelist Nikita “Derke” Sirmitev, they couldn’t have succeeded without Aspas resuming his scorching form from 2022 and Americas this year. The Brazilian superstar ended up with 38 kills, topping the lobby, while Derke finished with an even 29 kills and 29 deaths. He was unable to surpass Derke in the first kills category, finishing with 6 to Derke’s 14.
However, Derke led the room in kills overall with 38. Derke gave his squad a disadvantage almost as often as an advantage because he was dying first as often as he was getting the first kill. Aspas was fragging out while his teammate Less was doing the same while winning important rounds, notably on Lotus, almost entirely on the strength of his utility and shrewd lurks.
There are a lot of Fewer moments to point out, but round 18 is by far the greatest. In order to try and win a three-vs-three match while leading 11-6, Fnatic gains access to the C site and plants deep within. They can’t move Waterfall or the back side very far, though, because of the smoke. Then, at Waterfall, Less uses his Killjoy ultimate to lock down the entire site and even a significant portion of C main.
Less discussed how there was no pressure during this match, which hasn’t been the case for LOUD this year, and how that will help them as they advance through the upper bracket.
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