Group Yandex have now gained the primary two main tournaments of the 2026-2027 aggressive Dota 2 season.
Jap European Dota 2 juggernauts 
Team Yandex have been topped as champions of BLAST SLAM VIII after they defeated reigning The International (TI) champions 
Team Spirit, 3-1, within the match’s best-of-five grand finals on Monday (12 October).
With their victory, Yandex claimed the grand prize of US$270,000 in addition to their second BLAST title after BLAST SLAM VII final June. With the BLAST SLAM VIII title now including to their victory at PGL Wallachia Season 9 in late September, Yandex have additionally gained the primary two main tournaments of the 2026-2027 aggressive season.
Yandex’s decision to sign 
Ammar “ATF” Assaf as their new offlaner following 
Team Falcons‘ exit from the scene has confirmed to be the most important transfer of the post-TI 2026 roster shuffle, as they’re now wanting just like the strongest group on this planet.
In the meantime, Spirit bow out of BLAST SLAM VIII in second place and can take house US$135,000 in comfort. Whereas they miss out on following up their historic victory at TI 2026 with one other Tier 1 title, it is nonetheless a commendable consequence when contemplating that is Spirit’s first look since 
Bohdan “Batyuk” Batiuk and coach 
Ilya “IllidanSTR” Pevcaev joined the roster after Magomed “Collapse” Khalilov and coach Yaroslav “Miposhka” Naidenov each took a break from skilled play.
Yandex and Spirit dominate BLAST SLAM VIII forward of grand finals conflict
The eventual grand finalists of BLAST SLAM VIII each loved robust begins to the match, with Spirit finishing first in Group B and Yandex claiming the top seed of Group C. Yandex and Spirit then confronted off the primary time in BLAST SLAM VIII within the Seeding Matches, with Spirit defeating Yandex in three games to secure an upper bracket semifinals berth in the Playoffs.
Within the opening day of the Playoffs, Yandex scored back-to-back victories over 
LGD Gaming and tournament favourites 
PARIVISION to become the first team to advance to the upper bracket finals. The second day of the primary occasion then noticed Spirit defeat 
Aurora Gaming in the upper bracket semifinals to arrange a rematch with Yandex within the subsequent spherical.
Of their second encounter of the match, Yandex soundly swept Spirit to become the first team to advance to the BLAST SLAM VIII grand finals and knock the reigning TI champions all the way down to the decrease bracket finals. The ultimate day of BLAST SLAM VIII then opened with a rematch of the TI 2026 grand finals, with Spirit pulling off a reverse sweep over PARIVISION to face Yandex for the third and remaining time on this match within the grand finals.
Yandex defeat Spirit to say BLAST SLAM VIII championship
Spirit opened the grand finals by drafting for a powerful mid sport timing with Illya “Yatoro” Mulyarchuk on Ursa, Denis “Larl” Sigitov on Sand King, and Batyuk on Doom. In the meantime, Yandex appeared to outscale their opponents with a tri-core of Kez for 
Alimzhan “Watson” Islambekov, Dragon Knight for Ilya “CHIRA_JUNIOR” Chirtsov, and Razor for ATF.
Spirit dominated the laning stage and notably shut down ATF’s development by inflicting 4 deaths on him within the first quarter-hour of the sport. With Yandex’s tri-core hampered simply as they hit their mid sport energy spike, Spirit rampaged throughout the map and secured the sport one win after 40 minutes.
Yatoro fueled Spirit’s lopsided 48-19 kill lead in sport one with 19 kills and 12 assists on only one demise. Larl and Alexey “not me” Kosmynin on Darkish Willow every completed with 9 kills and mixed for 56 assists towards eight deaths between the 2 of them.
Sport two noticed Yandex look to tie up the collection by selecting Kez for Watson as soon as once more, this time with CHIRA_JUNIOR on Earth Spirit and ATF on Timbersaw to provoke teamfights for his or her carry. Spirit countered with a high-tempo draft anchored by Nature’s Prophet for Yatoro, Ember Spirit for Larl, and Brewmaster for Batyuk.
Each groups have been on comparatively even footing throughout the early sport, however a large teamfight win on the 23-minute mark allowed Yandex to take the lead and by no means look again. Whereas Spirit have been in a position to attract issues out to the late sport, a relentless Yandex assault led by ATF’s Timbersaw finally allowed them to tie up the collection after 52 minutes of motion.
ATF put up 20 kills and 7 assists on three deaths to tempo Yandex’s 43-27 kill lead in sport two. Watson added 10 kills and 17 assists towards simply two deaths whereas CHIRA_JUNIOR pitched in with seven kills and 25 assists on six deaths.
The pivotal third sport of the collection then noticed Spirit pin their hopes on Yatoro’s Anti-Mage, with Larl on Sand King and Batyuk on Darkish Seer tasked with making house for his or her carry. Yandex countered with a high-tempo draft of their very own, that includes Watson on Nature’s Prophet, CHIRA_JUNIOR on Pangolier, and ATF on Monkey King.
Yandex took full benefit of their opponents’ slower draft by getting lively early, which gave them full management of the sport as Spirit have been unable to contest their strain. Yandex merely bulldozed by way of Spirit from there and secured a commanding 2-1 collection lead after a 48-minute rout.
Watson confirmed out with an ideal 14-kill, 14-assist efficiency to tempo Yandex’s 33-17 kill lead in sport three. CHIRA_JUNIOR additionally had a clear seven kills and 19 assists whereas ATF completed with eight kills and 10 assists regardless of tanking 5 deaths.
Yandex appeared to shut issues out in sport 4 by taking the Anti-Mage for Watson, with CHIRA_JUNIOR on Earth Spirit and ATF on Doom rounding out their core lineup. Spirit appeared to pressure the collection to a deciding sport 5 with Yatoro on Sven, Larl on Ember Spirit, and Batyuk on Brewmaster.
The early sport was bloody, although Yandex got here away with the lead as Watson had a neater time scaling whereas Yatoro encountered considerably extra strain. The essential mid sport clashes have been then gained by Yandex, as they solely wanted to concentrate on the enemy Sven to erase Spirit’s probabilities of successful a teamfight. Whereas Spirit have been in a position to strike again in a few clashes, it was not sufficient to cease a surging Yandex squad from securing the 3-1 collection victory after 56 minutes of motion.
Watson led Yandex to the BLAST SLAM VIII title with 19 kills and 14 assists on 5 deaths out of his group’s 51-37 kill lead within the closeout sport. ATF added 13 kills and 22 assists on three deaths, whereas CHIRA_JUNIOR pitched in with 10 kills and 27 assists on 5 deaths.
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