FaZe Clutch Victory: Budapest Major Stage 2 Secured!

Look Sports Media – FaZe Clan has narrowly avoided an early exit at the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025, securing their spot in Stage 2 after a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Brazilian contenders, Fluxo. The series, filled with tense moments and momentum swings, saw FaZe overcome moments of vulnerability to ultimately clinch the win.

The Copenhagen and Shanghai Major finalists were pushed to their limits by Fluxo, but a crucial nine-round streak in the final map proved to be the deciding factor in their advancement at the Budapest Major. Having scraped through the initial stage with a 2-2 record, narrowly escaping elimination against Red Canids, FaZe now faces a sterner test in the next phase of the tournament.

FaZe vs Fluxo – Map 1: Inferno

Riding high from their Inferno victory against Red Canids, FaZe seemed poised to dominate Fluxo on the same map. Russel "Twistzz" Van Dulken delivered a signature performance, complemented by crucial clutch plays from Helvijs "broky" Saukants, enabling FaZe to secure a comfortable 8-4 lead after their Terrorist side. Fluxo’s attempted comeback after winning the pistol round was quickly shut down by FaZe’s strong Counter-Terrorist defense, resulting in a 13-6 map victory for FaZe. The win instilled a sense of renewed confidence in FaZe, solidifying their position as favorites in the series.

Map 2: Nuke

The Nuke map completely shattered FaZe’s newfound confidence, exposing glaring weaknesses in their CT-side strategy. Finn "karrigan" Andersen’s aggressive plays on the T-side consistently provided Fluxo with early advantages. Andrei "arT" Piovezan repeatedly exploited karrigan’s positioning, granting Fluxo freedom to execute their strategies, often targeting the B bombsite. Fluxo capitalized on these openings, securing a 7-5 lead on their T-side, which could have been even greater had they converted a few key clutch situations. Despite FaZe’s initial equalizer after winning the pistol round, Fluxo unleashed a relentless CT-side assault, overwhelming the struggling FaZe roster and securing a 13-7 victory, leaving FaZe fans stunned.

Map 3: Mirage

Following a disastrous performance on Nuke, FaZe aimed to regain their composure on Mirage. With David "frozen" Čerňanský and Twistzz providing consistent firepower throughout the event, Mirage, known as an "aimer’s paradise," seemed like the perfect opportunity for FaZe to bounce back. However, Kayke "kye" Bertolucci emerged as the dominant force, single-handedly shutting down FaZe’s attempts to target the B bombsite with a series of multi-kills. FaZe’s simplistic and predictable gameplay, possibly reflecting a lack of confidence in their strategies, resulted in short, chaotic rounds that often favored Fluxo.

Fluxo seized an impressive 8-4 lead in the first half, leaving FaZe in a precarious position. After winning the pistol round and converting it into a quick follow-up, Fluxo appeared to be on the verge of victory. However, FaZe mounted a remarkable comeback, capitalizing on Fluxo’s hesitant decision-making and a botched B-site execution to secure their first CT-round. With Fluxo’s economy crippled, FaZe narrowed the gap to just three rounds.

As Fluxo regained their weaponry, a quick double kill from Jakub "jcobbb" Pietruszewski and broky brought the score to 10-8, highlighting a worrying trend for Fluxo: FaZe was winning rounds decisively, and their economy was rapidly improving. Fluxo’s own economy crumbled, forcing them into successive rounds with unfavorable buys, failing to even plant the bomb. FaZe’s solid defense and Fluxo’s increasingly disjointed plays allowed FaZe to reach map and series point at 12-10. Karrigan clutched a 2v4 situation in the 23rd round, followed by covering broky during a defuse, securing the map 13-10 and the series victory for FaZe.

FaZe advances to Stage 2 by the skin of their teeth, but they must address their issues if they hope to progress further. For Fluxo, the loss is a bitter pill to swallow. The team faltered when victory was within reach, failing to maintain composure and ultimately losing the match.