Look Sports Media – The Rocket League World Championship 2025 witnessed a seismic shift on Thursday as underdogs The Ultimates and Wildcard delivered stunning upsets, knocking out favorites Karmine Corp and Dignitas and securing their places in the playoffs. This unexpected turn of events guarantees a Top 6 finish for these previously less-fancied teams, shaking up the established hierarchy of the competition.
Friday’s matches will determine the remaining playoff spots, with heavyweights battling for survival in the lower bracket. The pressure is on as the remaining teams fight to avoid elimination.
Karmine Corp, pre-tournament favorites according to numerous esports betting sites, suffered a surprising defeat at the hands of The Ultimates in a thrilling Upper Bracket semi-final. While Karmine Corp secured a comfortable 3-0 win in the first game, The Ultimates showcased their resilience, taking Game 2 in overtime thanks to a spectacular goal by Jason "Firstkiller" Corral, assisted by Nick "Chronic" Iwanski. The North American team then dominated Game 3 (4-1) before clinching a hard-fought 3-1 series victory in another overtime thriller.
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Dignitas, runners-up at the Raleigh Major, faced a similar fate, suffering a clean sweep at the hands of Wildcard (3-0). The Australian team’s impressive performance, particularly Jon "bananahead" Anastasakis, left Dignitas struggling to find an answer, scoring only two goals across the entire series. A near-equalizer by Britain’s Jack "ApparentlyJack" Benton in the dying seconds of Game 1 only served to highlight Dignitas’ misfortune.
While both Karmine Corp and Dignitas now face a challenging path through the lower bracket, their encounters on Thursday serve as a stark reminder that no opponent should be underestimated. Karmine Corp will face either Furia or ROC Esports, while Dignitas will play the winner of Virtus.pro or Geekay Esports.
In contrast to Group A’s dramatic upsets, Group B largely followed expectations. Raleigh Major champions Team Falcons advanced to the playoffs, defeating Gen.G and Team Vitality. Their victory is noteworthy, as it means no EU team secured an Upper Bracket playoff spot—a surprising outcome given Europe’s dominance in the Rocket League scene. NRG also secured their place in the Upper Bracket Quarter-Finals after overcoming NiP and Team Secret.
The Ultimates and Wildcard, having secured their Upper Bracket Quarter-Final berths, now enjoy the advantage of two lives, ensuring their continued presence in the tournament until the semi-finals. The remaining teams will be fighting tooth and nail to join them. The RLCS World Championship 2025 is far from over, and the remaining matches promise to be just as exciting, if not more so, than the unexpected twists and turns we’ve already witnessed.
By Darragh Harbinson, Senior Editor. Darragh Harbinson is an esports writer specializing in Counter-Strike. He has written for looksports.media, Esports Insider, UKCSGO, Dexerto, and Rush B Media.
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