The action-packed Dota 2 competitive season rolls on. No sooner had we processed Team Liquid`s victory at PGL Wallachia Season 4 and the surrounding drama than a new championship, BLAST Slam III, appeared on the horizon. This event features an unusual format that adds unpredictability, potentially boosting dark horse contenders. This factor, combined with a season lacking a single dominant team (winners changing from event to event), is key. Here, we highlight five teams we believe are major contenders for the BLAST Slam III trophy.
Team Spirit
Team Spirit has shown considerable inconsistency this season. While this is true for many teams (perhaps excluding Tundra), Spirit`s successful runs are often followed by swift, heavy defeats in the early playoff stages. This volatility appears both across the season and sometimes even within a single tournament. They`ve consistently dominated group stages in their last four events but secured a top-three finish only once. Spirit can be likened to a luxury car – looking sharp and accelerating instantly, but vulnerable to a single bump that could derail everything.
Despite this, Spirit remains a top contender because, when performing, they possess unparalleled technical prowess. The BLAST Slam III format benefits them, as winning the group stage grants a direct semifinal berth, minimizing potential playoff pitfalls to just two series. This structure could allow Spirit to navigate the championship smoothly, avoiding errors and breakdowns.
Tundra Esports
After a disappointing initial outing (top-6) following dyrachyo`s departure, Tundra Esports rebounded strongly, achieving top-3 finishes in their subsequent two tournaments. Remarkably, for a significant portion of the last event, they competed without 33, fielding MidOne as a stand-in despite his time away from the pro scene. Yet, the team performed well.
Unlike Spirit`s larger swings, Tundra exhibits less drastic fluctuations in form. They consistently maintain a high standard of team coordination, drafting, and individual execution, regardless of circumstances. The performance without 33 demonstrated that Tundra is a cohesive unit, not solely reliant on one player. This depth means an off-day for one player minimally impacts the overall result; any of their core players (and even supports) can become the driving force. This makes Tundra challenging to counter in the draft phase – if Crystallis`s usual heroes are banned, he can confidently pick a carry Underlord and dominate.
Tundra`s inherent reliability and stability position them for another strong finish; whether it will be the top spot remains to be seen.
Aurora Gaming
Initial skepticism surrounding Aurora Gaming`s roster announcement seemed validated by their early results. However, the recent PGL Wallachia Season 4 revealed significant team progress. While their final placing (top-6) wasn`t spectacular, the improvement in their gameplay is clear. Under coach Sergey `G` Bragin, Aurora`s drafts are now more balanced and meta-savvy. They effectively utilize popular, successful heroes while incorporating unique strategies like a tempo mid Riki or a forgotten carry Abaddon.
Crucially, their in-game execution has improved; Aurora can both assert dominance from a strong position or play a drawn-out, reactive style. Alexander `TORONTOTOKYO` Hertek has also developed into a more active, team-focused offlaner. While his Beastmaster performance against Tundra might have left a mixed impression, his play on heroes like Dark Seer and Bristleback was truly impressive, matching more seasoned offlaners.
If Aurora maintains this trajectory, they could soon become a top contender truly vying for championships, rather than merely competing on equal footing with established giants. The roster has demonstrated genuine potential.
Gaimin Gladiators
Throughout the season, Gaimin Gladiators weren`t consistently viewed as a major threat to the top teams. However, they possess a tangible opportunity at BLAST Slam III to not only reach the top-4 but potentially challenge for the championship. Firstly, Gladiators have noticeably improved in both quality and results over the past couple of months. They`ve finally established a clear game plan, returning to their successful formula from previous seasons: strong laning, aggressive carry movements, and proactive play. Essentially, instead of adapting to Watson, Gladiators are integrating him into their established aggressive style (albeit with slightly more farming). The addition of Malady as a permanent player has also injected new energy. Consequently, Gladiators have secured two runner-up finishes at Tier 1 events in the last two months, including at the previous BLAST tournament.
Secondly, Gladiators have had a less demanding schedule than many top teams, having rested for most of April by not participating in ESL One Raleigh 2025 or PGL Wallachia Season 4. In a season marked by teams citing fatigue and burnout, this break gives Gladiators a significant advantage leading into BLAST Slam III. We anticipate potential surprises from this well-rested and improved squad.
PARIVISION
PARIVISION is a highly unconventional team, arguably featuring the strongest Position 4 player currently in the professional scene. Edgar `9Class` Naltakyan`s unique approach to the role and hero pool (including Slark, Terrorblade, Templar Assassin – unusual picks for a 4) breaks conventions and dictates match tempo. He not only picks these heroes but wins with them, often becoming the team`s playmaker, undertaking crucial utility tasks and creating opportunities. Furthermore, PARIVISION boasts one of the best midlaners currently, consistently performing at a very high level throughout the season.
The intriguing paradox is that these two exceptional players aren`t always enough. PARIVISION, while excelling at complex strategies, occasionally falters on more fundamental aspects. Sometimes their drafts are overly experimental, leading to insufficient late-game damage, or after a perfect early game dominating all lanes, they struggle to coordinate effective late-game teamfights. Consequently, it`s exceptionally difficult to predict which version of PARIVISION will appear at BLAST: the one that exited early at FISSURE Universe: Episode 4 after drafting a weak Spectre, or the one that dominated and claimed the ESL One Raleigh 2025 trophy.
BLAST Slam III is scheduled to take place in Denmark from May 5th to 11th. Ten invited teams will compete for a total prize pool of one million dollars, with a portion of the winnings allocated to the participating organizations.
Finley Holt