Nigma Galaxy upset tournament front-runner, Team Tidebound, in a quick 2-0 victory to advance to the lower bracket quarterfinals of The International 2025.
More upsets occurred in the lower bracket of The International (TI) 2025 Playoffs today, as prominent crowd favourites 
Nigma Galaxy eliminated China’s 
Team Tidebound with a dominant 2–0 sweep. Against expectations, the underdog Middle Eastern squad took down one of the tournament’s front-runners to continue their lower bracket run.
Nigma Galaxy had barely survived the event's Group Stage, clutching a crucial victory over 
Natus Vincere to avoid early elimination. Meanwhile, Tidebound had a much better journey–winning against 
Team Falcons, 
PARIVISION, 
Team Liquid, and NAVI, with their only loss coming from fellow Chinese squad 
Xtreme Gaming. This scoreline placed Tidebound among the Top 3 teams in the Group Stage, earning them a direct spot in the Playoffs. Nigma, on the other hand, had to battle through the Elimination Stage, impressively surviving against Eastern Europe’s Aurora Gaming.
However, coming into the Playoffs, Tidebound looked unusually shaky. Their opening series saw them struggle heavily against Team Falcons, resulting in a 0–2 loss. Dropping to the lower bracket, they were matched against Nigma Galaxy–who, on paper, should’ve been an easier opponent. But Tidebound crumbled even harder in this high-stakes matchup, losing two straight games in only 64 minutes as Nigma completely outplayed them.
Nigma Galaxy overwhelm Team Tidebound in a quick 2-0 win
In what many expected to be a lengthy bloodbath, the elimination series turned out to be a swift one-sided showdown.
In the opening match, Nigma’s supports wasted no time scouring the map for kill opportunities, successfully creating chaos for the enemy while simultaneously buying space for 
Daniel Chan “Ghost” Kok Hong’s Medusa. During the laning phase, 
Syed Sumail “SumaiL” Hassans Muerta consistently pressured Cheng “NothingToSay” Jin Xiang’s Earthshaker, disrupting his momentum. The lane struggle severely impacted NothingToSay, whose net worth hovered around that of the supports for most of the game.
When teamfights broke out, 
Omar “OmaR” Moughrabi’s Clockwerk consistently isolated Earthshaker in the backlines, shutting down his ability to cast spells. Maroun “GH” Merhej’s Bane followed up with uninterrupted Fiend’s Grips, effectively locking down another core in every fight. Tidebound just couldn’t find a way to break through Nigma’s smooth coordination.
A final fight saw Tidebound attempt a desperate Smoke maneuver to flank their opponents—but Nigma completely read their movements and dismantled them with ease, prompting a 34-minute surrender. Both Ghost and SumaiL ended the game deathless, posting KDAs of 13/0/4 and 5/0/13, respectively.
The second game played out in similar fashion, with Nigma running an almost identical draft. They unleashed aggression from the get-go, though this time Tidebound played more cautiously across the map. Still, when an inevitable clash occurred, Nigma showcased their synergy–masterfully kiting Tidebound while protecting one another to dominate the fight.
Nigma did slightly overextend in the midlane at the 15-minute mark, losing three members. However, they quickly regrouped and resumed pressuring Tidebound. Tony “No!ob” Assaf’s Mars landed precise Arenas, Ghost’s Medusa held the frontlines with Stone Gaze, and GH’s Phoenix activated Supernova—a massive crowd control fusion that sealed the game in the final teamfight. Tidebound tapped out at just 30 minutes, making it the quickest game on the Main Stage so far. Once again, Ghost remained deathless, finishing with a 5/0/14 KDA.
Nigma Galaxy, amped with a laid-back mentality–as echoed by team coach 
Kuro “KuroKy” Salehi Takhasomi during the pre-match interview–visibly played with comfort and confidence. Their sweep victory sends them into the lower bracket quarterfinals, where they are set to face the loser of Team Falcons vs. 
BetBoom Team. With this win, Nigma Galaxy also secure themselves a Top 6 position at TI 2025, an already extraordinary showing.
Meanwhile, Team Tidebound bow out of the championship after a dramatic meltdown in the Playoffs, finishing 7th–8th at The International 2025. They take home over $140,000 in consolation. Their departure also leaves Xtreme Gaming as the remaining Chinese team in the championship. They currently hold the best chances to claim the Aegis of Champions, holding an incredible undefeated streak.
This marks the second elimination from the Playoffs, following Tundra Esports’ shocking defeat at the hands of underdogs HEROIC earlier today. The Playoffs will continue with upper bracket matchups next, as Xtreme Gaming clash with PARIVISION, and Team Falcons take on BetBoom Team.
For more information on the biggest Dota 2 tournament of the year, check out GosuGamers' guide to this year's Dota 2 world championship tournament and TI 2025 tournament tracker.
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