Here are five players with the most compelling storylines to watch as BLAST Slam IV’s Playoffs unfold from 7-8 November at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.
The fourth edition of BLAST’s Dota 2 series, BLAST Slam IV, marks the first-ever LAN event in the tournament’s history. Set to take place this 7-8 November at the Singapore Indoor Stadium, the event officially kicks off a new era for competitive Dota 2, serving as the first Tier 1 tournament of the 2025/2026 season.
The event’s Group Stage had taken place between October 14 and 18, determining the final six teams advancing to the Playoffs. 
Team Falcons and 
Tundra Esports secured their spots with ease, while others had to battle through the Last Chance Playoffs and Play-In Stage for survival. Ultimately, 
MOUZ, 
Aurora Gaming, 
Heroic, and 
Team Spirit prevailed to complete the Playoffs lineup for BLAST Slam IV.
Among the six contenders heading to Singapore, there are plenty of compelling narratives. While most of us may already know what team dynamics and storylines to expect ahead, this time we’re shifting the focus from squads to individuals.
Here are five players to watch for at BLAST Slam IV’s Playoffs.
1. MidOne
MOUZ’s mid laner, 
Nai Zheng “MidOne” Yeik is currently on his way to a promising resurgence since his peak era six years ago. The Malaysian veteran, once hailed as one of the best midlaners in the world, is set to play his first official LAN at BLAST Slam IV’s Playoffs after nearly two years.
Fans who remember 
Team Secret’s golden era (2017–2019) will recall MidOne’s dominance in the midlane–effortlessly outclassing top-tier opponents. However, following his departure from Secret in early 2020, his career trajectory faltered. Stints with 
OG and his own team, 
Team SMG, failed to continue his elite legacy.
In late 2023, MidOne briefly returned to Team Secret, where he achieved a respectable Top 8 finish at ESL One Kuala Lumpur. But it was a short-lived partnership as MidOne once again found himself teamless for the next two seasons.
Now in present time, MidOne seems to have found a pleasant twist to his fate. Since joining MOUZ at the start of this season, he already found decent results including a 2nd place at FISSURE Universe: Episode 7, outperforming TI teams like 
Team Liquid and 
Nigma Galaxy.
For a newly formed roster, they’ve already exceeded expectations, even advancing to the BLAST Slam IV Playoffs and securing a Top 6 result. This event could very well mark the turning point in MidOne’s period of struggle, drawing attention for his potential comeback.
1. Panto
Over at Team Spirit, 
Nikita “Panto” Balaganin steps into one of the most challenging roles having to replace former team captain 
Yaroslav “Miposhka” Naidenov. The veteran captain’s absence leaves massive shoes to fill, especially for a player who’s only recently broken into the top competitive scene.
Miposhka is widely regarded as one of the best captains and support players in Dota 2 history, having led Team Spirit to two The International titles and victories at the Dota 2 Esports World Cup (previously known as Riyadh Masters). His decision to take a break post TI-2025 has opened the door for Panto, who now faces the daunting task of continuing that legacy.
Despite his limited Tier 1 experience, Panto has shown steady progress. His breakthrough came just earlier this year when he placed 4th at DreamLeague Season 25 under a casual 
Chimera Esports stack–which earned him an invite to Aurora Gaming. There, he enjoyed his best competitive season yet, achieving multiple Top 6 finishes, though it ended on a sour note with a 9th–13th place at TI 2025.
Now entering a new chapter with Team Spirit, fans are eager to see how Panto blends with the organisation’s legendary core. He once described himself with humility and willingness to learn, so he does appear to fit Spirit’s team-centric dynamic well.
So far, early results have been encouraging. The team advancing to BLAST Slam IV’s Playoffs showed a great debut for the new lineup. Additionally, Team Spirit recently finished Top 2 in the FISSURE PLAYGROUND 2 Group Stage, showing consistent chemistry.
The Singapore stage will however be their first big test, revealing how well Panto can live up to both Team Spirit’s stature and Miposhka’s enduring legacy.
3. Wisper
Next up is 
Adrian “Wisper” Cespedes Dobles, the Bolivian star representing HEROIC. Long recognised as one of the best offlaners in the scene, Wisper made waves last season with HEROIC’s Top 6 finish at TI 2025, where his performances were widely praised.
But for the 2025/2026 season, Wisper is venturing into unfamiliar territory, transitioning from offlane to midlane. Initially, the role switch raised eyebrows, as fans wondered why the change was made following a successful TI campaign. But regardless, Wisper’s strong laning skills and mechanical prowess have made the switch appear almost seamless.
His recent success supports the change: HEROIC had won FISSURE Universe: Episode 7, the first noteworthy tournament following TI 2025. However, BLAST Slam IV will be a tougher battlefield, as it marks his first LAN appearance in this new role.
4. Mikoto
One of the most intriguing storylines of the new season comes from Aurora Gaming, who have revamped its roster to blend Eastern European and Southeast Asian talent. This marks a bizarre mix at Dota 2’s top-tier level. One of their seemingly experimental moves was signing Indonesian midlaner 
Rafli Fathur “Mikoto” Rahman, one of Southeast Asia (SEA)’s most renowned players.
During his tenure with Talon Esports from 2021–2023, Mikoto established himself as one of the region’s finest, earning 3rd at Riyadh Masters 2023 and 4th at DreamLeague Season 20, among other impressive achievements. However, after SEA’s overall decline in international competition and Talon’s eventual disbandment, Mikoto found himself starting a new chapter, stepping foot far from home.
Now, he joins forces with former TI champions 
Miroslaw “Mira” Kolpakov and Alexander “TORONTOTOKYO” Khertek, as well as his former teammate Chon Kien “Oli” Chan. While Oli has prior experience competing abroad, this move is Mikoto’s first venture outside Southeast Asia in his eight-year professional career.
Early results suggest he’s adapting quickly. Aurora’s strong showing in the BLAST Slam IV Group Stage proves that Mikoto are jiving well in the new environment. Whether he can maintain this level on LAN remains to be seen, and that makes his story one of the most exciting to follow.
5. Ari
Last but not least, we have 
Matthew “Ari” Walker, the young British support player who’s quickly rose to prominence since fully committing to the game in 2021. In just two years, Ari managed to join one of North America’s most notable organisations, TSM, with which he qualified for multiple top-tier tournaments and established his presence on the international scene.
However, his subsequent stints with OG and NAVI were less successful. Entering the 2025/2026 season, Ari starts fresh with Tundra Esports, arguably the best three teams in Dota 2 currently. Assuming the team’s position 4, Ari finds himself surrounded by elite veterans in what is arguably his biggest challenge yet. Adding to the pressure, he is also filling in for TI champion 
Martin “Saksa” Sazdov, one of the greatest support players in the scene.
The results so far are promising. Tundra has cruised into the BLAST Slam IV Playoffs and also advanced through the FISSURE PLAYGROUND 2 Group Stage with ease. But as with many other players on this list, Ari’s ability to perform with his new team on LAN remains to be seen.
BLAST Slam IV Playoffs
The BLAST Slam IV Playoffs will take place from 7 to 9 November in front of a live audience at the Singapore Indoor Stadium and will follow a single-elimination format where all matches are a best-of-three except for the grand finals, which will be a full best-of-five series. Here are the matchups for the BLAST Slam IV Playoffs:
Quarterfinals:
- MOUZ vs Team Spirit
- Aurora Gaming vs HEROIC
Semifinals:
- Tundra Esports vs winner of MOUZ vs Team Spirit
- Team Falcons vs winner of Aurora Gaming vs HEROIC
Grand finals:
- Semifinals winner 1 vs Semifinals winner 2
Up for grabs in the BLAST Slam IV Playoffs will be the lion's share of the US$1 million prize pool (with US$750,000 awarded as Prize Money while US$250,000 are awarded as Team Earnings). The Top 4 teams will also earn direct invites to BLAST Slam VI, which will host its Playoffs in the BLAST Arena Studios in Malta in February 2026.
Here's the prize pool breakdown for the BLAST Slam IV Playoffs:
- Champions: US$400,000 (US$300,000 in Prize Money, US$100,000 in Team Earnings) and direct invite to BLAST Slam VI
- 2nd place: US$200,000 (US$150,000 in Prize Money, US$50,000 in Team Earnings) and direct invite to BLAST Slam VI
- 3rd-4th place: US$80,000 (US$60,000 in Prize Money, US$20,000 in Team Earnings) and direct invite to BLAST Slam VI
- 5th-6th place: US$50,000 (US$35,000 in Prize Money, US$15,000 in Team Earnings) and direct invite to BLAST Slam VI
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