In a tense clash with 2024 Champs winners EDward Gaming, fan favourites Paper Rex booked their spot in Sunday’s VALORANT Masters London grand final. EDG will drop down to the lower bracket, where they’ll face either Team Vitality or Leviatán for the second finals place.
Paper Rex vs EDward Gaming: Two heavyweights neck and neck
A meeting of two juggernauts, the all-Asian matchup lived up to its billing. The opener on Breeze — PRX’s pick — had started in EDG’s favour during the first half before PRX swiftly took control of the second, pushing to map point at 12-9.
But that was followed by six round wins in the next seven for EDG, snatching a win to start off the series 1-0.
Map two — EDG’s Fracture — was much the same. EDG opened well, Paper Rex clawed back a convincing lead in the second half, and again EDG forced overtime. This time Paper Rex held their nerve to clinch two quick OT rounds to level the series at 1-1.
The series was then to be decided by what was, at that stage, essentially a best-of-one. It was fitting too, the prior maps had been so closely fought that either team could have found themselves a 2-0 victory had the win blown a different direction.
However, for once one side took control. It was the Toronto winners who were able to force their authority on the map, with a blistering first half on Split giving them an 8-4 halftime lead. Finally they did not let us slip, continuing to exert themselves in the second half to close 13-6 and move on to Sunday’s grand final.
F0rsakeN later explained his “relief†at eventually winning the series, a sentiment no doubt shared by the legions of Paper Rex for whom heart palpitations are not uncommon.
THREE STRAIGHT #VALORANTMasters EVENTS IN A ROW!@pprxteam is headed to the Grand Finals! pic.twitter.com/WjB6SHkz4n
— VALORANT Champions Tour (@ValorantEsports) June 19, 2026
Leviatán make light work of Team Vitality
The second series of the day was a much quicker affair.
Vitality looked bright in the very early stages of their Lotus pick, winning the first three rounds. Leviatán quickly put a stop to that.
The Americas team found a huge 11 consecutive rounds wins to stun the EMEA ‘home’ team with a 13-3 bashing. That momentum continued into Split as though there had been no break between maps, LEV started with a ludicrous 8-0 lead.
Vitality and their superteam-dubbed lineup refused to capitulate, preventing complete embarrassment by clawing back a handful of rounds, but Leviatán were not to be stopped and eventually completed the 13-4 win, confirming the 2-0 map score and giving them another day to fight in the competition.
Vitality’s exit confirms their fourth-place finish for the team, a respectable result given they were on the verge of not even making playoffs during VCT EMEA Stage 1. Should they keep moving in the direction they have been in recent weeks, then they’ll be a contender in Shanghai later this year.
VALORANT Masters London penultimate day
Two teams battling exhaustion, LEV and EDG will fight tomorrow for a place in Sunday’s final with Paper Rex.
EDG can take confidence from the close nature of their loss to Paper Rex, though that will be in contrast to despair in losing what could have easily been a 2-0 in their favour. For LEV, they may enter with more positive momentum, particularly given how convincingly they took care of Vitality.
But both teams will be fighting against fatigue, now with a best-of-five to decide their fate in the tournament.
