Paper Rex qualifies for VALORANT Masters Toronto after sweeping VCT Pacific 2025 Kickoff champs DRX. Handout/VCT Pacific
MANILA -- W Gaming is back in the international stage!
This, after Paper Rex booked the last ticket to VALORANT Masters Toronto by sweeping DRX, 2-0, in the lower bracket semifinals of the VCT Pacific 2025 Stage 1.
The win for the Singapore-based organization cements their major comeback after failing to qualify for VALORANT Masters Bangkok during Kickoff and starting off Stage 1 with a 0-3 record.
PRX regrouped and went on a tear beginning in their last two group stage matches, knocking down DFM and Global Esports for the last playoff slot and made major upsets in the playoffs by demolishing Masters Bangkok kings T1, ousting Alpha Bracket top seed BOOM Esports, and now taking out Pacific Kickoff champs DRX.
Paper Rex's Patrick "PatMen" Mendoza celebrates with Wang "Jingg" Jie after their team qualifies for VALORANT Masters Toronto by sweeping VCT Pacific 2025 Kickoff champs DRX. Handout/VCT Pacific
Part of PRX's bounce-back was the move of Pinoy rookie Patrick "PatMen" Mendoza to the starting roster while mainstay Aaron "mindfreak" Leonhart helped the team with head coach Alexandre "alecks" Sallé in the coach's booth.
READ: Despite PatMen's impressive debut, Paper Rex falls to BOOM Esports
PatMen is the latest Filipino representative to qualify for an international VCT tournament since the all-Filipino Team Secret carried the Philippine flag in VALORANT Champions in 2021.
The VCT Pacific El Clasico started in Lotus where DRX took the early lead at 2-5. PRX then retaliated with 5 straight rounds to end the half at 7-5.
PRX took off at the start of the second half by winning four straight rounds. DRX began to make the comeback and nearly brought the series in overtime, but PRX managed to stop the streak and ended the map at 13-11.
In Icebox, DRX started off with the lead again early in the first half at 1-3, but PRX wasted no time to overtake the Kickoff champs with a five-round win streak and end the half at 7-5.
PRX remained in the driver's seat in the second half and the home-town squad could not stop the train which concluded the map and series at 13-8.
Even as PRX gets their Masters slot, their Stage 1 journey continues as they face Rex Regum Qeon (RRQ) in the lower bracket finals in a best-of-five series.