VCT Masters Santiago Grand Final Showdown Decided! Paper Rex Gets Sweet Revenge, Powering Their Way into the Title Decider | Live from Santiago
To all the VALORANT fans burning the midnight oil, our trip to Santiago, Chile, has kept us on the edge of our seats right until the very last moment! At the first stop of the 2026 VCT Masters tour, the lower bracket final just wrapped up in a way that has the Pacific region absolutely buzzing. Our pride and joy, the team that simply doesn't know the meaning of giving up, Paper Rex (PRX), delivered a true epic BO5 slugfest, tearing apart North America's last hope NRG 3-1, carving their path through the lower bracket and storming into the grand final!
From Heartbreak to Revenge: The Kings of the Pacific Are Back
Remember when PRX got sent down to the lower bracket by NRG a few days ago, and all the doubters were saying their "all-out aggression" had been figured out? Well, today, PRX showed the world – give them a second chance, and they'll take back what's theirs. This wasn't just a ticket to the finals; this was revenge, and it tasted so sweet.
The start had me sweating bullets. NRG came prepared on their map pick, Pearl, with keiko landing shots with insane precision, taking the first map 13-8. Watching NRG build that momentum, I genuinely worried PRX might fall into that familiar "slow start" trap and get steamrolled. But our Pacific princes weren't having any of it.
Clutch Time: Heroes All Round
From the second map, Bind, PRX flipped the switch and entered full "W-gaming" mode. The shift was so seamless, like the whole squad had dropped in a new gearbox. f0rsakeN, especially, stepped up when the team needed him most. He wasn't just lurking in the shadows; he whipped out the Operator and secured a quad kill right in their faces. The final takedown on brawk? That's going straight into the VCT highlight reel, no doubt.
- Map 2 Bind (13:7): something's Operator comes online, completely shattering NRG's economy.
- Map 3 Split (13:6): Jinggg's Raze play totally throws off NRG, completely breaking their mental.
- Map 4 Breeze (13:9): Even after NRG clawed back five straight rounds, coach alecks calls a massive timeout, fires up the boys, and gets them locked in to close it out.
This kind of performance isn't about the stats; it's about that intangible energy. Any veteran player knows, when a team like PRX builds that confidence, their offence becomes this unstoppable, fluid wave.
NRG's Missed Chance and PRX's Historic Opportunity
We've also got to give props to NRG. As world champions, aside from that Pearl win, PRX really exposed the gaps in their map pool. Ethan's shot at becoming the first player with two Champions titles and a Masters trophy just wasn't meant to be. For PRX, after grinding out this massive win, they're just one step away from becoming the first team in VCT history to go back-to-back, winning Masters titles in Toronto 2025 and now Santiago 2026.
The Ultimate Fight: Showdown with Nongshim RedForce
Take a breather, because the grand final is up next. PRX will face their Pacific league rivals, Nongshim RedForce (NS), who've been waiting fresh from the winners' bracket. This isn't just a regional face-off; it's a clash of two completely different styles. NS are a scary team, known for their rock-solid discipline and team play – they're definitely not just a brawling squad. Can PRX stick to their chaotic, high-octane "W-gaming" style all the way through? Or will they need to dig deep and show the same kind of smart, adaptive gameplay they used against NRG today?
Personally, I'm betting on PRX. This momentum they've built, fighting from the Swiss stage through the lower bracket, is massive. They're peaking at the perfect time. And don't forget, fans all across the Pacific are tuning in, sending all their energy their way.
And for everyone asking about jinggg's highlight plays, hunting for specific VTVCab VODs, or even checking out that Chief VCTUB XL universal tool-less projector mount that's apparently all the rage with streamers for their second monitor setup – all that side-talk is hitting fever pitch right now, riding the wave of PRX's win. That's the magic of esports, eh? Winning solves everything.
Catch you all for the grand final later tonight (local time, March 15th)! No matter what, PRX have etched the Pacific region's name deep into Chilean soil. Bring it home, boys!