The grand finals of The International 2023 brought together the top teams of Dota 2, and it was Team Spirit who emerged as the undeniable champions. In a resounding 3-0 sweep, they not only crushed Gaimin Gladiators’ hopes for a perfect season but also secured their second TI title. The team finally joined an exclusive club of double Aegis holders.
Team Spirit’s Ascension to Greatness
While the beginning of the year may have been slow for Team Spirit, they meticulously crafted their path to championship glory. Victories at the Riyadh Masters 2023 and DreamLeague Season 21 propelled them into a nearly undefeated run at TI12.
Dominating the group stage and decimating top-tier teams in the playoffs, Spirit lost just two games during their time in Seattle. One of them was to Virtus.pro and another to Team Liquid.
This performance translated to a surprising 19-2 record and a remarkable 90.5 percent win rate at TI12. Spirit even surpassed the win percentages of previous TI champions, including TI3 winner Alliance’s 88.5 percent and TI1 winner NAVI’s 90 percent.
The Aegis of Champions!#SpiritDota #Dota2 #TI12 pic.twitter.com/qWyC7QOKbC
— Team Spirit (@Team__Spirit) October 30, 2023
‘Bald’ Sacrifice for Victory
In a bold pre-draft move, Yatoro of Team Spirit made a symbolic sacrifice by shaving his head. This sacrifice seemed to unlock a mystical power. Yatoro’s 18-kill Weaver contributed 47 percent of Spirit’s total damage in the first game.
Game two witnessed Yatoro’s explosive performance on Faceless Void, an unconventional pick at TI12. Yatoro’s gameplay featured multiple Chronosphere lockdowns and a Rampage. This marked his fourth Rampage at a TI Main Event, a record-setting achievement.
Game three appeared to lean in Gaimin’s favor, with a promising line-up featuring Quinn’s Pangolier and Ace’s Brewmaster. Dota Plus even put the odds at a 96 percent chance of Gaimin’s victory.
However, Yatoro and Collapse’s Spirit Breaker turned the tide. In less than a minute, Spirit embarked on a series of aggressive pushes and picks. They ended up securing their TI victory, all thanks to Mira’s Tusk.
A Second Aegis for Spirit
With this win, Team Spirit becomes the second Dota 2 organization to claim a second Aegis, following in the footsteps of OG’s TI8 and TI9 wins. Yatoro, Collapse, Mira, and Miposhka now join the elite ranks of players who have secured a second TI championship.
Larl, the newcomer to the team, adds his name to this prestigious list.
Team Spirit’s victory at TI12 earns them $1,414,763 from the prize pool. While this is a significant sum, it pales in comparison to their TI10 earnings of $18.2 million. However, they did recover some of that by winning $5 million at the Riyadh Masters.
The ‘TI Curse’ Persists
Gaimin Gladiators’ loss continues the trend known as the ‘TI curse’, as no team has ever won a DPC Major and then gone on to win TI. Their victory at TI12 could have shattered this curse and marked an unprecedented achievement as the only team to start in the lower bracket and secure a TI victory, completing a ‘Dota Grand Slam’ with three Major wins alongside a TI Aegis.
Instead, Gaimin Gladiators head home with a second-place prize of $377,214 as they approach the 2024 season, which won’t feature a Dota Pro Circuit.