NAVI has won its first CS2 trophy of the year after defeating Ninjas in Pyjamas (NIP) 2-0 in the grand final of StarLadder StarSeries Fall 2025.
The tournament took place in Budapest, Hungary, and saw NAVI take home $200,000. The result also has significant ramifications for many of the other teams in attendance.
Mikhail “iM” Ivan helped NAVI secure its first title in nine months. Image Credit: BLAST Open Spring
NAVI Live Up to Favorite Tag
Given the less-than-impressive field at StarSeries, there really was no excuse for NAVI not to win this event.
The only real threat to the Ukrainian organization was NIP, who were duly dispatched in convincing 2-0 victories on two separate occasions.
The gulf in class became apparent as the event went on. NAVI dropped just one map across the four series it played, with 9INE the only team to take a map against them, in the opening match of the event.
Despite the weaker playing field than at FISSURE Playground, NAVI’s performance was solid. It will go some way to renewing faith in a roster that desperately needs the confidence boost a trophy can bring after a rocky nine months.
The final itself was comfortable for NAVI. NIP was powerless to prevent Mikhail “iM” Ivan and Igor “w0nderful” Zhadanov from dominating on Nuke and Inferno, the same two maps contested in the upper bracket final.
The duo combined for 74 kills across the two maps, with iM notching a 1.49 rating and w0nderful 1.43.
😎 pic.twitter.com/OqITpf5Nwl
— NAVI w0nderful🇺🇦 (@w0nderfulof) September 21, 2025
NIP Look Likely for the Major, B8 in Contention
Although NIP will be disappointed with its defeat in the final, its run at StarSeries has done it a world of good in terms of the VRS race for StarLadder Budapest Major qualification spots.
Ninjas in Pyjamas jump eight spaces in the VRS, and now sit 13th and are effectively guaranteed a spot at the second Major of 2025.
Ukrainian team B8’s strong run at the event has put them firmly in contention for Major qualification.
Despite losing its opening fixture to an in-form PARIVISION, a strong lower-bracket run saw the team dispatch OG, Passion UA, and Gentle Mates to secure a healthy bounty of VRS points.