Aurora defeat HOTU in soulflly debut as Wicadia shines in BLAST Bounty 2026 opener

Aurora started their BLAST Bounty 2026 Season 1 campaign with a hard-fought 2–1 victory over HOTU, surviving a dramatic collapse on Nuke to secure a series win in the debut match of Caner “soulfly” Kesici.

Despite early struggles and a shaky CT side on the second map, Aurora ultimately closed the series behind a dominant performance from Wicadia, who emerged as the clear star of the matchup.

Aurora vs HOTU — match results

Mirage (HOTU pick): Aurora 13–7

Nuke: HOTU 16–13 (OT)

Overpass: Aurora 13–5

Aurora advance in the BLAST Bounty bracket, while HOTU once again prove capable of pushing tier-one opposition into uncomfortable territory.

Mirage: Aurora take control after slow start

HOTU began strongly on their map pick, but Aurora gradually stabilized behind XANTARES’ mid-round impact and woxic’s AWP pressure. Once Aurora gained momentum on the T side, HOTU struggled to close rounds, allowing Aurora to secure Mirage 13–7.

Nuke collapse sends series to decider

Aurora looked on course for a quick 2–0 after a commanding first half on Nuke, but the map completely flipped after the break.

HOTU mounted a comeback fueled by Wicadia, who delivered one of the defining moments of the series with a crucial ace that shifted momentum. Aurora’s CT side lacked initiative, allowing HOTU to force overtime and close the map 16–13.

The loss raised immediate questions about Aurora’s defensive structure — an issue that has followed the team since late 2025.

Overpass: Aurora respond decisively

Any doubts were quickly erased on Overpass. After falling behind 1–4, Aurora shut HOTU out almost entirely, conceding just one more round for the rest of the map.

Aurora’s spacing and trading were significantly cleaner, and HOTU struggled to find openings as Aurora closed the decider 13–5.

Wicadia headlines Aurora’s new era

The biggest takeaway from the series was Wicadia’s explosive form, particularly on Nuke and Overpass.

Top performers (series ratings)

Wicadia — 74–46, 1.54 rating

XANTARES — 57–47, 1.38 rating

woxic — 46–35, 1.14 rating

While soulfly had a difficult statistical debut (27–46, 0.79 rating), Aurora’s core firepower compensated as the team adjusted around the new addition.

Why Aurora signed soulflly

Aurora announced the signing of soulfly in late December 2025, benching Samet “jottAAA” Köklü ahead of the new season.

According to HLTV, MAJ3R explained in a pre-match interview that role conflicts were a major reason behind the change — a decision that appeared to immediately benefit Wicadia’s freedom and impact.

The move followed Aurora’s disappointing exit from the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025, where MAJ3R publicly described the result as “a big deception” and admitted the way the year ended was “very heartbreaking.”

HOTU continue to threaten favorites

Although HOTU fell short, this series reinforced a growing trend: Aurora rarely get easy wins against them.

The two teams also met earlier in 2025 at PGL Astana, where Aurora similarly survived a scare. HOTU’s ability to punish mistakes and swing momentum makes them a dangerous opponent in online and LAN formats alike.

What this win means for Aurora

Aurora’s BLAST Bounty opener was far from flawless, but it delivered two crucial positives:

1. A series win in the first official match with a new roster

2. Clear superstar impact from Wicadia under the revised role system

The Nuke collapse remains a concern, but the dominant Overpass showing suggests Aurora’s ceiling in 2026 could be significantly higher if structural issues are addressed.