Budapest Major 2025 Stage 1: Top Highlights Ranked and What They Reveal About Day One

Stage 1 of the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 opened with chaos: a marathon first day, technical delays, and a Swiss bracket already bending expectations. But despite the turbulence, the server delivered a full slate of memorable plays — from veteran brilliance to fearless debuts. Below is a ranked rundown of the most impactful highlights from the opener, along with the bigger narratives shaping the tournament’s first day.

1) KRIMZ’s Vintage Major Ace — His First Since 2018

The play of the day came from KRIMZ, who produced his first Major ace since ELEAGUE Boston 2018. The sequence recovered a 3v5 and forced overtime, instantly becoming the defining “how is this possible?” moment of Stage 1.

Why #1: A rare Major ace from a legendary rifler that directly flipped a high-stakes round.

2) xiELO Bulldozes The Huns With a Clean Ace

xiELO delivered the most dominant solo play of day one, slicing through The Huns’ defense with a full-force ace. The wording in the broadcast highlight framed it as a complete bulldoze rather than a fortunate cleanup — a statement of mechanical confidence.

Why #2: Pure firepower and tempo-setting aggression.

3) chelo’s Galil 4K Rescue Round for Imperial

chelo turned a budget weapon into a momentum-shifting weapon, posting a crucial Galil 4K that helped Imperial stay alive in a tight BO1. Rarely do low-tier rifles look heroic at a Major, but this one did.

Why #3: High-pressure multikill with a low-tier rifle that changed the match’s direction.

4) daps’ Tunnel Charge as XotiC’s AWP Nets a Triple

One of the smartest coordinated highlights came from NRG. daps initiated a perfectly timed B-Tunnels push while XotiC backed it with a triple AWP entry. It’s a round built on synergy and trust, not just aim.

Why #4: Tactical execution paired with high-impact frags.

5) broky’s Spin-Shot Clutch to Win a 2v5 With frozen

broky delivered the flashiest clutch of Stage 1. His spin-kill onto daps sealed a 2v5 victory alongside frozen — an instant reminder of why FaZe remain lethal even in messy BO1 environments.

Why #5: Turning a deep disadvantage into a win against strong opposition.

6) Sonic’s USP-S Four-Tap to Dominate the Pistol Round

Sonic landed a precise USP-S four-tap to secure a pivotal pistol round. With how volatile BO1s can be, pistol dominance often dictates entire halves — and this one did.

7) Starry’s Deagle 4K Robbery for Lynn Vision

Starry came in swinging for Lynn Vision, stealing a round with a Deagle 4K. It was a reminder that underdogs in Stage 1 are anything but passive.

8) AW’s Ice-Cold 10-Second Smoke Defuse for PARIVISION

One of the coolest nerve-check moments of the day came from AW, who stuck a full 10-second defuse inside a smoke to secure PARIVISION’s third win.

9) headtr1ck’s Solo 4K Site Hold

A solo 4K from headtr1ck denied a site take outright, reinforcing the message: nothing comes free in Budapest.

10) nin9’s Smoke-Push Noscope to Deny the Defuse

Perhaps the most chaotic Major moment: nin9 pushed through smoke and noscoped to deny the defuse. A perfect snapshot of BO1 volatility, where a single gamble can swing everything.

The Bigger Story Behind Stage 1

BO1 Pressure Is Already Reshaping the Bracket

Day one stretched over 12 hours due to delays, and several favorites stumbled in their openers. The 2-0 bracket after two rounds produced surprises across the board — including an all-North American match between M80 and NRG for advancement, while FlyQuest faced Fluxo on the opposite side.

FlyQuest’s Vexite acknowledged past Major struggles but tried to keep the team’s mindset grounded:

“You don’t have to remind me, man. I know we’re 2-0 at a Major… at the end of the day, it’s another tournament. We’re just going to try to play some good CS.”

The highlight reel reflects this mentality: teams playing brave, sometimes reckless CS, knowing BO1s reward confidence more than pedigree.

Favorites Wobble While Underdogs Swing Hard

HLTV’s day-one notes emphasized how many top-seeded teams showed early weakness. That turbulence explains the sheer number of eco steals, clutch rounds, and stolen victories across the highlight list — Stage 1 is running on razor-thin margins.

Bootcamps Paying Off — Especially for Non-EU Teams

Imperial’s AWPer try described the team’s intense Serbian bootcamp leading into the Major:

“We’d wake up at 10 and we’d play until 9 pm… Those were some intense days of CS.”

He also mentioned that the team implemented changes they “can’t discuss yet.”

That level of preparation clearly surfaced in plays like chelo’s Galil rescue round.

Legacy Embracing the Pressure

Legacy captain lux captured the team’s evolving identity as a rising favorite:

“We have the pressure, but we have the confidence.”

He credited recent results and belief in their system — a vital edge in the unpredictable BO1 Swiss format.

M80’s 2-0 Start Is a Statement From a Region Hurting for Practice

M80 rifler Swisher gave a transparent look into NA’s practice scarcity:

“When we were in NA, the scrims were non-existent… There were two teams scrimming, NRG and sometimes SkinRave.”

He explained that most of their progress came from weekend tournaments and a short German bootcamp.

Given that context, M80’s strong start is more than a hot streak — it’s progress against structural disadvantages.

Fantasy Meta: The PARIVISION Hype Wave

PARIVISION are currently the most-selected fantasy team of Stage 1, ahead of several bigger names. Plays like AW’s smoke defuse help explain why the community is leaning into them early.

Takeaway

Stage 1 of the Budapest Major has already delivered the full signature Major mix: legends rediscovering their peak, newcomers swinging with zero fear, and BO1 volatility rewriting the bracket in real time. If day one is any indication, the highlights won’t slow down — they’ll only grow sharper as elimination and advancement BO3s begin.