Hallzerk: six weeks of grind, a playoff berth, and a long-awaited stage return

HONG KONG — November 12, 2025. Passion UA opened BLAST Rivals Season 2 with a gritty 2–1 win over The MongolZ, booking a playoff spot and a stage appearance in Hong Kong. After dropping their Overpass pick 14–16, the Ukrainian org’s lineup—JT, Grim, hallzerk, Kvem and nicx—clutched out back-to-back 13–11 victories on Inferno and Nuke. 

Speaking to HLTV after the series, Håkon “hallzerk” Fjærli summed up the mood: “Six weeks of hard work and it paid off.” The Norwegian AWPer also noted it will be teammate Vladyslav “Kvem” Korol’s first big-arena match: “It’s going to be Vlad’s first stage… all of us are going to get a little energy boost playing that stage game.” 

What changed for Passion UA?

The opener marked the ex-Complexity quartet’s first notable playoff since their move to Passion UA this fall. The organization rebuilt in August, dropping its prior roster and then confirming transfers for JT, Grim, hallzerk and nicx, with Kvem expected to round out the five. The move followed Complexity’s decision to step away from CS amid economic headwinds. 

Kvem himself was added at the start of the year, joining from IKLA/DRILLAS after a standout Asia RMR showing. He’s since become one of Passion UA’s key riflers. 

Form guide and format

BLAST Rivals S2 features eight teams split into two BO3 double-elim groups; group winners head straight to the semifinals while 2nd–3rd pass through an extra round. Passion UA now advance to the arena portion in Hong Kong.

Fresh player insight

Michael “Grim” Wince said yesterday that integrating Kvem took time but the ceiling is high: “There were definitely some growing pains when we got Kvem… our goal is just to make him as comfortable as possible because he’s a great player.” 

Kvem, reflecting on his turbulent year, recently told HLTV he chose playing time over the bench: “I had the choice to not play and be on the transfer list, but no point sitting on the bench.” 

In September, IGL Johnny “JT” Theodosiou said practice had trended upward even if officials lagged behind: “It feels like we have been improving really fast, at least in practice.” 

Hallzerk on rust and routine

After 42 days out of officials, hallzerk emphasized routine and energy over reinvention: the team approached prep “about the same as we always do,” focusing on being “switched on by the first round.” He acknowledged the close nature of the series with characteristic candor—“we always have some mistakes”—but framed the win as validation of a long practice block. 

Coach connection

Another thread in this project is the reunion with longtime coach Tiaan “T.c” Coertzen, who joined Passion UA in April after leaving Complexity. That relationship underpinned the later transfer of the NA core to the Ukrainian org. 

The numbers vs. The MongolZ

Series maps and scores: Overpass 14–16 (MGL), Inferno 13–11 (PUA), Nuke 13–11 (PUA). HLTV’s match page lists hallzerk as a top performer across the series, with strong showings on the decider. 

What’s next?

Passion UA are set to face the winner of Spirit/Falcons on stage in Hong Kong. For a team that’s spent six weeks grinding without officials, the first step has landed: “Just getting that first match in feels amazing,” said hallzerk.