NRG Shock FaZe to Close Out Day 1 of the Budapest Major in Stunning Fashion

NRG Shock FaZe to Close Out Day 1 of the Budapest Major in Stunning Fashion

NRG delivered the biggest upset of Day 1 at the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 Stage 1, defeating FaZe 13–10 in a best-of-one and jumping to a surprising 2–0 record — all while fielding coach Damian “daps” Steele as a stand-in. The victory sent shockwaves through the opening Swiss stage and instantly ruined thousands of pre-event 3–0 pick’ems.

Day 1 Upset Power Ranking

1) NRG topple FaZe with a stand-in and secure the 2–0 “dream start.”
In the final match of the day, NRG kept pace through the early rounds and locked down the map on defense. Strong mid-round calling and confident fragging from br0, Jeorge, and XotiC carried them across the finish line. FaZe, exhausted from a delay-ridden first match, couldn’t find their rhythm and fell short.

2) A shocking 2–0 pool: NRG, M80, FlyQuest, Fluxo.
Day 1 closed with four underdog squads in the 2–0 bracket, guaranteeing that two unexpected teams will immediately qualify for Stage 2 on Day 2.

3) FaZe’s chaotic schedule contributes to their collapse.
A nearly two-hour technical delay earlier against Lynn Vision pushed FaZe deep into the night. By the time they faced NRG, their tempo and coordination had noticeably dipped.

4) M80’s Mirage confidence pays off — setting up a North American derby.
M80 earned their 2–0 start with a tight victory over B8. Swisher said that Mirage has become the team’s comfort pick recently and that they came in extremely prepared after a structured European bootcamp. He also highlighted the lack of quality practice back in North America, calling scrims “non-existent” compared to Europe.

5) FlyQuest and Fluxo flip expectations.
FlyQuest built on their opening win by dismantling Imperial, while Fluxo — widely predicted to go 0–3 — stunned fnatic on Train. Together with NRG and M80, they turned Day 1 into a bracket-breaking start to the Major.

Player Reactions

Swisher (M80) on practicing in NA versus Europe:
“When we were in NA, the scrims were non-existent.”

VINI (Imperial) on the importance of any win in Swiss:
“It doesn’t matter if it was 13–1 or 13–11, just getting the win was a huge confidence boost.”

Twistzz (FaZe) on arriving unprepared after EPL:
FaZe had “no practice during EPL” and “traveled straight to the Major,” leaving their map pool “really messy.”

What’s Next (Day 2, Round 3)

NRG vs. M80 — a North American showdown with a direct ticket to Stage 2 on the line.

FlyQuest vs. Fluxo — one of these long-shot contenders will qualify 3–0.

FaZe fall to the 1–1 matches and must rebound quickly to avoid slipping toward elimination.

Why This Upset Matters

NRG’s win does more than keep their miracle run alive — it reshapes the entire Swiss landscape. A roster playing with a stand-in is now one best-of-three away from advancing, while tournament favorites like FaZe have already burned their margin for error. With underdogs holding all early momentum, Stage 1 is primed for even more volatility unless the heavy hitters recover fast.