ESL Pro League Season 23 Stage 1: Day One Review – Upsets and Debuts Shake Up Early Standings
ESL Pro League Season 23 Stage 1: Day One Review – Upsets and Debuts Shake Up Early Standings
The opening day of ESL Pro League Season 23 Stage 1 delivered surprising results, with several established teams falling to underdogs early in the Swiss stage of the competition. The online portion of the event kicked off on March 1, 2026, with 16 teams competing in best-of-three matchups as part of the first phase of the tournament’s Swiss System.
This stage functions as the first filter: teams must win three matches to advance into Stage 2, while accruing three losses results in elimination. Top teams aim to navigate through this early phase with minimal setbacks to keep their LAN dreams alive later in the season.
Passion UA Makes a Statement with Senzu Debut
One of the biggest stories of the day was the debut of Passion UA’s newly assembled lineup, featuring Azbayar “Senzu” Munkhbold. The Mongolian-born player played his first match with Passion UA in their opening series against Team Liquid, a matchup anticipated by fans due to Liquid’s status and its recent roster fluctuations.
Passion UA delivered a convincing performance, taking down Liquid 2-0 in the best-of-three. The series began on Dust2, where Passion UA secured a 13-8 victory by controlling key mid and long positions that disrupted Liquid’s typical tactical setups. On Nuke, after an early Liquid lead, Passion UA fought back to push the game to double overtime, ultimately closing out the map in dramatic fashion.
Senzu, despite English language barriers acknowledged by commentators, impressed with his confidence and fragging ability, especially on Nuke, where he ended the match with a 1.43 Rating and 34-21 K-D. His teammates Santino “try” Rigal and Vladyslav “Kvem” Korol also contributed strong impact plays throughout the series.
Liquid’s loss marked a concerning early downturn for the veteran roster, which has seen mixed results in 2026 — including elimination from key events like IEM Kraków when standout player Keith “NAF” Markovic was absent due to personal matters. Their defeat placed them into the 0-1 pool in the Swiss stage, signaling that Liquid is already under pressure to rebound quickly.
Other Notable Matches and Surprises
While Passion UA’s upset win grabbed the headlines, several other matches on the first day also shaped the initial standings:
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Legacy upset Ninjas in Pyjamas (NiP) in a closely contested series. Legacy debuted Andrei “arT” Piovezan as their new in-game leader, successfully navigating the maps and clinching the win, dealing a blow to NiP’s own early tournament hopes.
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paiN Gaming edged out 3DMAX, another notable result. 3DMAX entered the season with changes — including a coaching shuffle and new roster pieces — but fell short in their opener with paiN’s disciplined offense sealing a 2-1 win.
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Matches involving some of the tournament favorites, such as HEROIC, Astralis, PARIVISION, and FUT, ended in expected 2-0 or 2-1 victories, keeping those teams within the 1-0 pool as the Swiss stage begins to take shape.
Format and Stakes: What It Means Going Forward
ESL Pro League’s Swiss System Stage 1 requires teams to navigate up to five rounds of best-of-three series. A 3–0, 3–1, or 3–2 record propels a team into Stage 2, where competition stiffens, while three losses eliminate a squad from the event. Only eight of the original 16 Stage 1 entrants will make it to Stage 2.
This structure places enormous importance on early results: even established squads like Liquid and NiP must regroup quickly or risk exiting before LAN events begin. Meanwhile, upstarts like Passion UA have momentum on their side, proving that roster changes and international blends can pay dividends in high-pressure matchups.
Looking Ahead: Day Two and Beyond
With Stage 1 underway, the competitive landscape is already forming. Teams like Passion UA and paiN Gaming are in prime position to secure momentum, while legacy organizations are forced to adapt on the fly. The Swiss format will continue to pressure each squad until the top eight emerge.
Fans can expect more thrilling best-of-three clashes throughout the coming days, as every match could determine whether a team stays alive in EPL S23 or heads home early.
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