The EVPs and All-Stars of FISSURE Playground 2

The EVPs and All-Stars of FISSURE Playground 2

An expanded bracket, eight-team playoffs, and a surge of “top-heavy” performances all combined to yield an unusually high number of EVP (Exceptionally Valuable Player) awards at FISSURE Playground 2.

Emergence of molodoy & FURIA’s breakthrough

FURIA’s long-awaited Big Event title finally arrived — and it was fueled in large part by the breakout play of Danil “molodoy” Golubenko. 

At just 20 years old, molodoy produced a string of high-floor performances, proving he was no flash in the pan. In the post-event write-up for his MVP award, HLTV noted that he had already earned an EVP at IEM Cologne, but this was his first “big” HLTV MVP.

The MVP race was tight — molodoy, KSCERATO, Senzu, and mzinho were separated by only 0.02 in rating.  But molodoy’s consistency in playoffs (1.22 rating), his grip in the grand final, and his leadership in metrics like round wins and swing boosted him past the pack. 

On the stage after FURIA’s win, yuurih said:

“We’ve been trying for years. We’re here now. I have no words. I love my team, I love KSCERATO.”

FalleN reflected on his enduring journey:

“Happy to play this game for 22 years. … There are so many sacrifices to live this life … you guys see us playing but there’s a lot going on in the background.” 

It is also Mareks “YEKINDAR” Gaļinskis’s first Big Event title, and Gabriel “FalleN” Toledo’s first since EPL Season 6 in 2017. 

A glut of EVPs

This event was notably “top-heavy,” meaning many individual standout performances rose to the surface, warranting EVP awards. In fact, the sheer number of EVPs made it one of the richer tournaments of the year in that regard.  A tweet from HLTV’s Harry summed it up simply:

“Good format + lots of top-heavy performances = more EVPs than normal. As always, we hand them out based on individual cases.” 

MongolZ’s ace spree: Senzu & mzinho

Despite finishing runner-up to FURIA, The MongolZ made their mark in spectacular fashion — particularly through Azbayar “Senzu” Munkhbold and Ayush “mzinho” Batbold. 

Both players recorded four aces apiece, tying the Big Event ace record originally set by s1mple at IEM Cologne 2021.  Their aces included:

mzinho’s first two during a match versus TYLOO (one on Dual Elites in pistol, another dismantling a full buy). 

mzinho’s third and fourth came in the semi-finals against Liquid — he singlehandedly won two T-side pistol rounds. 

Senzu’s clutch contributions came in the grand final: a Glock ace on Inferno, an anti-eco ace on Dust2, and a 30-bullet spray on Nuke that forced overtime (though FURIA ultimately prevailed). 

VRS movement & tournament context

FISSURE Playground 2 also shook up the VRS (Valorant/CS performance rating system) landscape. Liquid, for example, added 357 points from this event alone, lifting them from 29th to 14th in the live VRS standings. This surge bolstered their Major qualification prospects. 

FURIA, already secure for Stage 3, vaulted into the top 4 globally, just three points behind Vitality. Meanwhile, The MongolZ overtook Vitality to claim VRS’s top spot overall. 

Format & playoff path

The event featured an extended format and culminated in an eight-team playoff bracket — a shift that encouraged more decisive individual performances. 

In the quarterfinals, some notable matchups included:

G2 vs The MongolZ (revenge match) 

Aurora vs Liquid, rekindling their rivalry after previous clashes 

FURIA vs Astralis, with Astralis fielding Magisk’s return

alcons vs paiN, with paiN navigating long odds

FURIA’s road to the championship was hard-fought, but ultimately successful — ending a drought of 38 Big Event campaigns without a trophy. 

In summary

FISSURE Playground 2 was marked by multiple threads converging: emergent stars (molodoy in particular), veteran redemption (FalleN, YEKINDAR), jaw-dropping individual feats (Senzu and mzinho’s aces), and significant shifts in VRS standings. The number of EVPs awarded underscored just how many players rose to the occasion.