PARIVISION are through to the grand final of XSE Pro League Guangzhou after grinding out a stunning comeback victory over FaZe, winning two overtime maps back-to-back to overturn an opening-map defeat and book their first grand final appearance since PGL Cluj-Napoca.
The Russian side lost Cache 9-13 to kick off the series but recovered with overtime wins on Dust2 (19-17) and Ancient (19-17) – the kind of clutch, high-pressure performance that the previous PARIVISION roster, before their mid-season roster overhaul, would have struggled to produce. FaZe, meanwhile, will be left to rue a string of squandered match points across the final two maps.
HObbit and slaxejezzz Make Their Mark
PARIVISION pulled the trigger on two roster changes following a 0-3 exit from Stage 3 of the IEM Cologne Major, bringing in veteran Abay “HObbit” Khassenov and Vyacheslav “slaxejezzz” Vinokurov. The pair’s debut in Guangzhou has delivered an immediate dividend, providing the composure and experience to see out a series that swung back and forth across all three maps.
FaZe had looked convincing on Cache – their map pick – exploiting PARIVISION’s tendency to leave Middle open at specific timings and using Highway splits to dominate A site. A 1v4 clutch from Vladislav “xiELO” Lysov offered PARIVISION brief hope, but FaZe still closed it out comfortably. It was on Dust2 and Ancient that the tide turned, with FaZe’s inability to close out maps proving costly. This was also the tournament debut for FaZe’s new addition JBOEN, who had helped FaZe fight their way through the playoffs to reach this stage.
What’s Next
PARIVISION now await their opponent in the XSE Pro League Guangzhou grand final, with the result here marking a significant confidence boost ahead of the Esports World Cup 2026 in Riyadh, where both sides are expected to compete. For FaZe, the inconsistency that surfaced as early as the group stage will need addressing before Riyadh.