The match between M80 and Gentle Mates at BLAST Bounty Winter 2026 promises to be one of the most exciting clashes in the closed qualifiers. Both teams enter the series with different goals and momentum: Gentle Mates aim to assert their experience and secure a spot in the main event, while M80 are looking to prove themselves and avoid an early exit. The straight elimination format, combined with a balanced map pool and high stakes, sets the stage for a tense and strategically intense series.
How the bookies view it: M80 favored
M80 enter the match as the favorites according to the bookmakers, with odds of 1.7 compared to 2.13 for Gentle Mates. The betting lines reflect M80’s slightly stronger form and experience, but in a straight elimination series, anything can happen.
M80 form. What result can be expected from M80
Team M80 in 2025 has quickly established itself as a strong contender in CS2, emerging from the North American scene with a focus on competitive consistency and strategic gameplay. Founded in late 2022, M80 signed former ATK players and rapidly became known for blending emerging talent with solid teamwork. The organization aims to stay competitive in both online and offline tournaments while adapting to the evolving CS2 meta.
The 2025 roster combines leadership, fragging power, and versatility: Swisher provides reliable rifling and entry fragging; slaxz- excels as the team’s AWPer, offering precision in key rounds; s1n leads as captain and in-game leader (IGL), orchestrating strategy and map control; Lake brings aggressive rifling and flexibility; and jBa rounds out the squad with consistent rifling and clutch potential.
- Team M80 roster: Swisher, slaxz-, s1n, Lake, jBa.
In 2025, M80 has had a mix of strong results and close defeats across several tournaments. Offline, they placed 2nd at Frag Ultra Mega Jersey 2025 (2:3, $2,500) and 2nd at Fragadelphia 19 (2:3, $9,000), while finishing 5th–6th at BLAST Open Fall 2025 (1:2, $20,000) and 20th–22nd at ESL Pro League Season 22 (0:2, $4,500). Online, they excelled with first-place finishes in DreamHack Knockout Atlanta 2025 (2:0, $5,000), NA Revival Series #8 (2:0, $4,000), Ace North American Masters Fall 2025 (2:0), and Thunderpick World Championship 2025: North American Series #2 (2:0, $20,000). They also performed well in NA Revival Series #7 (1st, 2:0, $4,000) and other C-Tier competitions, demonstrating consistent dominance in the North American online circuit.
M80 Map Pool
Looking at M80’s map performance over the past three months, they have shown the most dominance on Mirage, winning 100% of their matches on this map. Dust2 follows with a 66.7% win rate, while Ancient and Train are solid at 62.5% and 60%, respectively. Inferno has been slightly less consistent at 55.6%, and on Overpass, the team has yet to secure a win when picking first, holding a 0% win rate. These statistics suggest that while M80 is strong on certain maps, some areas remain exploitable for their opponents.
Gentle Mates form. What result can be expected from Gentle Mates
Gentle Mates in 2025 continued to work on establishing themselves on the international CS2 scene, showing persistence and a willingness to gain experience despite inconsistent results. Throughout the year, the team focused on improving coordination, map control, and tactical play, participating in both online and offline tournaments to test strategies and gain exposure.
- Gentle Mates roster: mopoz, dav1g, sausol, alex, Martinez.
The team’s coaching and support staff help organize practice sessions, analyze opponents, and optimize team rotations. This allows players to better understand map dynamics, coordinate smokes and flashes, and execute strategic plays during matches.
The season started modestly with offline tournaments. In August, Gentle Mates competed at DraculaN #1, finishing 5–6 after a 0:2 loss. Later in the month, at ESL Challenger League Season 50: Europe – Cup #1, they ended 7–8 with another 0:2 result. These tournaments were crucial for building teamwork and identifying weaknesses in communication and strategy.
September brought slightly better results. At Roman Imperium Cup II, Gentle Mates reached the final but lost 1:2, taking second place and $1,760.35. Shortly after, at StarLadder StarSeries Fall 2025, the team finished 4th after a 1:2 loss in the deciding match, earning $40,000. The Birch Cup 2025 didn’t go as planned, as the team forfeited their matches, but participation in such events added valuable offline experience.
October saw mixed results. At Galaxy Battle 2025 // Phase 4, Gentle Mates reached 3–4th place after a 0:2 defeat, taking $4,000 in prize money. In ESL Pro League Season 22, they finished 12–14, again with a 0:2 record ($10,500). While the placements were not top-tier, these tournaments provided opportunities to test new strategies and improve team synergy under competitive pressure.
Gentle Mates Map Pool
Over the past three months, Gentle Mates have shown clear preferences and strengths on certain maps in CS2, but it’s important to note that most of these matches were played against far from the strongest opponents. Their most dominant map has been Overpass, boasting a perfect 100% win rate, making it their go-to map in strategic drafts. Ancient has also been strong for the team at 66.7%, followed by Nuke at 61.5% when chosen as First Pick, and Inferno at 54.5%, showing solid performance on these classic maps. However, Train and Mirage have been problematic, with win rates of only 20.0% and 16.7% respectively, highlighting clear weaknesses that stronger opponents could exploit.
M80 VS Gentle Mates Esports: Head-to-Head History
There is no previous head-to-head history between M80 and Gentle Mates, making this their first-ever encounter.
Match prediction: M80 VS Gentle Mates Esports – BLAST Bounty 2026 Season 1
Looking at recent form and map performance, M80 enter the match as clear favorites against Gentle Mates. While Gentle Mates have shown promise on Overpass and a few other maps, M80’s experience, strong teamwork, and higher consistency across multiple maps give them the edge. Expect M80 to control the pace of the series, avoid unnecessary mistakes, and convert their strategic advantages into a straight victory, likely closing the match in their favor without giving Gentle Mates many opportunities to fight back.
Prediction: M80 wins.
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