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On Day 3 of Stage 3 at the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025, Passion UA will face Imperial in a BO3 match. The teams have played each other before, and the current head-to-head stands at 1–2 in favor of Imperial, which adds extra interest to this matchup.
In a best-of-three, every map matters. Passion UA will try to rely on their teamwork and fast decision-making, while Imperial will look to use their experience and stable play to take control of the series. One mistake or one key round can shift the momentum at any moment.
How the bookmakers see it: Passion Ua are the favorites
Passion UA enter this match as the slight favorites. The odds reflect a close matchup, with Passion UA sitting at 1.82, while Imperial are just behind at 1.97. This suggests that bookmakers expect a competitive series, but give Passion UA a small edge based on their recent form and overall performance.
Passion UA form. What result can be expected from Passion UA
Our betting tips and CS2 picks for the Passion UA vs Imperial matchup start with looking at Passion UA’s recent form.
- Passion UA roster: Kvem, JT, Grim, hallzerk, nicx.
The 2024 season was very successful for the team. Passion UA started with numerous qualifiers and made their first statements at the professional level. They achieved notable results at United21 Season 12 and European Pro League Season 14, placing 2nd and 3rd respectively. The team continued to show strong performances with 3rd place at United21 Season 13 and 2nd place at Gameinside.ua ROG Spring Cup 2024. They also made their mark at RES European Series #3, finishing 3rd–4th, and secured their first tournament victory at European Pro League Season 16. Later, Passion UA achieved 2nd place at RES European Series #6, defeated NiP 2-0, and won European Pro League Season 17, defeating 9INE 3-0 in the grand final.
Their 2024 season highlight came at Perfect World Shanghai Major 2024 qualifiers, where they defeated VP, Team Spirit, and Astralis, placed 6th at RMR B, and qualified for their first Major. At the Major, they recorded wins over Complexity Gaming and MIBR but finished 17th–19th overall.
In the 2025 season, Passion UA continued performing well in mid-level tournaments. Their main achievements include 1st place at Galaxy Battle 2025 // Phase 1 and Glitched Masters 2025, as well as 2nd place at Rainbet Cup and YaLLa Compass Spring 2025. They also competed at StarLadder StarSeries Fall 2025, defeating Gentle Mates in the Upper Bracket Quarterfinals, but losing to NAVI in the Semifinals and later to B8 in the Lower Bracket Quarterfinals, finishing 5th–6th.
These results show that Passion UA are a competitive team capable of strong performances and upsets, making them a team to watch in their match against G2 Esports.
Passion UA Map Pool
Over the past three months, Passion UA has shown the most success on Dust2, winning 66.7% of their matches, followed by Train at 57.1%. On Nuke, which they often use as a first ban, their win rate is 55.6%, while Overpass stands at 50%. The team has struggled more on Inferno (36.4%) and Ancient (33.3%), and Mirage has been a challenging map when picked first, with a 0% win rate. These results highlight where Passion UA is most comfortable and where FaZe might find opportunities to exploit weaknesses.
Imperial CS2 form. What result can be expected from Imperial
Imperial Esports in 2025 remain one of the most recognisable Brazilian teams, continuing their effort to stay competitive on both regional and international CS2 stages. Throughout the year, the organisation has focused on developing a stable roster capable of mixing raw firepower with tactical discipline. The team went through several changes across 2024–2025, aiming to refresh its identity after inconsistent results. By early 2025, Imperial built a lineup around Vinicius “VINI” Figueiredo, who now leads the squad as in-game leader, bringing structure, experience, and a calm approach to mid-round decision-making. Alongside him, the organisation kept promising talents like noway and try, while players such as chelo and skullz strengthen the team with aggressive entries and consistent rifling.
- Imperial’s 2025 roster: VINI, noway, try, chelo, skullz.
This lineup offers a well-balanced mix of leadership and mechanical skill. VINI provides stability and calling discipline, try remains the main firepower in AWP duels, chelo adds explosive tempo in early rounds, while skullz and noway bring steady support and clutch potential. Together, they form a roster that reflects the classic Brazilian CS2 style — emotional, energetic, and dangerous when they gain momentum.
On the coaching side, Imperial continue working with Rafael “zakk” Fernandes, who focuses on improving mid-round reactions, individual decision-making and adapting the team’s playstyle to the unpredictable nature of the current CS2 meta. His approach has helped the squad gain more structure in recent tournaments, especially in high-pressure situations.
The team’s results in 2025 show both progress and growing pains. Imperial delivered strong runs in regional competitions, including a victory at FiReLEAGUE Buenos Aires 2025, one of their key accomplishments this year. They also reached top positions at tournaments like Circuito FERJEE 2025 (1st place, 2:0, $28,643) and made deep runs in FERJEE Rush 2025 (2nd place). On the international scene, they qualified for the CS Asia Championships 2025 through the Americas Open Qualifier, proving they can still compete for spots at bigger events. However, the team struggled at higher-tier tournaments such as Thunderpick World Championship 2025, DreamHack Knockout Atlanta 2025, and BLAST Open Fall 2025, often falling short against top-15 opponents.
Despite mixed results, Imperial’s main strengths remain unchanged: strong chemistry, emotional momentum, explosive entry plays, and the ability to dominate opponents in chaotic mid-rounds. Their weaknesses are tied to consistency and map depth — issues that the team has been actively working on as the season progresses. With VINI’s leadership and a roster full of mechanically gifted players, Imperial still carry the potential to break into the global top tier if they stabilise form and continue refining their strategies.
Looking ahead, the organisation’s goal is to regain a stable footing in A- and S-Tier events, build more confidence on key maps, and translate regional success into deeper international runs. With their blend of youthful energy, experience, and a dedicated coaching staff, Imperial remain a team capable of surprising favourites and making impactful runs on the global CS2 scene.
Imperial Map Pool
Imperial’s map pool over the past three months looks fairly balanced, with the team showing solid performances across most maps. Their strongest map has been Overpass, where they hold a 75% win rate, reflecting confidence in both their executes and late-round coordination. Mirage follows with a respectable 64.3%, suggesting the team is comfortable in more open, aim-heavy environments. On Dust2, Inferno, and Train, Imperial sit at 57.1%, indicating stable but not dominant form. Meanwhile, Nuke remains their most challenging map at 54.5%, though the team still manages to stay above the 50% mark. Overall, the statistics show a team with a wide and reliable map pool, capable of competing on most battlegrounds without clear weaknesses.
Head to Head
The head-to-head history between these rosters goes back to the period when several current Passion UA players were still representing Complexity. Across five maps, the lineup now playing under Passion UA holds a confident advantage, winning 4 out of 5 encounters, including one overtime victory. Their previous matchups came at events like the Perfect World Shanghai Major 2024 Opening Stage and IEM Rio 2024, where they consistently outperformed Imperial on maps such as Ancient, Inferno, Anubis, and Dust2. Imperial managed to take only one close win on Vertigo, highlighting how firmly the former Complexity core has controlled this matchup in the past.
Prediction — Passion UA vs Imperial StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 Stage 3
Considering the teams’current form, the map pools, and their previous head-to-head meetings, Passion UA appear to have the clearer path to victory in this BO3. Their recent results show greater stability, and the core of the roster has previously demonstrated strong performances against Imperial when playing under Complexity. With the bookmakers also giving them a slight edge, Passion UA look better prepared and more consistent at this stage of the tournament. If they maintain their discipline and avoid early-round mistakes, Passion UA should be able to close out the series and secure the win.
Prediction: Passion UA to win.
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