Good day, Dota 2 fans and viewers! From September 4 to 14, 2025, the biggest tournament of the year — The International 2025 — is taking place. Today, on September 14, the grand final will feature Team Falcons facing off against Xtreme Gaming.
On this final day of competition, we look at the clash between Team Falcons, who advanced through the upper bracket, and Xtreme Gaming, who dropped to the lower bracket but managed to fight their way back to the grand final. The match promises to be both spectacular and intense.
As the teams prepare, let’s analyze their performance at the tournament, try to predict the likely winner, and share some thoughts on betting.
How the bookies view it: Team Falcons favorite
Most bookmakers see Team Falcons as the favorite in the grand final of The International 2025, giving them odds of 1.62 against 2.14 for Xtreme Gaming. Falcons advanced from the group stage with a 3-2 record, then faced Team Spirit in the Elimination Round, where they secured the win. From there, they continued their run through the upper bracket and reached the final.
However, Xtreme Gaming have shown resilience and determination, fighting their way through the lower bracket to claim a spot in the grand final. They still have every chance to prove what they are capable of against the Falcons.
Team Falcons form
We begin our prediction for the grand final with an analysis of Team Falcons. Despite showing only an average level of play in the group stage, the team managed to advance through the upper bracket and build momentum as the tournament progressed. In the playoffs, Falcons demonstrated a completely different level — far more confident, composed, and cold-blooded. Their drafts became more flexible: while in the group stage it often felt like they relied on proven but somewhat predictable strategies, in the playoffs we saw more variety, better adaptation to opponents, and the ability to balance aggression with late-game win conditions.
Team Falcons roster: skiter, Malr1ne, ATF, Cr1t-, Sneyking
One of their standout qualities is macro play: Falcons are extremely disciplined in the mid-game, rarely allowing opponents to seize the initiative, while maintaining strict control over key objectives — Roshan, towers, and smoke timings. Another important factor has been the growth in individual form of the team’s leaders: the cores consistently deliver high impact, while the supports have become more synchronized, significantly strengthening their teamfights.
In other words, Falcons at The International 2025 are a team that entered the tournament cautiously, but gradually gained confidence as they advanced through the bracket and now look like one of the most balanced and dangerous squads.
Team Falcons did not begin their journey at The International 2025 in ideal fashion: a 3-2 group stage record looked more like a bare minimum than a sign of dominant form. Their performance showed certain instability — they could beat Nemesis and Tundra Esports, close out Liquid 2-0 with confidence, but at the same time made serious mistakes against Xtreme Gaming (1-2) and Tidebound (1-2), which cost them the top spots in the standings.
However, in the tiebreaker match against Team Spirit, Falcons displayed a much more mature and composed style of play. Their 2-0 victory not only sent them into the upper bracket but also signaled that the team had shifted to a higher level heading into the playoffs.
In the quarterfinals, Falcons once again faced Tidebound and proved that lessons had been learned from the group stage — a clean 2-0 with no room for error. The semifinal against BetBoom Team showcased one of Falcons’ main qualities at this tournament — mental resilience. After losing the first map, they didn’t crumble but instead regrouped and took the next two maps at their own pace. This ability to bounce back after setbacks has been a key factor in their success.
The upper bracket final against PARIVISION further confirmed that Falcons are not afraid of long and grueling series. Even when their opponent dictated a heavy tempo and controlled the map, Falcons found ways to turn the tide with disciplined macro play and smart drafts. The result — a 2-1 victory and a well-deserved place in the grand final.
Overall, The International 2025 has been a tournament of growth for Falcons: from cautious and somewhat shaky performances in the group stage to confident, balanced, and mature gameplay in the playoffs. Today, this is a team that feels equally comfortable in aggressive, fast-paced matches as well as in prolonged series, able to adapt to any opponent and maintain focus in the most critical moments. All of this makes Falcons one of the most dangerous contenders for the Aegis of Champions.
Most popular Team Falcons heroes
Here are the most popular Team Falcons heroes over the past 6 months:
- Pangolier — 32 games, 53.13% win rate
- Sand King — 26 games, 73.08% win rate
- Bristleback — 26 games, 61.54% win rate
- Chen — 21 games, 61.90% win rate
- Beastmaster — 20 games, 70.00% win rate
- Mars — 20 games, 65.00% win rate
- Nature’s Prophet — 20 games, 65.00% win rate
- Dragon Knight — 19 games, 68.42% win rate
- Pugna — 18 games, 77.78% win rate
- Tiny — 18 games, 55.56% win rate
This combination allows the team to play at different tempos: from early pushing with Beastmaster + Chen + Dragon Knight to late-game teamfights with Pangolier, Bristleback, and Mars. It’s a very balanced and flexible hero pool that almost always provides comfort during the draft.
Xtreme Gaming form
Now let’s move on to the second grand finalist — Xtreme Gaming. Unlike Falcons, they started the tournament with maximum confidence: they dominated their group and advanced to the upper bracket of the playoffs without much trouble. Their main strength throughout TI2025 has been their disciplined macro play — XG excel at controlling the map, securing key objectives, and denying opponents the space to farm. A special mention goes to Ame, who consistently delivers massive impact from the carry position, often turning even fights into convincing wins for his team.
Xtreme Gaming roster: Ame, Xm, Xxs, XinQ, xNova
Another major advantage of Xtreme Gaming is the depth of their drafts. The team is capable of playing both fast-paced strategies and long, drawn-out games, where their execution and team synchronization truly shine.
In the upper bracket quarterfinals, they faced Tundra Esports and closed out the series 2-0 with ease. In those matches, Xtreme looked like true tournament favorites — controlling the lanes, pressuring the map, and giving their opponents no chance to come back. However, the upper bracket semifinal brought an unexpected twist: their match against PARIVISION ended in a 0-2 defeat. That series exposed one of XG’s vulnerabilities — their struggles against early aggression and high-tempo play.
Dropping to the lower bracket didn’t break them. Xtreme quickly eliminated Nigma Galaxy 2-0, followed by another confident 2-0 victory over BetBoom Team, securing their place in the top 3. In the lower bracket final, they took revenge on PARIVISION, grinding out a hard-fought 2-1 victory. Thanks to this run, Xtreme earned their spot in the grand final, where they will face Team Falcons at The International 2025.
The main weapon of Xtreme Gaming remains their disciplined macro and map control. The team plays the mid and late game with remarkable confidence: they distribute farm efficiently, secure key objectives, and rarely take unnecessary risks. Above all, Ame’s performance stands out — as the carry, he consistently provides the impact that often becomes the decisive factor in long and drawn-out fights.
Most popular Xtreme Gaming heroes
Here are the most popular Xtreme Gaming heroes over the past 6 months:
- Shadow Shaman — 30 games, 76.67% win rate
- Elder Titan — 28 games, 67.86% win rate
- Storm Spirit — 24 games, 70.83% win rate
- Warlock — 21 games, 61.90% win rateTerrorblade — 21 games, 52.38% win rate
- Sand King — 20 games, 65.00% win rate
- Monkey King — 18 games, 66.67% win rate
- Ancient Apparition — 18 games, 55.56% win rate
- Jakiro — 17 games, 58.82% win rate
- Centaur Warrunner — 16 games, 81.25% win rate
Taken together, these drafts are highly adaptable: they can play both fast pushing lineups and long, drawn-out teamfights. The high win rates of heroes like Shadow Shaman, Centaur Warrunner, or Beastmaster highlight that teams value reliable control and tried-and-true strategies rather than one-time “surprise” picks.
Team Falcons vs Xtreme Gaming Head-to-Head History
The rivalry between Team Falcons and Xtreme Gaming in Dota 2 has long been one of the most intriguing on the professional scene. The two teams have already faced each other 12 times, and their matches are rarely straightforward. Statistically, Falcons hold the edge: they’ve claimed 7 victories against Xtreme Gaming’s 4, with one match ending in a draw. On maps, the advantage also lies with the Falcons — 16 to 11.
However, the raw numbers don’t capture the full drama of this matchup. Crucial victories have often gone the way of the Chinese squad. In April 2024, Xtreme Gaming defeated Falcons 3-1 in the grand final of the Elite League, proving that they can prevail on the biggest stages. And in September 2025, they reminded everyone of their strength once again at The International, where they secured a 2-1 victory.
All of this sets the stage for a fascinating showdown in the TI2025 grand final, where the balance of power could once again be rewritten.
Predicted result of the match Team Falcons vs Xtreme Gaming at The International 2025
Determining the favorite in this matchup is not easy — both teams come into the grand final in solid form. However, bookmakers lean toward Team Falcons, and overall this makes sense: they lead Xtreme Gaming in head-to-head meetings, and their consistency throughout the tournament inspires confidence.
We can only hope to see a thrilling best-of-five series — after all, it’s those kinds of matches that stay in memory. The intrigue is even greater given that the two teams have not yet faced each other in the playoffs. Falcons reached the final through the upper bracket, showcasing confident play and flexible drafts, while Xtreme Gaming fought their way back through the lower bracket, proving they are ready to battle until the very end.
Still, judging by their current form and the history of their head-to-head clashes, I believe Team Falcons have the better chance of winning.
Betting Prediction: Team Falcons win.
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