Welcome to all Valorant fans and viewers! From September 12 to October 5, 2025, the biggest tournament of the year — VALORANT Champions 2025 — is taking place. Sixteen of the best teams in the world are battling for the title of Global Valorant Champions and a massive prize pool.
On the 19th day of competition, attention shifts to the Lower Bracket Round 3, where two Asian powerhouses — DRX from Korea and Paper Rex from Singapore — will clash in a high-stakes battle. Both teams have already survived tough challenges in the playoffs, but only one can continue their journey toward the trophy.
Bookmakers see Paper Rex as the favorites, thanks to their aggressive style, consistency, and recent international success. Still, DRX should not be underestimated: the Korean squad combines discipline, tactical depth, and resilience, which makes them a formidable opponent for any team on the global stage.
This showdown is expected to be explosive and closely contested, as the winner keeps their championship dream alive while the loser bids farewell to Champions 2025.
How bookmakers see it: Favorite — Paper Rex
Most bookmakers consider Paper Rex the favorite in their matchup against DRX at VALORANT Champions 2025. The odds stand at 1.58 for PRX compared to 2.25 for DRX, which highlights the trust in the Singaporean powerhouse.
Paper Rex enter this clash with momentum, having already proven their strength in the playoffs by defeating G2 Esports and eliminating Team Heretics, while only narrowly losing to Fnatic in a 2-1 battle. Their aggressive and fearless style, combined with the firepower of f0rsakeN, Jinggg, and something, makes them the team to beat in almost any series.
On the other side, DRX continue to show resilience. Despite setbacks in the upper bracket against Fnatic, the Koreans bounced back with victories over G2 Esports and MIBR, keeping their lower bracket run alive. With MaKo’s leadership and their disciplined tactical approach, DRX remain a dangerous opponent capable of punishing even the slightest mistakes.
Bookmakers also expect a tight series: the odds for total maps over 2.5 are 1.91, while under 2.5 maps is priced at 1.81. This suggests that while Paper Rex are the favorites, many expect DRX to take at least one map and push the match to its limit.
DRX form: What result can be expected from DRX?
The team DRX has remained one of the leading forces on the Asian Valorant scene for several years, consistently ranking among the region’s strongest squads. Despite roster changes in 2025, the Korean club has managed to stay competitive and continues to be a dangerous opponent for any team on the international stage. The new season began confidently, once again proving that DRX are capable of fighting for top positions.
The current DRX roster brings together young and ambitious players around whom the team is building its future. Kim “MaKo” Myeong-kwan remains the squad’s main leader, setting the pace and shaping strategy on the server; No “Freeing” Ha-jun plays the role of tactical support and all-rounder, able to adapt to different needs; Song “HYUNMIN” Hyun-min adds aggression and fresh energy, often taking initiative in attacking rounds; Kang “BeYN” Ha-bin is the key initiator and support, creating space for teammates and opportunities to hit sites; Park “Estrella” Geon provides discipline and control, anchoring the team and keeping balance; Cho “Flashback” Min-hyuk plays the role of aggressive duelist and main source of early picks; while Yoon “Flicker” Tae-hee remains a versatile player, capable of filling multiple roles depending on the draft.
The squad is led by experienced coach Pyeon “termi” Seon-ho, supported by veteran Kim “glow” Min-soo. Their combined leadership ensures discipline and strategic flexibility, while helping younger players gain confidence and unlock their potential.
DRX roster: MaKo, Freeing, HYUNMIN, BeYN, Estrella, Flashback, Flicker
In the first half of the 2025 season, DRX competed at the VCT Pacific Kickoff, advancing to the main stage of the tournament. Later, they played at Masters Bangkok 2025, gaining valuable international experience, and also reached the Esports World Cup 2025, cementing their place among the world’s elite. In their regional league — VCT Pacific Stage 1 and Stage 2 — DRX showed consistent performances, battling on equal footing with powerhouses like Paper Rex and Gen.G.
At VALORANT Champions 2025, DRX began their campaign with a confident 2-0 win over Team Liquid, displaying discipline and strong map control. However, in their second group match, the Korean squad fell to NRG 1-2, unable to maintain consistency in key rounds. To advance, DRX faced a rematch against Team Liquid, once again proving their superiority with another 2-0 win, securing their spot in the playoffs.
In the upper bracket of the playoffs, DRX faced Fnatic. The series was close and hard-fought, but the Koreans lost 1-2, dropping to the lower bracket. There, DRX regrouped and managed to overcome G2 Esports in a tough 2-1 victory, keeping their tournament run alive. After that, they continued their lower bracket journey with another hard-fought series, defeating MIBR 2-1 and further proving their resilience on the biggest stage.
Paper Rex form: What result can be expected from PRX?
For several years now, Paper Rex has remained the dominant force on the Asian Valorant scene, consistently ranking among the strongest teams in the world. The 2025 season began in the best possible way for them, as they quickly reaffirmed their status as one of the championship favorites.
The current Paper Rex roster features seasoned veterans: Jason “f0rsakeN” Susanto, known for his versatile style and ability to shift the pace of a match with a single decision; Khalish “d4v41” Rusyaidee, the brain and backbone of the team; Wang “Jinggg” Jing Jie, their main source of aggression; Ilya “something” Petrov, the Russian duelist who added explosive firepower and individual brilliance; and Patrick “PatMen” Mendoza, whose composure in clutch situations has saved the team countless times. The squad is led by head coach Alexandre “Alecks” Sallé, who has built a system that allows each player to maximize their strengths.
Paper Rex roster: f0rsakeN, d4v41, Jinggg, something, PatMen
In the first half of the season, PRX reached a historic milestone — winning their first-ever international trophy. At VCT Masters Toronto 2025, they stormed through the competition almost flawlessly and defeated European powerhouse Fnatic 3-1 in the grand final. This victory was a turning point for the organization, firmly establishing Paper Rex as a global champion capable of claiming the biggest titles.
They also dominated their regional league, finishing first at VCT Pacific Stage 2 without giving rivals much of a chance. At the Esports World Cup 2025, they secured a 4th-place finish, which still highlighted their consistency in reaching the top four of international events.
The stats speak for themselves: on maps like Bind, Sunset, Lotus, and Haven, Paper Rex plays with maximum confidence, showing a high win rate and executing aggressive yet disciplined strategies. Their only notable weaknesses lie on newer maps — for example, Abyss, where they lost their sole official match, and Corrode, which the team has yet to test in competition.
The start of the VALORANT Champions 2025 playoffs also went in their favor. In their opening playoff clash, Paper Rex faced European giants G2 Esports and managed to prevail in a hard-fought series with a 2-1 scoreline. However, in the next round they fell to Fnatic 1-2, despite their opponents competing with a substitute. Dropping to the lower bracket, PRX once again proved their resilience, eliminating Team Heretics with another 2-1 victory and keeping their hopes alive in the tournament.
Overall, Paper Rex is a team that perfectly blends discipline and swagger. They have experienced players with deep agent pools, youthful firepower, flexibility, and most importantly, immense confidence after their Masters Toronto triumph. With their lower bracket run still ongoing, PRX remain one of the prime contenders for the VALORANT Champions 2025 title.
Head-to-Head: DRX vs Paper Rex
The rivalry between DRX and Paper Rex has become one of the defining storylines of the Asian Valorant scene. As of mid-2025, Paper Rex hold the advantage in their direct encounters, leading the head-to-head with 8 wins to DRX’s 5. While DRX managed key victories, such as a 2-1 win during VCT Pacific Stage 1 in March 2025, PRX have had the upper hand in most of the recent high-stakes meetings. Notably, Paper Rex defeated DRX 3-1 in the Esports World Cup 2025 playoffs final, showcasing their ability to adapt after dropping the opening map. Historically, their matches have been close and often go the distance, but PRX’s stronger clutch factor and consistency in decisive maps have allowed them to establish a slight dominance in this rivalry.
Players to Watch
DRX: MaKo — the key figure of DRX and one of the most consistent players on the Korean Valorant scene. His role as a controller goes far beyond standard utility support: MaKo sets the overall structure of the team’s play, keeps balance in difficult situations, and often becomes the player who holds DRX together in decisive moments. His smart use of smokes, precise timing, and composure in clutch situations allow DRX to remain competitive even against the strongest opponents. For fans and analysts, MaKo is the clearest indicator of DRX’s form: if he is sharp, the team can fight with anyone.
Paper Rex: f0rsakeN – He has long been the face of the team: a versatile duelist who feels equally comfortable on Jett, Yoru, and Chamber. His aggressive playstyle and ability to shift the tempo of a match with a single decision make him the main catalyst of PRX’s game. f0rsakeN can open rounds with bold picks or clutch in the most intense moments. Almost every match he plays is filled with highlight-worthy plays, and his individual brilliance often becomes the decisive factor in Paper Rex’s victories.
Probable Map Picks
With the current competitive map pool of Abyss, Ascent, Bind, Corrode, Haven, Lotus, and Sunset, the veto phase in the DRX vs Paper Rex matchup will be decisive. DRX are most comfortable on Ascent and Haven, where their structured style shines, while struggling more on Lotus. Paper Rex, by contrast, thrive on Lotus and Sunset thanks to their aggressive tempo, but tend to avoid Ascent. In the veto, PRX are expected to remove Ascent, while DRX should target Lotus to neutralize their rivals’ strongest map. That leaves Haven as a likely pick for DRX, Sunset for Paper Rex, and Bind or Abyss as the potential decider in case the series goes to a third map.
Anything else catch the eye?
This series highlights the contrast between DRX’s structured, methodical approach and Paper Rex’s explosive, high-tempo aggression. What makes it even more compelling is the storyline: few expected DRX to make it this far at Champions 2025, yet the Korean squad has shown resilience, discipline, and flashes of brilliance that surprised many doubters. Their victories in the lower bracket have already proven their strength, but facing Paper Rex is an entirely different challenge. With PRX in top form and stacked with firepower, this clash may well mark the end of DRX’s inspiring run at the tournament.
Match Prediction
The clash between DRX and Paper Rex is set to be one of the highlights of the VALORANT Champions 2025 lower bracket. DRX rely on their discipline, structure, and tactical depth, while Paper Rex thrive on aggression, unpredictability, and the ability to swing momentum with explosive plays.
Both teams have already proven their resilience in the playoffs, but Paper Rex’s current form and depth of firepower give them the advantage. With f0rsakeN, Jinggg, and something capable of breaking open rounds on their own, PRX’s dynamic style could overwhelm DRX’s more methodical approach.
While DRX are capable of taking a map and pushing the series deep, Paper Rex’s confidence and proven track record in high-pressure matches make them the more likely winners.
Main prediction — Paper Rex to win.
MIBR Female09.10.2516:00Bo3
Team Liquid BrazilWatch match
