Paper Rex Beats NRG at VALORANT Masters
Paper Rex just secured their playoff spot at VALORANT Masters: Santiago after invy led the team past reigning champions NRG. They opened the tournament with a victory over G2, setting up their deep playoff run. Meanwhile on social, G2 dominated with a 13-8 win on Abyss featuring jawgemo's insane Guardian 4K clutch through an Astra wall.
The series was a nail-biter, with two of the three maps going to a tight 13-10 scoreline before Paper Rex closed it out 13-11 on the final map, Haven. This victory sends a strong message as NRG were the reigning world champions, having won the 2025 VALORANT Champions tournament. Newcomer Jiggs Adrian "invy" Reyes was instrumental in Paper Rex's victory, posting an impressive 60 kills across the three maps. His performance was a standout in a lobby full of international superstars. Paper Rex now moves on to the eight-team, double-elimination playoff bracket. They will face one of the top-seeded teams from the regional kickoff events, who get to choose their first-round opponent from the teams that advanced through the Swiss Stage. Despite the loss, NRG's tournament run isn't over. They now move to a lower bracket in the Swiss Stage, where they will have another chance to qualify for the playoffs. G2 Esports, after their initial loss to Paper Rex, is now in an elimination match against XLG Esports. A win will keep their tournament hopes alive, while a loss will send them home.
