Before the tournament, Azure Ray faced criticism for a roster shuffle that saw three players replaced after The International 2023.

Despite calls for disqualification, rulebook changes and Valve’s hands-off approach spared them from penalties.

Azure Ray asserted their dominance early in the group stages, topping Group A with only two defeats.

In the main event, they faced the Gladiators in the upper bracket, but the initial encounter saw Azure Ray outclassed and sent to the lower bracket.

Facing another European powerhouse, Team Liquid, in the lower bracket, Azure Ray seemed on the brink of elimination after losing the first match.

However, defying the odds, they secured two consecutive victories to set up a revenge match against GG in the grand finals.

The Gladiators took control with two consecutive wins, leaving no room for error on Azure Ray’s side.

In a spectacular turn of events, Azure Ray achieved the unthinkable��a reverse sweep, winning three games in a row against the dominant team of 2023 and clinching the ESL One Kuala Lumpur title.

The grand finale, a rare reverse sweep in Dota 2 since 2021, captivated fans.

Throughout the tournament, the Zhao “XinQ” Zixing and Lin “Xxs” Jing offlane duo dismantled opposing safe laners, while Guo “Xm” Hongcheng and Lou “Lou” Zhen secured Azure Ray’s late-game with precision.

Despite high expectations, especially considering it was their first major tournament together, Azure Ray defied predictions, hinting at more success in 2024, proclaiming it as a year for China in Dota 2 during their champions’ interview.

ESL One Kuala Lumpur marked the conclusion of the Dota 2 season for 2023, with the grand final reflecting a clash between Western Europe’s Gaimin Gladiators and China’s Azure Ray.

The series, a rematch of the upper bracket finals, where GG secured victory over Azure Ray, unfolded into a nail-biting grand final.

Gaimin Gladiators, dominant throughout the season with clean sweeps in DPC Majors, were the favorites to lift the trophy.

Despite struggles at The Riyadh Masters 2023 and a runner-up finish at The International 2023, GG quickly bounced back in ESL One Kuala Lumpur.

Azure Ray, despite facing backlash for a roster shuffle, emerged as the top team in Group A.

The grand final series was a thrilling contest that went down to the wire, with Azure Ray emerging victorious.

This marked a triumphant comeback for the Chinese region in the 2023 Season, securing 4800 ESL Pro Tour points and US$500,000 in prize money.

Gaimin Gladiators finished as the runner-up for the second time in a major tournament.

The grand finale not only showcased Azure Ray’s resilience but also signalled a strong return for Chinese Dota 2 on the international stage.

YOUR #ESLOne KUALA LUMPUR POWERED BY @intelgaming CHAMPIONS ARE AZURE RAY!!!! #RiseAboveFate pic.twitter.com/xGRsqSInNK

— ESL Dota2 (@ESLDota2) December 17, 2023

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However, the reigning champions of The International 2023, Team Spirit, might miss out on the competition due to roster issues.

Dmitry “Korb3n” Belov, Team Spirit’s manager, recently revealed that one of their players plans to take a break until January.

While Team Spirit is open to attending ESL One Kuala Lumpur 2023, their participation hinges on the tournament’s rulebook.

The exact number of substitutes required for Kuala Lumpur remains uncertain because it’s unclear how many Team Spirit members will take a break.

Most Dota 2 tournaments typically allow only one stand-in, with a maximum of two if valid reasons are provided.

In a now-deleted Twitch stream, Yaroslav “Miposhka” Naidenov expressed his desire to take a break without considering retirement.

He stated that he wasn’t planning to “go anywhere” but needed a break before the new season.

Aside from Team Spirit, Gaimin Gladiators, LGD, and Azure Ray also received invitations to the event.

Our #ESLOne Kuala Lumpur direct invites are LOCKED IN!

Welcome @team__spirit, @gaimingladiator, @LGDgaming and Azure Ray!

The remaining 8 teams will be decided via the Open/Closed Qualifiers (12th-18th Nov)

Grab your tickets now!
https://t.co/3c3IlcLkKf pic.twitter.com/IJBfKtxzQI

— ESL Dota2 (@ESLDota2) November 7, 2023

With the Dota Pro Circuit no longer in place, professional teams are starting the new competitive season earlier than usual, with a major event right at the outset.

While Team Spirit could choose to skip this tournament, they prefer not to do so because ESL tournaments are a crucial pathway to the Riyadh Masters, which boasts the biggest prize pool in Dota 2 since the reduction in The International 2023’s prize pool.

Kuala Lumpur is quite a distance from Eastern Europe, making it an exhausting journey for Team Spirit’s players who recently claimed the Aegis of Champions in Seattle.

However, no invited team has declared their rosters for ESL’s Kuala Lumpur event yet, and they may wait until after the regional qualifiers to determine their stand-ins.

ESL One’s return to Malaysia at the end of the year has excited Dota fans in Southeast Asia.

The tournament is scheduled to take place in Kuala Lumpur from December 11 to 17, 2023, with a total prize pool of $1,000,000 USD up for grabs.

12 elite Dota 2 teams from around the world will gather in Malaysia to kick off the event, competing for one of the eight available spots in the playoffs.

The playoffs will be held live at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC) from December 15 to 17.

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Team Spirit are undefeated across their last 22 outings (19-3-0) and enter this match on a 12-game winning streak, which includes six victories at The International 2023 against 9Pandas, Team SMG, Entity, Evil Geniuses, Shopify Rebellion, and Virtus.pro. team Spirit’s next opponents, Team Liquid, are like Team Spirit, in great form.

Team Liquid won Group B with a 3-1-0 record and one draw against Azure Ray and have since added a clean 2-0 sweep of Evil Geniuses and Talon Esports. Form-wise, the teams are in a great spot, and they both have the talent to go all the way, but there��s a reason why Team Spirit are priced as favourites.
The 2022 TI champions have beaten Team Liquid twice since July (2-1 and 3-1), and they��ve since looked progressively better. But as they��ve proven in Seattle, Team Liquid are no slouches, and they can make Spirit work hard for the win. Expect a close series.

LGD Gaming went from one of the Dota 2 underdogs to win The International 2023 to one of the main favourites to go all the way. The Chinese powerhouse won Group C with relative ease and have since added two commanding sweeps of Keyd Stars and 9Pandas.

Their regional rivals have also held on well. After placing third in Group B (1-2-1), Azure Ray swept Entity and nouns to reach the upper bracket finals, which is a big accomplishment. However, AR have only beaten Thunder Awaken, Entity, and nouns, which is nothing to write home about.

LGD Gaming have met with Azure Ray twice since July and are 1-1-0 with a 1-1 draw and a 2-1 win during Bali Major 2023. Those results would suggest that Azure Ray stand a chance to force a close game, but since TI12 started, LGD Gaming have looked like an entirely different beast. We really like LGD Gaming with the top esports betting sites.

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