Paper Rex Eliminates Detonation FocusMe to Keep Hopes Alive in VCT Pacific 2025

Southeast Asia’s heavyweight, Paper Rex, finally clinched their first victory in the VCT Pacific: Stage 1 2025 group stage today (14/4) with a nail-biting triumph over Japan’s Detonation FocusMe.

Entering their final Week 4 match with a negative record, PRX desperately needed a win to close the point gap with Global Esports, who sit just above them in fourth place. Though DFM is widely regarded as one of the tournament’s weakest teams, many doubted PRX’s chances given their recent shaky form.

Those concerns quickly proved justified as PRX struggled to close out the series convincingly. On Game 1 in Ascent, the Singaporean team initially dominated with an 8-4 lead as defenders. However, their momentum crumbled after switching sides, allowing DFM to win round after round. PRX ultimately fell 11-13.

Despite the setback, PRX carried on with their trademark W Gaming style on Lotus in Game 2. Though DFM threatened a resurgence in the second half,, PRX sealed the map 13-7 to force a decider.

The final showdown on Pearl tested PRX’s resilience once more. Shockingly, they unraveled in the first half, stumbling to a 5-7 deficit by halftime. But just as hope began to fade, star duelist Wang “Jinggg” Jie and rookie phenom Patrick “PatMen” Mendoza upped their game and ignited a comeback.

Riding this momentum, PRX forced overtime and narrowly edged out DFM 15-13, eliminating the Japanese team from playoff contention. However, their battle isn’t over yet: they face Global Esports this Friday (April 18) in a do-or-die match for the final lower bracket playoff spot.