The first stage of BLAST Bounty 2026 S2 concluded with another major surprise, as DENDELE took down FURIA in a three-map thriller, winning 2-1 with scores of 13-6 on Anubis, 6-13 on Mirage, and 16-14 on Cache. The result continues the pattern of unexpected outcomes that has defined this online competition.
With Stage 1 now complete, sixteen squads remain in contention. The next round of matchups will be determined through Bounty's signature draft system, scheduled for later Friday.
Competing under their fresh organization name for the first time, DENDELE launched the series strongly on their Anubis selection. Máximo "maxxkor" Cortina delivered an outstanding defensive performance, helping secure seven rounds on the tougher side before cruising to a commanding 13-6 finish.
FURIA responded by dominating Mirage, but the decider on Cache belonged to DENDELE after extra rounds. Kaike "KSCERATO" Cerato and his teammates struggled to find their rhythm on the map pool's latest addition. Only Gabriel "FalleN" Toledo with a 1.20 rating and KSCERATO at 1.05 managed positive statistics for their roster.
Earlier Friday delivered more intense action. 3DMAX defeated magic in a closely contested match, with newcomer Jeremy "Kursy" Gast leading the server at 1.42 rating. The rebuilt MongolZ lineup then edged past HEROIC in another nail-biter.
Usukhbayar "910" Banzragch impressed throughout their series, but fresh recruit Dugarsuren "DarkMeister" Ireedui proved decisive in the double-overtime Dust2 finale, posting 36 kills and a 1.39 rating to secure MongolZ's tournament survival.
The day also witnessed a major upset as Liquid eliminated Vitality with a clean 2-0 victory, ending Dan "apEX" Madesclaire's squad's remarkable 24-event playoff run.
