In a 2–1 bracket match at StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 Stage 2, Imperial and M80 will meet in a showdown that may define their trajectory for the rest of the tournament. The winner secures a spot in Stage 3, while the loser will have to continue fighting in the tense 2–2 bracket. Although both teams arrive with competitive form, it is M80 who enter the matchup as favorites thanks to their stability and strong results over the past several weeks.
How Bookmakers See It: M80 as Favorites
Bookmakers assess the upcoming match with a clear bias toward M80. The team shows stable form, strong tournament performances, and convincing wins against opponents of various calibers. The statistics reinforce this outlook: M80 hold winning streaks on key maps and boast significantly better recent match results. While Imperial can certainly put up a fight, their streak of losses and inconsistent play positions them as underdogs. Analysts believe that M80’s map-pool advantage, individual form, and recent momentum logically tilt the odds in their favor.
Current Form of Imperial: What to Expect From Imperial
Imperial enter the match with fairly strong overall numbers over the past three months, having played 60 maps and won 40 of them. However, the last month paints a less stable picture. The team competed at DreamHack Knockout Atlanta 2025, finishing 3rd–4th; placed fourth at Circuit X Retake São Paulo 2025; and ended Stage 1 of StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 in the 6th–8th range.
- Imperial lineup: VINI, noway, try, chelo, skullz
Recent matches have been problematic. Imperial have lost four of their last five games, falling to fnatic, MIBR, NRG, and The Huns. They also suffered a loss to Natus Vincere, underscoring a downturn and difficulties maintaining consistency heading into Stage 2 of the Major.
Current Form of M80: What to Expect From M80
M80 display far more stable and impressive form. Over the past three months, they have played 43 maps and won 28 of them. Over the last month, the roster consistently reached podium finishes at every event they attended. They won DreamHack Knockout Atlanta 2025, secured second place at Fragadelphia Ultra Mega Jersey 2025, and entered the top 1–2 spots in Stage 1 of StarLadder Budapest Major 2025.
- M80 lineup: Swisher, slaxz-, s1n, Lake, HexT
M80 have won four of their last five matches, defeating TYLOO, NRG, Astralis, and PARIVISION. Their only loss came against Aurora. Overall, the team appears to be at their performance peak, demonstrating significantly greater stability than their opponents.
Imperial’s Map Pool
In a best-of-three format, Imperial typically begin by banning Ancient — their most frequent ban. For their map pick, Imperial may opt for Overpass, as it gives them stable results and features a high win rate. This also makes sense given that M80 do not hold a substantial advantage on this map.
In the second ban phase, Imperial are likely to remove Train, one of M80’s strongest maps. After that, they will await the decider that remains following the full ban process.
M80’s Map Pool
M80 traditionally start their ban phase with Nuke, their permanent ban and one of Imperial’s comfort maps. When it comes to their pick, M80 are expected to select Mirage, where they hold a 100% win rate and a long streak of strong performances — making it their most powerful map.
During the second ban wave, M80 may remove Dust2, given that Imperial perform consistently well there and have a strong winning streak on this map. With all bans and picks completed, the most likely decider is Inferno, a relatively even battleground for both teams.
Head-to-Head Record
The teams have not played any official matches against each other in the past six months. This means their preparation will rely on analyzing general tendencies rather than past direct confrontations.
Match Prediction: Imperial vs M80 at StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 Stage 2
Imperial possess a strong map pool and solid performance metrics on certain maps, but their recent losing streak raises concerns about their current form and psychological readiness. While the team is capable of putting up resistance, they appear less confident than their opponents.
M80, on the other hand, enter the match in significantly better shape. They are consistently winning, displaying structured and high-quality gameplay, and dominating on several key maps. Combined with their recent tournament success, this gives them a clear edge in the upcoming matchup.
Prediction: M80 to win 2:1.
