The Dota 2 competitive scene has a new undisputed king. Team Yandex has officially claimed the BLAST SLAM VIII championship in Malta, defeating reigning The International champions Team Spirit 3-1 in a high-stakes grand final. This victory marks a historic start to the 2026-2027 season for the squad, as they have now secured the first two major trophies of the year.
Coming off a strong showing at PGL Wallachia Season 9 in late September, Yandex entered this tournament with immense momentum. The addition of Ammar "ATF" Al-Assaf to the offlane has proven to be a masterstroke, providing the team with a level of aggression and versatility that few opponents have been able to match. While Team Spirit put up a valiant fight—even with a stand-in for their offlane position—Yandex’s core of Alimzhan "Watson" Islambekov and Ilya "CHIRA_JUNIOR" Chirtsov proved too consistent to overcome.
The grand final itself was a tactical chess match. After dropping the opening game, Yandex showcased their resilience. They adjusted their drafts and tightened their objective play, rattling off three consecutive map wins to seal the series. The third game was particularly clinical, with both Watson and CHIRA_JUNIOR finishing without a single death, effectively suffocating Spirit’s comeback attempts.
This result is a clear signal to the rest of the professional circuit. By winning both PGL Wallachia and BLAST SLAM VIII, Team Yandex has established a gap between themselves and the field. For those looking to see how they stack up against the rest of the world, check out our matches to track their next appearances.
With BLAST SLAM IX already on the horizon for late November, the pressure is now on the rest of the scene to find an answer to the Yandex puzzle. Can they maintain this pace, or will the upcoming MyEsports predictions start to shift as other teams adapt to their playstyle? One thing is certain: the 2026-2027 season is shaping up to be a Yandex-dominated affair.