At the IEM Dallas 2025 group stage, we’re set for an exciting clash between the ambitious Aurora and the experienced HEROIC. Both teams enter the tournament in strong form but have followed different paths: Aurora recently impressed with a 3rd place finish at PGL Astana, while HEROIC dominated smaller events, claiming titles at the CCT Global Finals and MESA Nomadic Masters. In this prediction, we’ll break down each team’s current form, projected map pool, head-to-head history, and offer a well-grounded forecast for the outcome of the series.
Current Form
Aurora enters IEM Dallas 2025 on the back of a strong run over the past few months. The team has played a remarkable 128 maps in the last three months, winning 72. Their most notable result came at the PGL Major in Astana, where they secured an impressive 3rd place finish. In their last five matches, they earned victories against ODDIK, The MongolZ, and FURIA, but fell short against Astralis and NAVI. This form reflects both resilience and the ability to compete with tier-one opponents.
HEROIC, meanwhile, has been on an impressive winning streak. In the past three months, they’ve played 53 maps and won 37 of them. In the last month, they claimed 1st place at both the CCT Global Finals 2025 and MESA Nomadic Masters Spring 2025, showing excellent structure and consistency. HEROIC’s most recent wins include dominant performances over BIG, JiJieHao, Chinggis Warriors (twice), and B8, which suggests they’re entering Dallas in peak form.
Map Pool
Given the map veto dynamics and team tendencies, here’s a likely breakdown of the veto and picks:
- Aurora will most likely ban Dust2, which is their standard first ban and HEROIC’s strongest map (92% win rate).
- HEROIC will probably respond by banning Inferno, which they consistently avoid.
For picks:
- Aurora may opt for Mirage — a map they play often and win 80% of the time.
- HEROIC could go with Anubis, where they hold a solid 80% win rate and have used it effectively against various opponents.
In the second ban phase:
- Aurora might remove Train, considering their poor record on the map (six straight losses).
- HEROIC may ban Ancient, avoiding a riskier battlefield.
That would leave Nuke as the decider — a neutral ground that could favor the team with better coordination and mid-round calling.
Predicted veto process:
- Bans: Dust2 / Inferno
- Picks: Mirage (Aurora), Anubis (HEROIC)
- Bans: Train / Ancient
- Decider: Nuke
Head-to-Head Record
Aurora and HEROIC have not faced each other in the past six months. This lack of direct history adds unpredictability to the matchup, as both teams will be adapting to each other in real time during the series.
Match Prediction
This matchup promises to be one of the more intriguing clashes of the IEM Dallas 2025 group stage. Aurora is battle-tested and in strong shape after their deep run at PGL Astana, while HEROIC arrives red-hot, having recently lifted two trophies and displaying exceptional team play.
Map-wise, both teams share strengths on Mirage and Anubis, but HEROIC’s elite form, superior win rates, and tactical discipline may give them the edge — especially in a potential Nuke decider.
Prediction: HEROIC to win 2–1, with Aurora putting up a solid fight but ultimately falling short against one of the tournament’s top contenders.
