MESA Nomadic Masters Spring 2025 is a tier-2 tournament taking place from April 30 to May 4, 2025. Eight teams are competing for the championship title and a $135,000 prize pool. Despite high expectations, the Portuguese team SAW was the first to be eliminated after suffering two losses.
SAW’s Performance
SAW currently holds 19th place in the HLTV rankings, making them a consistent presence on the tier-2 scene. However, their recent results have been underwhelming. At the BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025 ERQ, they finished 9–11th, placed 13–16th at IEM Melbourne, and exited MESA Nomadic Masters in 7–8th place. While it’s true that tier-1 competition is fierce, SAW has struggled even against lower-ranked opponents.
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Showing at MESA Nomadic Masters Spring 2025
SAW appeared to have received a favorable bracket, facing off against JiJieHao (ranked 75th on HLTV) and Chinggis Warriors (ranked 45th). Yet, they lost to JiJieHao 0–2 (Train 10:13, Dust2 6:13), failing to put up a serious fight.
Their match against Chinggis Warriors also ended in disappointment. Despite winning Nuke in overtime, they lost the remaining maps and the series 1–2, resulting in an early tournament exit.
Fan Reactions
Fans responded with harsh criticism. Many questioned the team’s decision to attend two long-distance events back-to-back without sufficient preparation. On social media platform X, the organization posted a brief message: “Sorry”, which only fueled fan frustration:
“I want to know one thing: why go to these two consecutive tournaments with long trips if you’re going to lose and get beaten? You waste time that could be spent training, lose VRS points, and then lose to two teams that always get rolled by Europeans. Next tournament: CCT.” — Guillermo
“Don’t tell me there are no Portuguese players better than these guys (azuwu and cejot)… just watch pr play.” — FRSH
Fans are now openly questioning both the roster choices and the overall development strategy of the organization.
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SAW’s Collapse Demands Rethink in Strategy and Roster
The failure at MESA Nomadic Masters is a serious wake-up call for SAW. Losing to lower-tier teams signals internal issues — from preparation to individual player form. The team must reconsider its tournament selection strategy: rather than constant travel, more focus should be placed on practice and fixing recurring mistakes. In addition, potential roster changes should be on the table, especially if certain players show no signs of improvement. Without swift action, SAW risks losing its foothold even within the tier-2 scene.
