The BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025 Group Stage continues, and the next interesting matchup will be between B8 and Imperial. Both teams are coming into the match in good form, having performed well in recent tournaments. The Ukrainians are demonstrating stability and a strong competitive rhythm, while the Brazilians have once again proven their strength on the LAN scene. In the bo1 format, everything will be decided very quickly, so we expect a tense battle.
Current form of the teams
B8
The Ukrainian team is approaching the start of the BLAST.tv Austin Major in excellent form. Over the past three months, the team has won 44 out of 70 maps played. In May, B8 took 3rd place at MESA Nomadic Masters Spring 2025 and won ESL Challenger League Season 49 Europe. The team also has a series of five consecutive victories — over PARIVISION, SINNERS, Betera, Zero Tenacity, and Chinggis Warriors. This demonstrates good playing tone and stability.
Imperial
The Brazilian team has played 45 maps in the last three months, winning 29 of them. Their most recent success was 1st place at FiReLEAGUE Buenos Aires 2025, confirming the team’s combat effectiveness in LAN tournaments. In their last five matches, Imperial defeated 9Z, Sharks, and 500, but lost to Partizaan and BetBoom. Overall, the team is showing decent, albeit somewhat inconsistent, form.
Team map pool
In the bo1 format, map selection plays a decisive role.
B8 consistently bans Train and has strengths on Mirage (75%), Ancient (80%), and Anubis.
Imperial, for its part, regularly bans Ancient and often plays Mirage (78%), Dust2 (77%), and Nuke.
Expected bans:
- B8 removes Train, then Dust2 or Nuke
- Imperial bans Ancient, followed by Anubis or Inferno
As a result, it is very likely that Mirage will remain — it is one of the strongest maps for both teams. And although B8 has good statistics on Mirage, Imperial looks no less confident on this map, which makes the game even more interesting.
Personal meetings between the teams
Over the past six months, B8 and Imperial have not yet met in official matches. This means that both sides will act mainly based on the general tendencies of their opponent, rather than previous experience of face-to-face meetings.
Match prediction
The match between B8 and Imperial looks like an even contest, but the Ukrainian team has a slight advantage thanks to its stable form, improving level, and confident victories throughout May. And although Imperial looks threatening, especially after its triumph in South America, its form is more unstable.
The game is expected to take place on Mirage, a map that is comfortable for both teams. However, B8 has greater momentum, team cohesion, and confidence, which could play a key role in the bo1 format.
Tedd, a scene analyst, shared his vision:
“B8 is one of my favorite teams, and overall they are better than Imperial. They play well on the counterattack and have shown their strength in recent matches. Yes, anything is possible in bo1, and Imperial can surprise with their strong shooters, but I still think B8 will win.”
Prediction: B8 will win by a narrow margin.
