Fierce rivals in the server, respectful brothers on stage. That’s exactly what FlameZ and mzinho embodied after the thrilling CS2 Austin Major 2025 grand final showdown between Team Vitality and The MongolZ.
While the spotlight was firmly on Vitality’s historic win—their seventh straight title this year and first CS2 Major trophy—it was a small, heartfelt moment that reminded fans what makes esports special. Amid the frantic celebrations and confetti, Vitality’s rising star FlameZ didn’t forget a simple promise he made with fellow prodigy and Mongolz’s young rifler mzinho the day before.
It all started in a casual FACEIT match featuring some of Vitality and MongolZ players on the eve of the Austin Major final. During the game, mzinho messaged in the in-game chat: “Tomorrow whoever wins, we hugh each other, shushu (FlameZ).” FlameZ didn’t hesitate: “ofc (of course).” The 17-year-old mzinho also greeted FlameZ, who turned 22 that day.
Come the grand final the next day, MongolZ shocked everyone by taking Mirage 13-5, putting Vitality on the back foot. But the French powerhouse showed their championship poise, dominating Dust 2 13-4 and Inferno 13-6 to secure the 2-1 victory and cement their CS2 dynasty.
As they wrapped up their celebration, Vitality made their way over to the MongolZ side for the post-match gestures. True to his word, FlameZ gave mzinho a big hug. He didn’t stop there, he went on to embrace the rest of the MongolZ players, showing genuine sportsmanship and respect after a hard-fought series.
Fans took notice of this heartfelt moment. “FlameZ is just a class act, man. Always fun, always nice,” one Redditor said.
“Damn. Glad to see good sportsmanship!” a fan chimed in. “Aw, I was waiting for that after yesterday’s post. Wholesome,” another one added.
In the extremely competitive environment of esports where rivalries can run deep and tensions are soaring high, it’s moments like these that stick with us: the handshake, the hug, the mutual respect. FlameZ may have added another trophy to his collection, but more importantly, he showed why he’s not just a great player, but a great human too.
