[CN] Toxic Lotus Reclaims the Regional Crown

Image Credits: BLAST & Michał Konkol

Unlike other regions, the BSC China circuit continued with a Monthly Finals event in May. After several months in which top contenders were eliminated early because of unfavorable bracket draws, tournament organizers implemented adjustments to the grouping system. These changes helped prevent strong teams from facing each other too early, resulting in a more balanced competitive structure.

Pre-event discussions continued to build momentum. One of the most talked-about topics was that the "Chinese Guesti” and content creator ColdDrink was set to join AXR, while former member Nagi transferred to Nihilum, allowing AXR to return to the core lineup that had previously won the “猫小判杯.” Just as the community was still debating whether this roster change would strengthen or weaken the team, a major announcement followed. Ace Xero officially withdrew from the tournament, directly reshaping the overall competition.

Quarterfinals 

Ace Xero vs. old bed early

Following AXR’s withdrawal, old bed early (“老嘢早点瞓”) advanced directly to the semifinals. The newly formed roster of ishy, hoshinoai, and Baby GOAT reached the top four in their debut appearance, technically claiming the responsibility for ending AXR's reign of terror in the region.

Nihilum vs. IrisOut

Both teams retained their lineups from the previous month. IrisOut opened strong, taking the first set in Bounty with impressive plays. Despite pre-match tension caused by rumors of ColdDrink transferring to AXR, Nihilum quickly adjusted after dropping the first set and completed a reverse sweep, winning 3-1 to advance to the semifinals.

TIG Revival vs. WID

TIG fielded their stable lineup, while WID made their debut with a roster consisting of Daniel, ines, and Whelve. Facing a more experienced opponent, WID struggled to withstand TIG’s advantages in drafting and execution, as TIG secured a clean 3-0 victory.

Toxic Lotus vs. TOC

Both teams entered with unchanged rosters, and the match featured a clear “mentor vs. student” storyline, as TOC’s DiuQiang is a protégé developed under TL’s system. In the opening Hot Zone set, TL leveraged superior drafting to establish a significant early lead and to secure the win quickly. In Gem Grab, TL initially succeeded in targeting the opposing gem carrier, but TOC adapted in time, winning key rounds to pull one back. In the third Heist set, TOC opted for a highly aggressive composition and claimed another point after an intense back-and-forth. At a critical moment, TL reported latency issues and requested a replay, which was ultimately granted by tournament officials. TL narrowly secured the rematch. Post-match, players revealed that TOC had also experienced network issues earlier in Gem Grab and had requested a replay, but their appeal was denied. Although this decision affected the team’s mentality to some extent, TOC quickly regrouped and, with a stronger drafting advantage, dominated in Bounty to even the score at 2-2. In the final Brawl Ball decider, OU delivered a clutch performance to secure the win for TL, as they closed out the series 3-2 and advanced to the semifinals.

Semifinals

The first semifinal featured old bed early against Nihilum. Despite advancing directly, old bed struggled early against the stronger opponent, and Nihilum secured a straightforward 3-0 victory to reach the finals.

The second semi-final saw TIG Revival face Toxic Lotus. TL maintained strong form, winning both Gem Grab and Brawl Ball. In Hot Zone, their drafting advantage further widened the gap, resulting in a dominant 3-0 sweep over TIG to advance.

Grand Finals

The Grand Finals featured Nihilum vs. Toxic Lotus. In the opening Knockout set, TL gained the advantage through stronger laning fundamentals. In Hot Zone, Nihilum showed slight instability, allowing TL to capitalize and extend their lead. In Heist, Nihilum attempted to respond but fell short in base race decisions. Ultimately, TL completed a 3-0 sweep to secure the May Monthly Finals Championship.

Summary

As the Brawl Cup points system only covers the four main BSC regions, results from the China region are not included. Combined with AXR’s withdrawal from this event, their total remains at 210 points. Following their championship victory, TL have climbed to 180 points, significantly narrowing the gap with AXR. Looking ahead, the points standings will directly determine the bracket seeding for the Elimination Round, where the top eight teams will qualify. From there, the top four teams will advance to the LAN Finals event, where they will compete for two LCQ spots. AXR, TL, HIL, and TIG have already secured their places in the Elimination Round, but four spots remain up for grabs heading into the final month of the regular season.

With the leaderboard still highly competitive and multiple outcomes possible, the final hierarchy of the CN region remains undecided, making the upcoming matches crucial to watch.

Article by Kathy