Just last week, MOUZ defeated Spirit 3-1 in the grand finals to claim their first championship trophy of 2026. Following the match, BLAST conducted an official interview with MOUZ captain xertioN. Let's take a look at his thoughts on stepping into the in-game leader role for the first time, his assessment of his young teammates, and his expectations for the season.
Q: Congratulations on winning the championship. How are you feeling now?
A: It feels amazing. All the hard work has finally paid off. Spirit had beaten us decisively multiple times before, so being able to win back so cleanly this time is a huge step forward. I'm especially happy for the young players on the team.
Q: After going through the rebuild, does this trophy feel any different from the ones you've won in the past?
A: Maybe. This is the first tournament since PR joined, and it feels great to win the title with him right away. We did the same thing when Spinx first joined, so it's definitely a good start. I hope we can maintain this momentum and keep winning, but this is just a small step on our path forward, and there's still a lot of work to do.
Q: You're still adapting to the shot-calling role. What does winning this championship mean to you as a new captain?
A: I would say it means more. I took on more responsibility and had a greater impact on our in-game strategy, so I feel it more intensely when we win, and the same goes for when we lose. Losing matches really gets to me because I'm highly competitive, but ultimately being able to win and lead the team to victory feels incredible. Even though we dropped some rounds we shouldn't have, I tried my best to stay calm and help the guys stabilize the situation. I'm proud of myself.
Q: For xelex and PR, these two relatively inexperienced young players, what do you hope they take away from this victory?
A: I think these two young players are putting in a lot of effort every day now. Of course, each has their own issues, but they bring many great qualities to the team, especially when they play their own style. We need to find a balance: giving them enough guidance while also letting them be themselves, letting them be those young guys who rush in and get headshots. I'm really proud of them; they're doing a great job. If they can keep this up, not only will their individual potential be limitless, but the entire team's ceiling will be sky-high.
Q: Looking ahead to the rest of the season, will winning this championship change your goals or expectations?
A: I wouldn't say that. We came here to test where we stand, and the result is—a convincing 3-1 victory over Spirit in the Grand Finals. I feel they weren't at their best today, but we also definitely made it difficult for them to perform. I don't think this means we're back in the top three, but it shows we had a good run of matches, and what comes next could go either way. We gave it our all, we won, and that's enough.