The Nigma Galaxy LAN buff is real.
Ivan Borislavov “MinD_ContRoL” Ivanov, like the rest of his team, was excellent during the Gamers Galaxy Dota 2 Invitational Series Dubai 2022 tournament. In a critical match group stage match against the then-undefeated Tundra Esports on March 3, Nigma pulled no punches, last-picking MinD_ContRoL’s signature Dark Seer.
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MinD_ContRoL’s Dark Seer helps Nigma get important win against Tundra Esports
From start to finish, Nigma was in control, in no small part thanks to MinD_ContRoL and Maroun “GH” Merhej’s mastery of the offlane. The Dark Seer and Clockwerk combo was an incessant problem for Tundra, who could not keep Nigma’s slippery heroes under control.
As Nigma’s lead grew, so did Tundra’s desperation. In less than 30 minutes, Tundra was already cooped up in their base, trying to keep away from Nigma’s bloodhungry hunters. But when Igor “iLTW” Filatov’s Tiny tried a solo kill on Templar Assassin and failed, losing his Aegis in the process, Tundra tried to seize the opportunity.
Nigma quickly collapsed on their reviving carry. MinD_ContRoL ran in for a Normal Punch, but resisted using his Vacuum to continue locking down a sole Bloodseeker. Instead, he briefly retreated, allowing the incredibly farmed iLTW to soak the majority of the damage—and attention.
Tundra threw everything and the kitchen sink at the Tiny, including a Doom, Rupture, and popped Black King Bars on all three cores. The moment their spell immunity ran down, however, Amer “Miracle-” Al-Barkawi’s released a wonderful Deafening Blast, and MinD_ContRoL pounced.
A five-man Vacuum was the curtain closer for Nigma’s spectacular performance. The Dark Seer had dragged everybody on Tundra out of position, scrambling to the relative safety of their base. But the relentless Nigma had no mercy. iLTW, brought down to just 20 HP, used the bought time to swing away at Tundra’s heroes.
The win against Tundra capped off Nigma’s stellar group stage, where they went 3-1 to secure a direct playoff seed at the Dubai LAN. The team went on to finish third, a welcome achievement for a team that has been criticized for their lack of results in recent tournaments and the Dota Pro Circuit.
The veteran team, who resisted making a roster change despite missing out on The International 10, looked like a team revived the moment they stepped onto a LAN stage, excelling in Dubai.
While many have joked about the team’s recent bad form, the good news for fans of the team, however, is that Nigma Galaxy looked to be gearing up towards their lofty best. With a stacked Western Europe region in the DPC ahead, Nigma will need to maintain that form with their scintillating teamfight Dota—and MinD_ContRoL with his immense initiations.
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