Most teams heading into a major international playoff would spend hours agonizing over opponent selection, studying tendencies, and calculating the path of least resistance to a trophy. Paper Rex picked LEVIATÁN because they thought it would be fun.

The result suggests they were right. PRX dismantled LEV 2-0 in the upper quarterfinals of Valorant Masters London 2026, winning 13-1 on Ascent and 13-10 on Lotus to open their playoff run in emphatic fashion.

A 13-1 opener sets the tone

The June 12 match was the first playoff series of the tournament. Ascent, PRX’s map pick, was effectively over before it started. A 13-1 scoreline doesn’t leave much room for narrative tension.

The veto sequence played out cleanly. PRX banned Pearl while LEV removed Breeze, leaving both squads to compete on maps they presumably felt comfortable on.

PRX entered Masters London as the number one seed from VCT Pacific. With no Korean representatives in the bracket, the Pacific region’s hopes rested squarely on PRX’s shoulders.

The philosophy behind the pick

The decision carries an interesting historical dimension. LEV actually beat PRX 2-0 at Champions 2022, making this something of a revenge matchup. Whether that factored into the selection is anyone’s guess. But the 13-1 Ascent scoreline suggests PRX remembered that loss just fine.

The research notes that while PRX’s opponent selection reflected a desire to cultivate enjoyment and maintain a relaxed state of mind, there were no direct statements from the team confirming this rationale in recent reporting.

What this means for the rest of Masters London

For LEVIATÁN, the loss stings but isn’t fatal. Upper bracket placement means they drop to the lower bracket with another chance to fight their way back.