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Gaimin Gladiators are the talk of the town after winning the Lima Major 2023 in spectacular fashion. For many, it’s just another Western European team that got lucky in their pursuit of winning the Lima Major.

Considering their performance in the second Tour of WEU Dota Pro Circuit 2023 (DPC 2023), they might be the real deal.

Image source: Lima Major 2023

In essence, the first major of DPC 2023 was more meaningful compared to its predecessors. When the pandemic led to many top teams withdrawing from majors, the first major didn’t seem as competitive.

Yet, the Lima Major was packed with strong rivals and every region’s best performer. That includes the likes of Team Spirit from Eastern Europe, Team Aster of China, and even Talon Esports from Southeast Asia. who looked phenomenal.

Frankly, it remains a mystery that Gaimin pulled off a Major victory after their underwhelming performance at the International 11 (TI11). They placed twelfth, which is underwhelming among WEU teams at TI11, where there were Team Liquid, Team Secret, and Tundra Esports in the top four finishes.

That leaves us to assume that the roster change post-TI11 was what turned Gaimin into a WEU powerhouse. Quinn “Quinn” Callahan, the unorthodox mid-player, who hailed from North America for more than 5 years. Quinn’s decision to venture into the toughest region in competitive Dota 2 is arguably the most ludicrous decision ever. Especially since his home region, NA has been infamously known as the weaker region, such that many non-NA teams are even playing here now.

Quinn “Quinn” Callahan

Fast forward to the recent DPC season, Gaimin remains a top performer, defeating every renowned opponent, except for Ooredoo Thunders.

It’s ultimately Gaimin’s versatile hero pool and drafts that open up the playing field as they remain untouchable. We have seen Quinn play 10 different heroes in 13 matches thus far, living up to his reputation.

In fact, Quinn is arguably one of the most underrated mid-players in the scene, and the NA region has only limited his full potential until recently.

Despite Tundra Esports’ reputation as TI11 Champs, it goes without saying that Gaimin still has the competitive edge in their upcoming match. Tundra has been associated with relying on cheap tricks and meta abuse throughout their TI11 run and the DPC season.

Division 1 reaches its conclusion this week, there’s debate on which team will prevail at Berlin Major 2023.