Despite a strong lineup, on paper, Aurora Gaming failed to post any significant results in 2025. Kicking off the 2026 Dota 2 season, Aurora impressed at FISSURE Universe Episode 8, winning their first top-tier trophy.

On January 8, 2026, Aurora welcomed rising star Chung “Ws” Wei Shen and gave Oleh “kaori” Medvedok another chance at redemption. The roster rebuild has worked wonders, as the team found instant success at the recent online event, FISSURE Universe Episode 8.

Aurora Stuns Spirit Twice To Win FISSURE Universe Episode 8

Going into FISSURE Universe Episode 8, the latest Dota 2 odds indicated that Team Spirit were the clear favorites to lift the trophy. Aurora didn’t seem to care, making their presence felt right from the start in the double-elimination bracket.

Aurora first took out BetBoom Team 2–1 with a reverse-sweep comeback, and proceeded to sweep Team Yandex under the rug with a clean 2–0. For a spot in the grand final, Aurora stunned Team Spirit with a highly convincing 2–0 win.

Team Spirit recovered in the lower bracket, eliminating Team Yandex in a 2–0 to set up a rematch against Aurora in the best-of-five grand final.

Aurora got on the board first, going up 1–0 after a solid 30-minute game to open the series. However, Team Spirit bounced back with vigor, winning the next two games to put themselves on match point.

With their backs against the wall, Aurora stunned Team Spirit for a second time in the tournament, winning the final two games in dominating fashion to complete the comeback. With the 3–2 victory secured, Aurora earned the organization’s first-ever significant Dota 2 trophy.

The dominant 30–4 win in map five of the grand final shows that Aurora has the big-match temperament under immense pressure, even while facing some of the best Dota 2 players in the world.

Aurora Gaming roster:

• Egor “Nightfall” Grigorenko
• Rafli “Mikoto” Fathur Rahman
• Chung “Ws” Wei Shen
• Myroslav “Mira” Kolpakov
• Oleh “kaori” Medvedok

With newcomer Chung “Ws” Wei Shen’s fantastic plays in the offlane during FISSURE Universe Episode 8, there’s a strong indication that this is just the start of Aurora Gaming’s success in the upper echelons of Dota 2 esports.

Final FISSURE Universe Episode 8 Results & Standings

Aurora claims the lion’s share of the $250,000 prize pool. Six of the eight teams competing earned a piece of the pie. You’ll find the final results and standings of FISSURE Universe Episode 8 outlined below.

Placement	Team	Prize (USD)
1st	Aurora Gaming	$125,000
2nd	Team Spirit	$60,000
3rd	Team Yandex	$30,000
4th	Team Liquid	$15,000
5th–6th	MOUZ	$10,000
5th–6th	BetBoom Team	$10,000
7th–8th	StrongBoys	—
7th–8th	Power Rangers	—

Next up, Dota 2 esports fans can sink their teeth into BLAST Slam VI, scheduled to run from February 3 to 15, 2026. We’ve got BLAST Slam VI predictions to share, which include detailed power rankings for all 12 teams competing.