In the competitive arena of the Riyadh Masters 2025 Dota 2 tournament, Team Liquid secured another victory against their rivals, PARIVISION, during the group stage. While a win is standard procedure, the post-match interview with Team Liquid`s offlaner, Jonas `SabeRLighT-` Volek, provided a moment of particular interest, offering a calculated response to previous jabs from the opposing team.
The context of SabeRLighT-`s comments lies in the recent history between the two squads. Team Liquid has established a notable dominance over PARIVISION in their head-to-head matchups. This latest win extended their impressive streak, bringing the total map score across recent series, including a grand final encounter at FISSURE Universe: Episode 5, to a decisive 7-0 in favor of Liquid.
Adding fuel to the fire, during a previous match in this streak, PARIVISION player Andrey `Dukalis` Kuropatkin had reportedly directed some pointed, arguably “toxic,” remarks towards SabeRLighT-, including sarcastically calling him “Still a bot.” This set the stage for SabeRLighT-`s response.
Seizing the opportunity in the winner`s interview on the official broadcast, SabeRLighT- directly addressed the situation with a blend of confidence and subtle irony. Referencing the one-sided scoreline and the prior insult, he stated:
7:0, by the way, 7:0. I don`t know, maybe I`m still a bot. But yeah, I think we can do even better. Hopefully, they don`t get eliminated too early from this tournament so we can beat them again and make it 9:0.
This remark serves as a classic example of performance-based retaliation in esports – letting the scoreline speak volumes while simultaneously throwing a playful, yet cutting, jab back at the source of the original insult. His expressed hope to face PARIVISION again, specifically to achieve a 9-0 score, underscored both the dominance and the ongoing nature of this particular rivalry narrative.
The Riyadh Masters 2025, part of the Esports World Cup 2025, is currently underway in Saudi Arabia from July 8th to 19th. The tournament features sixteen top-tier Dota 2 teams competing for a substantial $3 million prize pool. Team Liquid`s continued strong performance, exemplified by this win and SabeRLighT-`s confident demeanor, positions them favorably in the group stage, holding four points and sitting atop Group D at the time of the original report.
While trash talk and rivalry are common elements in competitive gaming, SabeRLighT-`s post-match comment highlights how performance on the virtual battlefield remains the most impactful form of communication.
Gilbert Pendleton 
Wesley Dunham