EWC 25's Hottest Rising Stars
Aug 26, 2025.
Some are champions. Some are contenders, eagerly awaiting their next shot. Here are five underdogs from the 2025 Esports World Cup.
Hundreds of competitors, both solo players and squads, traveled from around the world to chase glory in Riyadh. Some succeeded, lifting trophies and walking away hundreds of thousands of dollars richer. Others fell short, but they’ll return hungrier than ever.
Here are five rising stars from EWC 25. These are players and teams you will be hearing from again.
FiveFears' David takes down two goliaths
The Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 at 2025 Esports World Cup bracket was filled with giants. The majority of teams played in the official franchised league, but that didn't prevent a team that played outside that system from making some serious noise. Charlie "Hicksy" Hicks and squad, several of whom had experience on Call of Duty's biggest stages, took out both Cloud9 and G2 in their group stage.
An 11th place MVP
Battle royale esports are a marathon, not a sprint. Sometimes excellent performance is required across dozens of matches, each filled with random elements beyond anyone's control. The key is to rise up and overcome anything that comes your way. Despite not finishing on the podium, ROC Esport's Gabriel "sxntastico" Silva put on a stellar performance that earned him PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS at EWC 25 MVP honors.
A silver medal after barely two months in the oven
Gaimin Gladiators were a team like no other at the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Women’s Invitational at 2025 Esports World Cup. Comprised of American, Malaysian, and Filipino talent, the squad officially formed in May 2025, giving them just weeks to prepare for the biggest tournament of their careers. While the players shared a history together, it took extra effort and determination to unite as the Gladiators and make it to Riyadh.
Their natural talent and team chemistry carried them through the competition, all the way to a hard-fought grand final against Team Vitality. They may not have taken home gold, but they left Riyadh with something just as valuable: international respect.
The first Burmese EWC champions
Yangon Galacticos has seen plenty of success in Myanmar and throughout Southeast Asia, but they've rarely had the chance to compete on a global stage. The few times they have been under international lights, they have fallen short. That all changed this summer in Riyadh as Khant "Romeo" Hein and company took PUBG MOBILE World Cup gold at the 2025 Esports World Cup. This team didn't just win; they came back from the edge of elimination after ending the survival stage as the last team to qualify for the final. Something awoke within these battle royale competitors at the most pivotal point in the tournament.
A podium finish for a rising Mexican star
Luis Guadalupe "DarkAngel" Castillo Gomez has only been competing at a high level in The King of Fighters XV since 2023, but the playing field is even for everyone fighting for gold during FATAL FURY: City of the Wolves at 2025 Esports World Cup.
SNK's new fighter has only been available since April of this year, and DarkAngel took his short time with the game and turned it into close matches against titans of major games like Street Fighter 6. He gave Zeng "Xiao Hai" Zhuojun a run for his money in the tournament semifinal before finishing third after beating Hiroaki "mok" Hashizume in the third-place match.
A Chilean prodigy in the making
Derek Blaz is one of the youngest players to compete in Street Fighter 6 at EWC 25. At just 15 years old, he is a Chilean prospect whose first notable career result came at Capcom Cup 11 earlier this year, where he lost 3-1 to Kakeru Watanabe in the grand finals. He made waves by reaching another grand final at EWC 25.
Blaz did not drop a single game in the first phase in Riyadh, earning 3-0 wins over FATAL FURY: COTW at EWC 25 champion Goichi “GO1” Kishida and fellow Chilean prospect Jaime “Craime” Bustos. He continued his run with a clean 5-0 sweep against Hiromiki “Itabashi Zangief” Kumada and reached the finals by defeating YHC-Mochi and Shin “Leshar” Moon-sup. While he fell 5-4 in an intensely close match against back-to-back EWC champion Zeng “Xiaohai” Zhuojun, the 15-year-old prospect proved he is a legend in the making.
The 2025 Esports World Cup delivered a summer of adrenaline and high-stakes competition to Riyadh, and now you can relive every unforgettable moment. Watch your favorite players and teams clash anytime on the official YouTube and Twitch channels.
