The smoke criminal in the flesh. I'm back man. How does it feel to be back man? G2 versus Falcons. This is a weird one though right? Who on Earth saw Stewie of all people standing in for G2? No hate to Stewie it's great to see him back in jerseys, but don't tell me NA Counterstrike is so poor that they didn't have anybody else in the pipeline who were maybe active to fit an aggressive entry fragging role. Yeah speaking of memories in North America we've got Stewie returning for the first time since 2022 to an S-tier event. It's going to be interesting to see how he's going to fair at this level Jason. It's GStew baby! And keep his team in this fight but it's down and done. M0nesy will close, G2 have the opener on their first day in Dallas, Stewie2K returns to competitive play. And it is Vitality taking on G2. I'm gassed for this one. I'm absolutely hyped, Vitality taking on G2. Best of three, winner to the playoffs, and you have a North American Legend in the opening day of play for IEM Dallas. Nexa, charges in, does well to isolate the first but there's a flash, there's a frag, and there is a playoff spot for Vitality. For G2 they drop towards that lower bracket they will have to battle against some big names MOUZ is already down there. Yes, an elimination game. They've set the scene rather bleak for a competitive one here anticipating that the world ranked number one team might beat G2 with a stand-in. Who would have thought it? Who would have thunk it? But Alex, a wise man once tweeted; "Last chance to qualify for the stage. You give us the chance we're going to take this b***h a mile." Take it a mile! M0nesy nothing. Stewie what can you do? It's a double from Stewie. The 2k, make it the 3k baby! It was 9z that put them down here, and it's G2 to throw the knockout blow. MOUZ, eliminated in the groups of IEM Dallas. And it's G2 with a stand-in; a North American major Champion Dusts off the mouse and keyboard and sends MOUZ home. A saving Stewie2K 3k with his MP9 and now they clash with Team Liquid. The reality is that neither of you nor I can tell you who's going to win this matchup. Stewie he's trying his luck. A pace change from Stew. The flashes were good he clears out Tetris, tries the transfer and delivers. Taking down cadiaN he knows it's not the yard player. Stewie dipping down the vents! What is this? That's the bomb. A vent drop! Sinking feeling in the stomachs of the four remaining players as they've got their work cut out for them. NiKo another one to YEKINDAR, still towards the yard. Skullz left alone. Celebrations already beginning hands are off, NiKo knows exactly what this means, and the final kill for nexa. 13 to 11, G2 have eliminated Team Liquid, and locked themselves in for the playoffs at IEM Dallas for 2024. "You give us a chance and we're going to take this b***h a mile." [Soft Piano Notes] But look at the time! Look at the time there's 7 seconds to plant the bomb! They're trying to build a pyramid but there's no more clay! Stewies won the round, we're going to overtime! Cloud9 have done it! How have they done that? They came back all the way! [6 YEARS LATER] G2 versus FaZe. Yeah, I think that's the big question right? As you see it here; "The Boston Grand Final" rematch, with a little bit of a twist. Tres you know what they say if you can't beat them, join them. NiKo got Stewie over to come to his side. G2? Holy smokes how have they done that they found the way to the playoffs? Playoffs?? Against all odds Tres, without their Captain, but in his stead. The final, the only, North American standing in Dallas, Texas; Stewie2k, now together in equal, unlike last time, will that be enough for G2 to take down FaZe here. This is going to be a big test. This is the "Final Boss" in FaZe as we all know it. I mean it is kind of that feeling. Can Stewie create a little bit more magic? He gave us the miracle in Massachusetts, he gave us an Intel Grand Slam, can he actually give us something more coming in as a stand-in? It is going to be such a difficult game versus FaZe. This is a team that have gone to every single Grand Final of the Intel Extreme Masters since the release of CS2. Okay behind the blue bin, flash going forward. Oh the smoke criminal! Comes charging right through! The flank of huNter is through, and G2 cut through FaZe on Dust2. Stewie dodging the flash as he looks down. Cleans up, double from Stewie! G2 with a stand-in has hit a flow state that FaZe can't handle! And that's it! G2! In the semifinals of IEM Dallas! It's 9z next up, another team that nobody really expected to be here. I mean nobody expected us to be here either. Get into this semifinal; G2, 9z. It's one hell of an exciting prospect this one I've been looking forward to it all day. Isolated all of that util, sent down. Stewie with an opening kill on the round. Here comes the smoke criminal! HERE COMES... STEWIE THROUGH THE SMOKE! Just good for it. Buda, meditate all you want, G2 are off to the Grand Final! I don't want to be this kind of person who... wants to be recognized every time I go out or something like this. You are a legend, you are Messi, you are Ronaldo, it's like... OH MY GOD ZYWOO!
This is ZywOo. Championship Sunday does not get any sweeter than this. The Dallas crowd are ready to get loud and for good reason because by the end of today we will have crowned the 100th Intel Extreme Masters champion. We have G2 with a "Cinderella Run" the first Grand Final for them this year. Obviously, Stewie, standing in for HooXi. They've taken down some of the world's best in FaZe and MOUZ, and now their ultimate challenge is to seek revenge against the only team that has beaten them in Dallas. ZywOo breaks open the smoke! Nexa brought down, they're going for this. They're focused on this play. HuNter, heating up inside of the site. Big boost this time! ZywOo with a second, Stewie is getting back in time but ZywOo is doing absolutely everything to get Vitality back into this. It has to be Stewie. It must be Stewie. And that defuse all the way STOPPED BY STEWIE2K! [CROWD CHEERS] Got numbers, in fact they're favored on numbers, we've got overtime, it is a story that will never end! G2 force us into the bonus rounds here in Dallas. Standing forward one of the most flashy players in all of Counter Strike. And that's Stewie2K. He's got himself that headshot. Mezii inside of the bomb site. M0nesy brings him down! And they cannot believe that they have won map one. G2 are writing an absolute miracle here in Dallas. Vitality versus G2 is about to kick off again and this Grand Final has delivered on all fronts. That first map was a marvel to behold and we're hoping that Anubis can provide some of the same. It's one of the Counterstrike Gods at heaven. In Dallas this year and NiKo looks to deliver. Multiple kills; out of this world, NiKo! Drags us through! The flank, huNter around the back! We have got overtime ladies and gentlemen! And I hope it's given you a sense of déjà vu because they brought it all the way back! They haven't detected him so ZywOo is next up! And Vitality are now locking in Map 3. But unless Stewie can have one of the most ridiculous moments in Counter Strike history, we're heading to Nuke and Vitality find their composure. The experience shines through, and they bring this Grand Final to three maps. You mentioned the feeling that you had something to prove with a stand-in, can you explain that because I feel like a lot of fans would say, "Oh well they have a stand-in so the pressure is off." But it almost sounds like the pressure was more on for you. Well I don't- I wouldn't call it pressure, but I think we just wanted to make it to playoffs real bad. I think that's mostly because of Jake (Stewie2K), I think because he's the American player I think the crowd is going to, you know, love seeing him there and [I'm] really happy that he got a chance to prove himself again. I don't think he has shown everything yet at what he has in his career. [G2 1 - 1 Vitality] One more map left in Dallas it is going to be nuke. And this is a real chance for G2 to pull off an unthinkable story. Dallas has been with us all week Jason, for the players it's been a fantastic show but let's not beat around the bush. This should be a team Vitality finish with the experience that they've got. They've got their full roster here and the world's number one player of last year and he's playing well. But you've always got to believe in some sort of magic that's happening this week. Yeah Vitality is going to be the favorite it's their full lineup here just by default but we've just seen something special evolve with this G2 team with the stand-in situation, with NiKo as the IGL, something is clicking that is defying all of our expectations, that is throwing this up in the air. Vitality is looking dangerous, they have ZywOo in very good form, switched on. They've got mezii performing at a very high level. But G2's got m0nesy, G2's got NiKo. Those guys are matching them blow for blow. Dallas! Are you ready for the final map of the Grand Finals? We started with many North American hopes and we're down to just one. Haven't spotted him that's the shot they needed. But huNter, triple kill in the pistol! One more in rafters; mezzi. Oh my God he's got it back! Mezzi flips it back! Another heroic moment from mezzi! And now m0nesy is up against ZywOo again! M0nesy had the better of him on Inferno but a missed shot from ZywOo! M0nesy goes through the vents and just gets down! He just gets away! M0nesy was he spotted? Oh my God M0nesy! And that is a clutch that gives life to G2! This is a huge setup inside of this site for Vitality they've got a crossfire in the rafters! As they look down it's the Velociraptor of NiKo though, and it's all tied up baby! This Grand Final is delivering on all fronts! Coming in from Heaven he needs some clean shots. He'll drop on down first it's going to be Stewie! NiKo, locking in that headshot, and this retake looked impossible! M0nesy's hyping them up! Stewie and NiKo. Time is starting to tick now for this G2 retake. Timing for ZywOo to look away it's NiKo with that kill and Apex again, into the clutch but NiKo stops him this time. It's not three for three for Apex, in fact, it is map point for G2! HuNter, he's touching the opponent but G2 they're rolling right through! And a wonderous week ends with G2 as Champions! Stewie is back home, and G2, for the first time this year, can call themselves Champions! THIS IS GSTEW! Stewie. Can I get you to stand up for a moment my dude. Oh my God. You said right, you were living through it, you were going through this all, well you've done more than that mate, you've actually lifted the trophy. And what was it? The last trophy you won was Chicago; the last IEM trophy in 2019. What does this one feel like? It's probably the best feeling ever, it's probably by far the best storyline I've had in my career. And I feel like I've been through h**l for this s**t so I'm very grateful, I'm very thankful honestly. When you say you've been through h**l what do you mean exactly? I mean everyone can- Everyone goes through things, it has nothing to do with Counter-Strike, it has nothing to do with anyone. I think it's about... It's all in the head. I'm glad that I got to grow out of it, go in front of it, I didn't feel I was ready to come here, but the fact that it ended up this way, it was meant to be. It was meant to be, you definitely do belong here as well and I just want to touch on this right, I've known you from when you were years ago we were doing interviews right, to where you are now, I feel like you've grown as a person I see you hyping up the team and hyping up the rest of them when things were getting wrong. Do you think this is going to be the new and improved Stewie? Do you think now this success can take you on to where you want to go next? Do you want to be back? I wouldn't critique myself, honestly I'll let people critique me from the outside, I never really cared what the outside said, honestly as long as the guys know what I did for them that's all I really care about. I even said that coming around doesn't feel the same, not the same as before. And not in a bad way, but it, it's almost like I don't even recognize myself if I were to see myself walk around here. But I think it's more focusing on myself and kind of getting the job done and making sure I'm 100% every game for the guys. Well it's a beautiful story man congratulations. Well done.
