FaZe complete the Stage 1 to Playoffs turnaround taking down Passion UA

FaZe Clan have punched in their ticket to the playoffs of the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025. After a game that went down to the wire on both maps, FaZe emerged victorious. Passion UA played valiantly, but in the end the FaZe firepower was simply too strong to fend off.

Team rosters – FaZe vs Passion UA

FaZe Clan have drastically turned things around from where they started the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025. The team looked in dire straits, with just Frozen and Twistzz putting up meaningful performances. But across Stage 2 and Stage 3, the story has completely changed. jcobbb is topping the charts, with broky alongside him, making FaZe incredibly deadly. Meanwhile for the Passion UA side, kvem has stepped into the star role perfectly, but the rest of the squad leaves much to be desired.

Map Veto

1. Passion UA removed Ancient
2. FaZe removed Train
3. Passion UA picked Overpass
4. FaZe picked Mirage
5. FaZe removed Inferno
6. Passion UA removed Nuke
7. Dust2 was left over

Match Recap – FaZe vs. Passion UA – StarLadder Budapest Major 2025

Overpass – FaZe edge out a win despite two lost ninja defuses – 13-11

The match kicked off on Overpass with hallzerk and kvem combining for a 3v5 pistol win on B, as FaZe offered no resistance in round two. Kvem’s triple entry on A forced a save and an early timeout from the international side. Armed with only deagles and a saved M4A1-S, FaZe exploded in round four with a string of headshots that let broky clutch a 1v1 — a spark that ignited their defense. Passion UA’s next slow approach toward B met the same fate, with rain leading the charge through sheer precision.

T.c. rallied his troops for a mixed buy anchored around hallzerk’s AWP, but it was broky’s big green that struck instead — a collateral tying the scoreline. JT’s presence was felt both tactically and on the scoreboard, yet FaZe edged the half despite Passion UA’s tec9 and AWP heroics keeping them close.

The second-half pistol belonged to JT, who grabbed three kills to swing momentum back. He and kvem traded impact in equal measure as Passion UA marched to a 10-7 lead off the back of timely ninja defuses.

NEO called a timeout to reset his squad, and after a brief technical pause, FaZe regained full control. jcobbb led the charge, cracking open B in consecutive rounds to tie things up.

Related—FaZe in Major trouble: Elimination looms after 1-2 start

Round 22 saw both teams throw everything into the mix to claim match point, but the story of Overpass repeated — JT left stranded in a no-win situation as FaZe took round 12. One final A site hit sealed the deal, completing FaZe’s comeback to close the map.

Mirage – FaZe magic pulls through – 13-11

jcobbb and frozen opened Mirage with a crisp pistol win and a flawless B site take. Once rifles came out, kvem struck back hard, mowing down three Ts to secure the site for Passion UA. jcobbb answered immediately, carving through the A defense with three headshots to restore FaZe’s momentum. Twistzz followed suit with a burst of frags that pushed the T side to six rounds.

A mixed buy finally gave Passion UA a foothold, and they capitalized to reel back some ground. Still, FaZe edged the half 7-5. hallzerk kicked off the second pistol but couldn’t fend off three FaZe players on B. Rifles were rushed out next, with FaZe sacrificing utility for firepower — a costly choice, as Passion UA’s swift connector hit flipped those weapons into their hands.

Related—Liquid eliminated from Budapest Major after 0-3 disaster

The North Americans quickly leveled the score and built a strong economy. frozen reignited FaZe’s hopes with a massive triple kill from sandwich, halting the T advance. Even so, Passion UA surged ahead to double digits while Karrigan’s men struggled to string rounds together.

The back-and-forth finally broke FaZe’s way as they shattered the UA economy late, chaining two rounds to reach match point. One clean anti-eco B hold later, FaZe sealed Mirage — and with it, their playoffs berth.

FaZe completed the comeback few would have predicted back in Stage 1. From looking like they would leave the Major in disappointment, the squad has now invoked some of the classic FaZe magic that fans love to witness. And you can be assured the MVM Dome will be electric when FaZe enter the playoffs at the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025. As for Passion UA, the team can be proud of making the run to the 2-2 games in the first place. But tough questions must be asked of Grim who has been billed as the star of the squad, but often vanishes in key moments.