The Numbers behind NAVI’s 3–0: How b1t and w0nderful led the charge.

Natus Vincere, Born to Win. And win they did at the StarLadder Budapest Major Stage 2. Four fiery maps have put NAVI through to the top 16. While there’s still a long way to go at this major, the team has gotten a much needed injection of energy that puts them in the prime position to make a deep run.

Sure the opponents aren’t that strong, and the sample size is small. But it’s the players at the top of the leaderboards that inspire the real confidence in NAVI’s performance. Let’s breakdown how b1t and w0nderful led the charge for NAVI’s 3-0.

w0nderful’s Statistical Supremacy

When you scan through the Stage 2 leaderboards, one name appears with almost monotonous regularity. Ihor “w0nderful” Zhdanov. The Ukrainian sniper didn’t just perform well—he dominated across virtually every metric.

w0nderful posted a 1.77 Rating 3.0, the highest mark in the entire stage, while simultaneously leading in KD-diff at a staggering +39. His 104.3 damage per round topped all players, with a damage differential of +42.7 per round—a clear indicator of smart positioning and favorable engagements. At 1.01 kills per round, he led that category as well.

But w0nderful’s impact extended beyond raw fragging. His 66.7 percent success rate in multi-kill rounds led the entire field, while his 86.7 percent success rate in opening duels showed he was winning the crucial first contacts that set the tempo. Perhaps most telling was his Round Swing rating of +6.87 percent, the highest recorded in that stage. This statistic captures how often a player turns losing situations into wins—w0nderful wasn’t padding stats in easy rounds, he was the difference-maker when it mattered most.

These aren’t just good numbers—they’re elite across the board. And in a year where NAVI has struggled to have consistent firepower, w0nderful’s dominance came at exactly the right time.

b1t’s Clutch Factor

While w0nderful grabbed headlines, Valeriy “b1t” Vakhovskiy put together the kind of complete, well-rounded performance that championship teams are built on. His 1.56 Rating 3.0 placed him second overall in the stage—right behind his teammate—with a +35 KD-diff that tied him for second in the entire tournament.

If you’ve been around since his breakout in 2021, this is the sort of b1t you want to see. Despite his young age, the player has been NAVI’s talisman ever since s1mple’s departure. And at Majors, the player has consistently dominated since his debut in the tier one. And Budapest is no different.

Where b1t truly excelled was in the cerebral aspects of the game. His 1.59 Impact Rating topped everyone in Stage 2, edging out even w0nderful’s 1.46. Impact Rating measures the significance of kills—eliminating the last defender on a site, securing crucial trades, winning important clutches. b1t’s frags consistently came at the most critical moments.

His 56.4 percent success rate in multi-kill rounds placed him second overall, proving he could take over rounds when needed. The 83.3 percent KAST percentage showed remarkable consistency in contributing to successful rounds. And with 0.55 headshots per round, b1t led all players in that category—a classic calling card for the Ukrainian star.

His well-rounded statistical profile suggests a player who understands the game at a deep level and executes at the highest tier.

How Two Star Performances Created an Unstoppable Force

A single player with such numbers alone would be enough to power a team through many matches. But put two of them together, and there’s no wonder that NAVI’s charge was unstoppable. With a combined K/D-differential of +74, opponents faced an impossible puzzle with no clean solution.

Their complementary styles formed a devastating one-two punch. w0nderful’s aggressive 86.7 percent opening duel success rate meant NAVI frequently started rounds with numbers advantages. Once that initial pick was secured, b1t’s impact plays ensured those advantages were properly converted.

The numbers tell the story clearly: NAVI’s perfect 3-0 run was constructed on the foundation of two players hitting peak form simultaneously, creating a level of firepower that proved overwhelming for every opponent they faced. As NAVI advances into the top 16 though, they will now face other teams that can go toe to toe with that firepower. But if the Ukrainian duo can maintain their level, Aleksib and blad3’s tactics might allow NAVI to march into the MVM Dome playoffs.