Esport MexertioN claims IGL MVP honour as MOUZ sweep IEM Beijing without dropping a map
Dorian "xertioN" Berman was named Most Valuable Player as MOUZ lifted their first IEM trophy in Beijing, joining gla1ve as only the second rifling in-game leader to take the award at the event.
MOUZ went through IEM Beijing without dropping a single map, closing out the tournament with their first IEM title and second trophy of the Fall season, HLTV reported.
The run marked only the 17th time a team has swept an entire Big Event without losing a map, and it handed Dorian "xertioN" Berman the Most Valuable Player medal ahead of teammate Ádám "torzsi" Torzsás.
It is the first IGL MVP award since Jame won it at Rio, and the first time a rifling in-game leader has taken the honour since gla1ve did so at IEM Beijing in 2019.
Berman told HLTV the comparison carried real weight, saying the Beijing crowd helped him understand why gla1ve was held in such regard and calling him a role model as the first fragging in-game leader to combine individual output with that success. He added that lifting the trophy mattered more to him than the individual medal.
He was candid about how he views his own role on the roster, saying he does not want to be an in-game leader who simply calls rounds and plays for frags, but one who contributes to the team in other ways too. He described the MVP award as "the cherry on top" of the team's overall performance.
His individual form was not consistent throughout the event. Berman said his aim had not been sharp during the group stage, but that something clicked for him once the playoffs began, giving him a clearer read of the game's macro and strong individual showings in the knockout rounds.
The grand final itself was the fastest best-of-five in terms of rounds played, with MOUZ closing out Dust2 comfortably enough to end the map with a P90 rush. Berman said the team had identified their opponents' tendencies in advance, noting that the opposition wanted to force the pace while MOUZ chose to keep the game slow and control it on their own terms.
Berman had previously told HLTV he wanted MOUZ to win one of two remaining tournaments, Beijing or Hong Kong, before the Major. Having gone out in the semi-finals in Bucharest, the Beijing title now gives the roster one of those two results already banked, with Hong Kong left as the next target.
MOUZ now turn their attention to Hong Kong before the Major. Berman said the team sits well clear of the world's number one side in the VRS rankings heading into next season, and described MOUZ as heading into the Major very confidently.