It's not everyday you get to play a game of DotA 2 with some of the best players in the pro-gaming scene, let alone compete against them in a torunament. For UAE players however, last weekend was not an opportunity to be missed as players from Natus Vincere, a leading multi-game esports team, took part in a two-day DotA 2 tournament at the TTEsports Billards and Cafe.

The event featured Oleksandr "XBOCT" Dashkevych and Gleb "Funn1k" Lipatnikov from Natus Vincere playing for team TTEsports-Nvidia and drew fans and players from across the United Arab Emirates. Over 150 people attended the event including sixteen teams who participated in the tournament vying for the 4000 AED first place prize and a chance to play against international champions XBOCT and Funn1k.

Fans also had the opportunity to meet with Funn1k and XBOCT to discuss the game, take pictures, and have their gaming gear signed by the pros.

TTEsports-Nvidia was able to push through the first day of the tournament, defeating local teams and favorites Wutang, Royal Flush, and Millennium Cafe.

Team TTEsports-NVIDIA

Day two of the tournament started with a more serious tone, with only seven of the original sixteen teams left. Wutang was able to move past their loss and power through the loser bracket, passing teams Millennium Cafe, 4 Fun La, Royal Flush among others to make it to the finals.

In an surprise upset team Wutang was able to beat TTEsports-Nvidia and take the first game against them in the finals. However, in a hard-fought finale, team TTESport-Nvidia defeated team Wutang to take first place in the tournament overcoming a loss against a determined team Wutang coming out of the loser bracket.

Team Wutang.

“The games against XBOCT and Funn1ck were incredibly difficult, we were very happy that we were able to win [against] them once,” said Wutang member Abdulla “KirA” Mohemed, “It was a wonderful experience which at least gives the glimmer of hope for gaming in the Middle East.”

The tournament was hosted by TTEsports Billards and Cafe in partnership with Nvidia Middle East to celebrate the launch of Titanfall in the Middle East and to promote their new 750ti graphics cards.