Team Liquid head coach William "Blitz" Lee reflected on the team's triumph at Essence II, saying that being "out of form" has become the team's secret weapon. Speaking during Gorgc's livestream, Blitz also shared his thoughts on the grand final, the team's preparation for The International 2026, and his excitement about competing in Shanghai.
"We're Always Out of Form"
After Team Liquid swept Team Falcons 3:0 in the Essence II grand final, Gorgc asked Blitz whether the victory was a good sign ahead of TI 2026 or if the team had reached peak form too early.
Blitz responded with his trademark humor:
We're always out of form. That's the secret. If you're always bad at Dota, people's expectations are always low.
Despite the clean 3:0 scoreline, the Team Liquid coach stressed that the series was much more competitive than it appeared.
We could have easily lost that series. People will look at the 3-0 score and think we completely dominated them, but that wasn't the case at all.
Team Liquid Already Preparing for TI 2026
Blitz revealed that Team Liquid will immediately shift its focus toward The International 2026. The roster has two scrim blocks scheduled before departing early for Shanghai to adjust to the local time zone.
According to Blitz, arriving ahead of schedule is an important part of the team's preparation for one of the biggest tournaments of the year.
Looking Forward to the Shanghai Crowd
When asked what he is most excited about at TI 2026, Blitz pointed to the fans. He said matches against Chinese teams such as Vici Gaming or Xtreme Gaming would create an incredible atmosphere.
The Team Liquid coach also expressed hope that a Chinese team would enjoy a strong tournament run, believing it would help revitalize the region's competitive Dota 2 scene.
Essence II took place from July 30 to August 5, featuring ten teams competing for a $200,000 prize pool. Team Liquid claimed the championship after defeating Team Falcons 3:0 in the grand final and now heads into The International 2026 with momentum.
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