There were no surprises in the grand finals as Hanwha Life Esports secured a convincing 3-1 victory, becoming the first-ever First Stand champion.
As widely predicted, Hanwha Life Esports (HLE) delivered an outstanding performance, defeating Karmine Corp (KC) to claim the inaugural First Stand title. With this victory, HLE pocketed a $300,000 prize and secured a direct seed into the second bracket stage of the 2025 Mid-Season Invitational (MSI) for the LCK (Korea).
On the other hand, despite their defeat, Karmine Corp’s journey to the grand finals after a difficult start deserves recognition. However, against the overwhelming strength and coordination of HLE, the North American representatives had little room to fight back.
First Stand 2025 Results – March 16
Hanwha Life Esports 3-1 Karmine Corp
Karmine Corp truly caught Hanwha Life off guard in Game 1. They fearlessly played toe-to-toe with the home team, constantly engaging in skirmishes. Both sides traded fights and advantages back and forth, and after 30 minutes, neither team had gained a significant lead.
In a crucial dragon fight at the 34-minute mark, KC executed a well-coordinated engage and took down Delight from HLE. Seizing the numbers advantage, the North American squad pressed forward, forcing another engagement. With the upper hand, KC swiftly wiped out the remaining four members of HLE and capitalized on the moment to close out the game.
However, that first-game victory was all KC could manage in this series. From then on, HLE unleashed their dominant form. In Games 2 and 3, they completely outclassed KC, closing out both matches in under 30 minutes.
In Game 4, Hanwha Life once again secured an early lead and quickly snowballed. KC’s valiant defensive efforts managed to prolong the game longer than expected. However, at the 35-minute mark, their jungle player Yike was caught and taken down while attempting to pick off Viper. HLE immediately capitalized on the advantage, storming into KC’s base and forcing an all-out fight.
With a man down and a significant item disadvantage, KC’s remaining members were unable to hold their ground, helplessly watching as their Nexus fell. In the end, HLE emerged victorious with a decisive 3-1 scoreline.
HLE’s mid-laner, Zeka, had a phenomenal performance. Aside from a solid but unspectacular showing in Game 1, he completely dominated Vladi in the following three games, playing a pivotal role in HLE’s triumph. His Sylas pick in Game 3 was particularly memorable, boasting an incredible 9/1/9 KDA.
