POWERHOUSE Filipino Call of Duty: Mobile squad Elevate once again proved why it remains one of the most battle-tested teams in the Garena region after completing another dramatic lower bracket run to capture the Garena Summer Invitational (GSI) 2026 championship at the SMX Aura Convention Center in Taguig.
In front of a packed hometown crowd during the CODM Summer Festival, Elevate withstood fierce rivals Alula Club in a thrilling all-Filipino grand finals showdown, reclaiming regional supremacy and securing the lion’s share of the tournament’s $60,000 prize pool worth $25,000 (around PHP 1.5 million).
The tournament featured some of the best CODM teams from across Southeast Asia, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau, but it was ultimately the Philippines that stood tallest, with all three LAN finalists – Elevate, Alula Club, and Team Star Magic – representing the country.
Alula dominates early, pushes Elevate to the brink
Before the grand finals, Alula Club looked untouchable.
Led by FDx, Skerd, Lucaszin, Clove, and Jhai, Alula dismantled Elevate 4-1 in the upper bracket finals, dominating the respawn game modes – particularly Hardpoint, long considered Elevate’s trademark strength.
The victory extended Alula’s winning streak in the rivalry to three straight series after also defeating Elevate in the Chinese CODM Major (CDM) and during the GSI group stage.
Meanwhile, Elevate was forced into another lower bracket survival run, where they eliminated Team Star Magic to earn one last shot at redemption against Alula in the grand finals.
Elevate shows championship composure in grand finals thriller
However, things would change drastically in the grand finals.
The series between the two best teams in PH turned into a back-and-forth classic, with both teams trading momentum throughout the seven-game series. After splitting the first four maps at 2-2, Elevate grabbed a crucial win in Game 5 Search and Destroy before Alula answered back in Game 6 Control to force a winner-take-all Game 7.
With the championship on the line, Elevate leaned on its experience and composure, defeating Alula 9-5 in Search and Destroy Tunisia to complete the reverse run through the bracket and secure the title.
Coach Mark “Olea” Olea credited the team’s preparation and adjustments for helping them finally overcome their rivals.
“I observed the maps that were Alula’s comfort picks, so when the Finals came I already knew what maps to ban and pick,” Olea explained.
He also pointed to lessons learned from their previous defeats. “I said to the boys, the thing we lacked in the CDM loss against Alula was how to close out a game, and today we were able to do it properly.”
For Elevate, surviving lower bracket pressure has almost become second nature. This has been a staple of their runs over the course of the past few tournaments, something that they have been doing a good job with. “Sanay na kami sa mga lower bracket run palagi, alam na namin gagawin pag andun kami sa sitwasyon na yon,” Olea added.
Peejay, one of Elevate’s emotional leaders throughout the tournament, described the comeback run as “the greatest lock-in of all time.”
“Sanay na kaming hinahabol ngayon. Dati kami yung hinahabol, ngayon kami naman yung naghahabol kasi naka-adapt na yung teams sa playstyle namin,” he said. “Iba din talaga yung mental namin pag nasa grand finals na kami.”
Team captain Yop1 emphasized the years of chemistry and trust the roster has built together, especially in difficult moments, allowing the team to thrive under pressure.
“Kilalang-kilala na namin ang isa’t isa. Alam na namin yung strengths and weaknesses namin kaya pag may nade-down, nagtutulungan kami para maka-recover.”
Competing in front of a massive Filipino crowd also made the moment even more meaningful for the veteran leader. “I used to pray for times like this kasi pangarap ko talagang makapaglaro sa harap ng malaking crowd lalo na sa Filipino fans.”
Susanoo, meanwhile, reflected on how every championship still feels special despite all the titles they have already won. “Every trophy feels different. Ever since Garena Masters 5, ganun pa rin yung feeling every time we win.”
Alula vows to bounce back stronger
Despite the heartbreaking collapse in the finals, Alula Club remained optimistic after another strong international showing. Brazilian star Lucaszin admitted the team struggled mentally late in the series, especially under the pressure of the LAN environment.
“We need to handle the pressure better. We were not playing the game the way we normally do,” he said after the loss.
Still, he expressed pride in the team’s growth after only their second offline tournament together.
“I’m really proud of everyone. We put a lot of effort into this and we know what to fix moving forward.”
Team captain FDx echoed the same sentiment, believing the painful defeat would ultimately help the team improve.
“The only thing we need to fix is our mental state. I’m still proud of the boys. I believe this loss will just make us stronger and more experienced.”
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