MAJ3R: "I will give everything in my body, my mind, every part of energy in my spirit"

Aurora's in-game leader is ready to give it all to win the first tier-one event of his career.

Aurora endured a slow start to the season in the absence of Ismailcan "⁠XANTARES⁠" Dörtkardeş, who missed a month due to family reasons, exiting IEM Cologne early doors and falling at the first hurdle at BLAST Bounty S2 LAN finals.

The Turkish side have come roaring back with a vengeance at Esports World Cup, taking the down the likes of FaZe and Falcons on their way to a grand finals appearance. The return of XANTARES prior to BLAST Bounty, coupled with some time to retool their playbook in the star rifler's presence, has been key.

Read more

XANTARES powers Aurora to EWC final over Falcons

"We practiced all the maps with xfl0ud and changed a lot of things," Engin "⁠MAJ3R⁠" Küpeli told HLTV when looking back on the start of Aurora's season. "Then when XANTARES came back we re-changed everything, so it was a lot of work you know."

That work has now borne fruit, with only one game standing between Aurora and a trophy. "Playing against them is always a spicy match," MAJ3R said of his upcoming bout with The MongolZ. "I think it's one of the teams this year who progressed the most."

With said grand final matchup on the horizon, MAJ3R sat down with HLTV to discuss his team's win over Falcons, their resurgence at Esports World Cup, and what winning a tier-one event would mean to him personally.

Listen to the interview here.

---

How are you feeling after that series?

I feel a little tired after because it's late, but it was a really good match to play, I really enjoyed it. I'm very happy that in the end we won it. Congratulations to Falcons for the match, because I think for the fan it was a beautiful match to watch.

I noticed during the game you had a lot of energy, a lot of gestures towards the crowd. Did it give a little bit of extra fire knowing there were so many Falcons fans rooting against you?

Yes and no. I think when you have a lot of support behind you like this, it can be an advantage and also a disadvantage for them, because it also puts pressure on you. I knew that we have the potential and the weapons to beat them, I also knew that they are a really good team with good individuals. I told my guys that today if we win, it's not individually, we must win as a team, and I think we did great as a team today. I'm proud of that.

It does feel like you have had some individual resurgence amongst your team, woxic with some great clutch moments and XANTARES was obviously huge today. Why do you think you have hit your peak again?

I think we started really well this year and after that we had a break, so maybe the break slowed us down. We also didn't add XANTARES for one month and we played with xfl0ud, and we practiced all the maps with xfl0ud and changed a lot of things. Then when XANTARES came back we rechanged everything, so it was a lot of work you know.

It depends on our form. Today I'm really glad that we played good Counter-Strike, and you know that Counter-Strike can be like, when you are on a bad day and you lose, everyone criticizes you, and when you win everyone salutes you. I understand that and I just try to to my job, I just try to be good as a leader and a player in my team. I'm very glad that today we won and that we have a chance to win a trophy, and I will give everything I have in my heart and my body to do that. Hopefully I can achieve that.

You've got The MongolZ tomorrow, a team who have overall had your number. They've beaten you more times than you have beaten them, and a year ago they played you in the Skyesports Championship final and beat you. How are you feeling about that matchup?

Playing against them is always a spicy match. I think it's one of the teams this year who progressed the most, they play really good Counter-Strike and are really good individually. This is their biggest weapon, it's not only two or three stars, but all five players are shooting really well, I think this is their strength. So we will see, it's going to be a good match for us and we will give everything for a win.

What would it mean to you to win this tournament?

Yes… a lot. Let's see if I can, but for sure I will give everything I have in my body, in my mind, every part of energy in my spirit, I will give everything. If I'm champion I'm in it, it's for me, and if I don't, it means I miss something. That's life, you know? I accept it now, but for no regrets I will give everything I have.