M80 Staff Ejected from Six Invitational 2025 Following Altercation

Rainbow Six Siege

22h

Andre Guaraldo

M80's head coach Matheus "Budega" Figueiredo and team manager Igor "Vivas" Vivas have been ejected from the tournament with immediate effect. This decision came after an altercation with DarkZero Esports following their match on February 8, 2025.

The Incident

The controversy unfolded after a closely contested match between M80 and DarkZero Esports, which ended in a 2-1 victory for DarkZero. The spark that ignited the situation was Ubisoft's decision to award Round 4 on Bank to DarkZero Esports. This ruling came after determining that Budega had violated rules despite receiving multiple warnings from tournament administrators.

Following the match, Budega approached the DarkZero team, leading to a heated exchange. The exact details of the altercation remain unclear, but it was severe enough to warrant immediate action from tournament organizers.

Official Responses

Budega's Statement

Budega addressed the situation in a series of posts on social media, providing more context to the incident. He explained that the altercation began when he approached DarkZero's coach to discuss the controversial round. He claimed that DarkZero's coach responded aggressively, leading to a verbal confrontation.

The M80's coach expressed frustration with what he perceived as inconsistent rule enforcement, noting that other teams had engaged in similar behavior without consequences. The coach also revealed that he had been dealing with personal issues, including the recent loss of his grandmother and concerns about his father's health.

Despite the ejection, Budega expressed gratitude towards his team and fans for their support. He apologized for his actions and the negative impact on the event but maintained that he felt unfairly treated by the tournament organizers.

M80 Organization's Reaction

While M80 has yet to release an official statement, the organization's founder and CEO, Marco Mereu, expressed his dismay on social media. Mereu stated he was "disappointed and shocked" by the day's events and offered apologies to "players, fans, Ubisoft and DarkZero Esports for what took place".

Vivas' Rebuttal

Igor "Vivas" Vivas, M80's team manager, also ejected from the event, contested the accusations against him. He claimed that a member of BLAST's staff falsely accused him of physical intimidation. Vivas admitted to shouting in the heat of the moment but denied any physical contact. He expressed hope that his ban might be reversed.

Impact on M80's Tournament Run

Despite the loss of their coach and manager, M80 is scheduled to continue their Six Invitational journey. They face CAG Osaka in the Lower Bracket on February 10, 2025. If victorious, they are expected to play against the loser of the match between Team BDS and Unwanted.

Feature image credits: Ubisoft