Paper Rex’s PatMen looks back at journey to Valorant Masters throne
MANILA, Philippines — One week ago, the first full-blooded Filipino lifted the Valorant Masters Toronto trophy, fulfilling a dream that many had since the game was released back in 2020.
Though many Filipinos have tried to conquer the world stage, Team Secret's all-Filipino Valorant squad came closest to that goal back in 2021. Fast forward to June 22, 2025 and Patrick "PatMen" Mendoza raised the Philippine flag in Toronto as he represented the country and Southeast Asia on the international Valorant stage.
It had been a long time coming for Mendoza, who has been playing Valorant since 2021, eventually joining one of the country's top Valorant teams, ZOL Esports in 2023 and building a reputation as Philippine Valorant's "Mr. Consistent". He earned Most Valuable Player citations and secured clutches for his team during his time in the Philippine Valorant Challengers League.
But the dream of reaching the pros would always be an arm's reach away as ZOL Esports failed to qualify for VCT Ascension Pacific twice, falling to rival and eventual qualifier NAOS Esports both in 2023 and 2024.
Though finding success in off-season tournaments like the Predator League, Mendoza would start 2025 under NAOS Esports during the revamped Valorant Challengers League. And though they qualified for the playoffs of the first split, they suffered early elimination at the hands of Thailand's Full Sense.
But it was at this time that Mendoza saw a dream fulfilled. From just watching the Valorant players he idolized on streams to flying out and joining them in South Korea for VCT Pacific, Mendoza was signed by top Southeast Asian organization Paper Rex.
His arrival couldn't have come at a better time as Paper Rex was dealing with a losing streak that saw doubts whether the first VCT Pacific champions would be able to qualify for Masters. But Mendoza showed up for his team.
Though losing his debut match in VCT Pacific, Mendoza racked up an average combat score of 211 with a KDA stat of 44/51/27, even taking a map MVP on his first international stage match.
The losing streak then ended for Paper Rex, going on a five-match win streak to not only book a spot in the playoffs of VCT Pacific Stage 1, but make it all the way to Masters Toronto by finishing third overall in the tournament.
The streak earned the team a new moniker — the Paper Rex Express — speeding through track by track until it reached their final destination, the Valorant Masters Toronto championship.
The squad opened Masters Toronto with a huge 2-0 sweep against Europe's Team Heretics but would be on the brink of elimination after falling to fellow Pacific team, Gen.G Esports but eventually found their way back on the winning track by surviving Team Liquid, 2-1, to book their spot in the playoffs.
The Express breezed through the playoffs, staying undefeated and not dropping a single map throughout the Upper Brackets. They beat America's top two teams G2 Esports and Sentinels as well as China's Wolves Esports.
As it was his first international Valorant event, it was only natural for Mendoza to feel the pressure but thanks his team, he slowly appeared a natural on stage, standing and hyping up the competition as Paper Rex continued to dominate.
"Alecks and all of the boys told me it's really important to be confident in the game. I realized I need to help to hype the team, and feel more confident,” said Mendoza after their win against Sentinels.
With his first international grand finals approaching, Mendoza found a different way to deal with the pressure of his maiden grand finals.
"While we're playing, I always keep telling the boys to smile. A smile is a very contiguous thing. Once we're smiling, the positive energy will come,” said Mendoza.
It could only be positive energy for Paper Rex as they finally overcame the runner-up curse and bested FNATIC, 3-1, in the grand finals to lift their first international Valorant trophy.
But the trophy wasn't the only thing on the line for Mendoza as he cried happy tears after Paper Rex's win.
"When I joined Paper Rex, I lived on doubt and hate. Everyone is questioning [my acquisition]. Finally, after a long time, I made it. I'm so happy we made it. Because every night I'm crying, thinking how to be better, how can I improve, how can I help the team more,” said Mendoza after their win.
And prove his place he did as Mendoza ended the tournament as one of the top clutch players, winning 10 of 41 rounds even when the odds were against him.
Jokingly called “Batman” by his teammates due to it rhyming with his IGN, the nickname was a match with how Mendoza, with a signal from his teammates, secured needed kills and recons that helped Paper Rex finally make it to the finish line and finally lift the Masters trophy.
But the Masters Toronto trophy is only the beginning as Paper Rex refuels for a new set of tracks to breeze through with VCT Pacific Stage 2 beginning on July 15.
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