GoCore Logo

Move over, legends, Curtis "Aui_2000" Ling just carved his name into Dota 2 history as the first-ever, three-time International champion. But here’s the kicker: only one of those came with a mouse in his hand. The other two? Clipboard, headset, and the occasional “buy a ward.” Yep, the Canadian mastermind has done what no Dota 2 pro player before him could win TI three times, spanning both the battlefield and the draft screen.

Yep, the Canadian mastermind has done what no Dota 2 pro player before him could win TI three times, spanning both the battlefield and the draft screen.

One Player Win, Two “Coach Buff” Wins

2015: Aui_2000 lifted the Aegis as a player with Evil Geniuses, silencing the “cursed” memes with a Techies pick that is still either revered or despised to this day.
2022: He returned as a coach for Tundra Esports, steering them to a dominant TI victory.
2025: He topped it off by leading Team Falcons to their first Aegis, cementing himself as the only man with three TIs across three different orgs.

That’s one Dota pro match for the ages, two seasons of tactical wizardry, and three Aegises in total. Not bad for a guy once kicked from Evil Geniuses a week after winning the biggest tournament of his life.

Not the Spirit, Not the Falcons (Wait, Actually Yes)

Heading into TI14, analysts were betting big on Team Spirit, Tundra Esports, or even Aurora to make history. But instead, it was Aui_2000 and the Falcons who swooped in, stealing the spotlight in the biggest Dota 2 pro matches of the year.

While some might argue “two as a coach don’t count,” let’s be real if you’ve got your hands on the draft, the pressure of an entire fanbase breathing down your neck, and a squad of tilted twenty-year-olds staring at you for answers, you’ve earned it.

A Career of Peaks, Kicks, and Comebacks

From janitor and supermarket stocker to three-time TI champ, Aui_2000’s story reads like the weirdest Cinderella arc in esports:

Once memed as “cursed,” he now has more Aegises than anyone.
Kicked from EG days after winning TI5, he rebounded with multiple orgs.
He’s the first person ever to win TI as both a Dota 2 pro player and coach.

What’s Next?

With Falcons’ win, Aui_2000 sits alone at the top of the mountain. The question is: who can catch him? Yatoro, Collapse, and the rest of the TI-winning generation will need perfect runs at upcoming Dota 2 tournaments just to tie him.

Until then, the scoreboard reads: