Falcons defeated Vitality 2–1 in the third-place match at the Esports World Cup 2025. After the series, MN spoke with Nikola NiKo Kovač about the similarities between himself and kyousuke, the young rifler’s relationship with m0NESY, and the mentality the Bosnian wants to maintain for the rest of the year.
Do you see a younger version of yourself in kyousuke? Many people compare the m0NESY–kyousuke duo to the relationship you previously had with Ilya—almost like a father-and-son partnership.
Even before he joined, I said that Maksim’s playstyle reminded me a little of myself—or, more precisely, of my younger self.
— NiKo
He likes to clear angles properly. I feel that we have fairly similar playstyles, which is why I made that comparison.
I also see something in Maksim and Ilya that resembles what I used to be for Ilya back then.
m0NESY has become a kind of mentor for kyousuke. They are both from Russia, and Ilya makes things much more comfortable for Maksim within the team.
So there are definitely some similarities.
Make one promise to yourself that you will fulfill by the end of the year.
You caught me off guard—I was not ready for that question.
— NiKo
I want to try to maintain the mentality I had at this event. I think it is extremely important both for myself and for the team.
