Valorant has cemented its place as one of the biggest games in the Philippines since it first launched in 2020. Yet, despite its massive popularity and the active esports scene it’s fostered, competitive success seemed out of reach for Filipino talents, with Team Secret’s quarterfinal exit in Valorant Champions 2021 being the country’s best outing in the game’s young lifespan so far.
That is, ‘till Patrick ‘PatMen’ Mendoza, in just four months of joining Paper Rex, helped the Singapore-based organization lift their first Valorant international trophy.
At 23 years old, PatMen has been playing professionally since 2021, joining teams such as SR Nacague in 2022, ZOL Esports in 2023 and 2024 as well as NAOS Esports earlier this year. He notably helped ZOL Esports win the Predator League Philippines tournament but has consistently fallen short in Valorant’s official circuits—his best outing was a second-place finish in Challengers Philippines 2024.
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Paper Rex, which is known for its ‘W Gaming’ aggressive style of play, has consistently dazzled in international events, earning second-place finishes in both Masters Copenhagen 2022 and Champions 2023. But with a lackluster 2024 VCT season and a disappointing start to 2025 that saw the top-tier squad miss out on their first international event since 2021, it was clear that ‘W Gaming’ was coming to a screeching halt. A different approach was needed.
“An injection of new blood with young eyes brings fresh perspectives to our game. Adding PatMen to the PRX family allows us to widen our experiments with a greater breadth of playstyles,” said Paper Rex chief gaming officer Harley “dsn” Örwall in their welcome announcement for the Filipino star.
PatMen was quick to work with the reinvigorated Paper Rex squad. Despite losing in his debut match against Boom Esports, a quick turnaround helped the team run through the entire competition, with them only losing two more times from April to June, culminating in their Masters Toronto win against the European juggernaut, FNATIC.
Ahead of the upcoming Pacific Stage 2, PatMen and the rest of Paper Rex look to ride on the momentum they’ve built so far as they attempt to qualify for Champions Paris, the biggest Valorant tournament of the year. And while an international trophy can be the ultimate goal for some players, for PatMen, Masters Toronto was only the beginning.
How did it feel to win in your first Masters appearance?
It was really exciting, especially playing with people I used to just watch before.
This was Paper Rex’s third grand final attempt. What did it mean for you to help bring this team a trophy that’s eluded them for so long?
I knew how important it was for everyone, and I feel very proud of each one of us for doing our very best to lift the trophy that my teammates have deserved for a long time.
Was there ever doubt in your mind or the team’s leading up to the final?
I always believe in my teammates and look up to how dedicated they are. We were all hungry to win. As long as we had a clear team goal and commitment, nothing felt impossible. We just needed to stay focused and block out any doubts or distractions.
What about the Team Liquid game?
The Liquid game was more of an experience for me, something I will never forget.
(Note: At the third and final map during the last elimination stage match between Paper Rex and Team Liquid, Paper Rex had a comfortable 12-3 lead. They ended up winning 14-12.)
Outside of winning the trophy, what was your Masters Toronto highlight?
I would say the time spent with the team was one of my highlights of Toronto. Going for dinner as a team and hanging out with them outside games made me enjoy my time over there.
From grinding tier 2 to now lifting a Masters trophy, did you ever expect something like this to happen to you in such a short amount of time?
From the moment I joined Paper Rex, I believed we could lift a trophy soon. But coming from the tier 2 scene, with no tier 1 experience, I didn’t expect to win a Masters title this quickly.
Since joining the roster, Paper Rex has only lost a total of three matches. What’s the secret sauce?
Secret sauce? Hahaha, there’s no secret sauce. Just a lot of hard work from everyone.
But, being the only Filipino in the team, was there any culture shock? How did you end up gelling so well with everyone?
Coach Alecks said my sports background helps a lot—he noticed I know how to get along with people and align a team. Outside the game, I just make sure to respect everyone’s culture and avoid things that might make anyone uncomfortable.
Being in Korea for VCT Pacific and Canada for Masters Toronto has pulled you away from home for quite some time. How was the adjustment period? Any instances of homesickness?
Homesick, of course. Before, I could go home anytime when I was in tier 2. But, being with this team for the last four months has also been amazing. I met new friends and family who helped me feel that every place was a home.
Given Paper Rex’s aggressive ‘W Gaming’ playstyle, many have considered you the balancing force keeping the team in check. Is that the case? How would you describe your place in the team?
Joining a team known as ‘W Gaming’ was hard for me at the start. It was difficult to cope with their playstyle, and I honestly felt lost every time before. But I wasn’t the one to balance myself with the team’s playstyle, and they instead adjusted for everyone’s comfort.
My place on the team is just making sure everyone is aligned, vibing, and enjoying, because with that, each one of us can play to their fullest potential without any hesitation.
Paper Rex will always be a domestic and international threat. But now that you’ve won, everyone will surely be gunning for you. What do you have to say to the competition?
I think we’re still not in our top form, even though we won Masters Toronto. We recognized our weaknesses and how to improve on them day by day. We had a rough start during stage 1, but we’ll try our best to make sure to have a better one this stage 2.
