NRG’s Grim calls 12-0 choke the hardest loss of his career

In competitive gaming, leads are supposed to be comforting. A 12-0 lead is supposed to be a formality. NRG Esports turned a 12-0 advantage into one of the most painful collapses in Counter-Strike history, and Michael “Grim” Wince is still processing it.

Speaking on a podcast on July 5, Grim described the loss to BIG during the IEM Cologne Major Stage 1 in blunt terms. “That was the hardest loss of my career, for sure,” he said.

The collapse that made history

Here’s what happened on June 5 during the IEM Cologne Major. NRG took a commanding 12-0 lead over BIG on Mirage. BIG clawed back from 0-12 to win 16-12, completing what became the first 0-12 comeback in Counter-Strike Major history.

The loss eliminated NRG from Stage 1 of the Major entirely, while BIG advanced to Stage 2. The IEM Cologne Major featured 32 teams competing for a share of a $1.25M prize pool.

Grim’s reflections on the podcast offered a window into how the mental game unraveled. He noted that the team’s confidence held steady for most of BIG’s comeback. But once BIG reached 11 rounds, something shifted, disrupting NRG’s mental state in ways that pure skill couldn’t compensate for.

The human cost of high-stakes competition

He joined NRG in late February 2026 after stints with Complexity and Passion UA. Grim revealed that teammate Sonic advised him to delete social media in the aftermath. He also received support from FalleN, the legendary Brazilian player.

Disclosure: This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.