Midi is out of the XLG lineup immediately after two matches at VCT Masters Toronto.
CHINA – XLG (Xi Lai Gaming) have announced the departure of substitute player Zhang “Midi” Jiajun, who has decided to step down from the team less than a month after officially joining.
“In respect of the player’s personal wishes and following mutual agreement between both parties, XLG Esports and Zhang Jiajun (ID: Midi) have officially parted ways, effective immediately,” the announcement reads in Mandarin.
The move comes not long after XLG’s winless campaign at VCT Masters Toronto, where they were eliminated without taking a single map against two Americas squad Sentinels and G2 Esports. Midi was brought in from Trace Esports as a substitute after Yip “YOU” Man-ho stepped down due to resurfaced allegations, including a past VALORANT competitive ban, cheating accusations, and controversial conduct during his Counter-Strike days.
XLG coach Aleksandr “hvoya” Eremin also addressed the situation during a post-match press conference at VCT Masters Toronto, saying that the decision to bring in Midi didn’t pan out as hoped due to communication issues. “He and Rarga cannot even communicate [with each other], and it’s just unlucky that this happened. But it’s okay. We [will] take it, it’s not an excuse. We’ll see how it goes later.”
XLG had previously made history as the first team outside of EDward Gaming to win a VCT CN title, taking down Bilibili Gaming in the Stage 1 grand final after earlier victories over Wolves Esports and EDG. However, the roster changes and language barriers seemed to disrupt the cohesion and momentum built during their earlier domestic run in Beijing and Shanghai.
Reflecting on his international debut, Midi shared: “I’m really happy to have had the chance to play on the international stage with everyone. I’ve learned a lot. I think being able to adjust your mindset and perform under pressure is really important.”
The team have yet to officially announce a replacement for Midi and YOU. However, local reports suggest that James “NoMan” Man, formerly of Oblivion Force and Rare Atom, could be set to join the team in Shanghai. The move would mark NoMan’s return to Asia after competing in tier-two EMEA in the past two seasons while pursuing his studies. Often seen playing duelist agents, NoMan finished as runners-up of VCT Ascension CN 2024 with Rare Atom and more recently participated in VALORANT Challengers NORTH/EAST Stage 1 with ESC Gaming.
XLG’s next campaign is scheduled to be VCT CN Stage 2 Group Stage where they will debut their new starting five on Saturday, July 5th at 17:00 GMT+8 against All Gamers.
XLG still have:
- Arthur “Rarga” Churyumov
- Deng “happywei” Minwe
- Colin “coconut” Chung
- Ran “Viva” Lifan
- Aleksandr “hvoya” Eremin (Coach)
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Cover photo courtesy of Stefan Wisnoski/Riot Games
