MidOne to Play for Team Liquid at BLAST Slam 8, Replacing Nisha: Permanent or Stand-in?
Like most other Dota 2 teams, Team Liquid have also undergone roster changes after The International 2026, replacing Ace for Wisper. However, a swap in offlaners wasn’t the end, as veteran mid-laner MidOne has been registered under the team ahead of BLAST Slam 8, taking Nisha’s spot. Is MidOne only acting as a stand-in, or is this going to be a permanent move? Here’s what we know.
MidOne Listed on Team Liquid at BLAST Slam 8 Participant List
On September 25, fans learned that MidOne would be donning the Team Liquid jersey for the upcoming BLAST Slam 8 tournament. However, this news didn’t come from the org’s official announcement – it was spotted when tournament organizers BLAST revealed the full list of teams and players for the event.
On the roster list for BLAST Slam 8, Team Liquid’s registered lineup was as follows:
- Michael “m1CKe” Vu
- Yeik Nai “MidOne” Zheng
- Adrian Cespedes “Wisper” Dobles
- Samuel “Boxi” Svahn
- Erik “tOfu” Engel
- William “Blitz” Lee (Coach)
Wisper joining the team is old news at this point, but MidOne’s name on the lineup came as a massive surprise, as Team Liquid’s star player – Nisha – is missing from the lineup. No Team Liquid member has commented on the move at the time of writing.
MidOne Gets Another Shot at Tier 1
Any fan who’s been following Dota for years would recognize MidOne’s name. The Malaysian made a name for himself competing under top teams like Fnatic and Team Secret, winning two Major titles and making numerous TI appearances. He’s raked in over $2 million in career earnings, placing him among the richest players in esports.
Image via StarLadder
MidOne’s latest stint was on MOUZ, where he won PGL Wallachia Season 6, defeating Team Spirit in the grand final. However, he failed to qualify for The International 2026, losing in the closed qualifiers. Despite the Wallachia win, it’s safe to say MOUZ was a “Tier 2” team.
Despite turning 30 this year, it seems like MidOne is still hungry for more titles, and Team Liquid is giving him another shot at a Tier 1 team. However, he’ll have some big shoes to fill, as he’s replacing Nisha – one of the best Dota 2 players in the world – so expectations are pretty high.
Is Nisha Out for Good?
Though old-time Dota fans can celebrate MidOne’s return to the scene, many are worried about Nisha’s future, wondering whether he’s simply skipping BLAST Slam 8 or if he’s sitting on the sidelines for much longer.
It is known that Nisha has been wanting to take a break for a while, as being a top-tier Dota player keeps you on a very packed schedule. Though there is no official confirmation yet, it’s very possible the Pole wants some time off, whether it be a few months, an entire season – or at the very worst – potential retirement.
Image via BLAST
There are a lot of questions surrounding where Nisha is going, but no official answers. We’ll have to wait for Team Liquid’s official announcement regarding the matter. In the meantime, we can see how Team Liquid’s new roster looks, as the team will debut on September 29 for BLAST Slam 8, where the best Dota 2 teams will compete.
Owen lives for competition, spending most of his gaming hours on Dota 2, CS2, and Valorant. A regular on the SEA Dota 2 leaderboards, he combines his first-hand experience with a deep passion for esports journalism, following the professional scenes of all three esports betting titles religiously. When he’s not writing, he’s most probably betting on esports and watching the latest events.
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