Tal “Fly” Aizik is leaving Evil Geniuses and heading to Southeast Asia to helm a new Dota 2 team sponsored by Talon Esports.
The organization best known for sponsoring League of Legends’ PSG Talon squad is entering the competitive Dota 2 scene. The brand is making a splashy entrance into the new title by putting together an intriguing squad of SEA talent with the surprising X-factor of one of Dota 2’s most successful captains, Fly. The organization announced the new team on its website.
Talon’s inaugural Dota 2 lineup is made up of the following players:
- Kim “Gabbi” Villafuerte
- Rafli Fathur “Mikoto” Rahman
- Damien “kpii” Chok
- Brizio Adi “Hyde” Putra Budiana
- Tal “Fly” Aizik
“DOTA 2 has been a game that we have long sought to enter and finally in 2021, we have arrived. The Philippines will be the home of our new squad and we look forward to embracing the passionate fan base of the country. We have put together a supremely talented roster with the goal of contending for majors and of course, The International next year,” Talon Esports CEO Sean Zhang said in a statement.
Fly likely needs no introduction to Dota 2 fans, boasting four Valve-sponsored major titles through his time with OG and a long list of strong placements in top events since then with Evil Geniuses. He departed Evil Geniuses after a disappointing performance in The International 2021. kpii and Gabbi are also familiar faces to Dota 2 esports fans, with kpii being a highly credentialed player thanks to his time with Newbee and Gabbi being the face of TNC Predator for years.
Mikoto and Hyde have helped BOOM Esports become a force in SEA Dota 2 since joining the organization in Dota 2. They’ll look to do the same with Talon.
What is Talon Esports?
Talon Esports is a multi-game esports organization based out of Hong Kong that is best known for its League of Legends team.
Alongside football club Paris Saint-Germaine, Talon co-sponsors PSG Talon. Since forming, PSG Talon has been dominant in Southeast Asia’s PCS league.
Alongside PSG Talon, Talon Esports operates in Rainbow Six, Overwatch, and Arena of Valor. It previously competed in PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds and StarCraft 2.
This is the organization’s first foray into Dota 2. The team will likely be forced to work its way into the lower division of the SEA region’s Dota Pro Circuit. This means that fans likely won’t have to wait long before seeing the squad debut in the region’s open qualifiers.
