win.gg
Win.gg League of Legends Uzi is now a free agent after Royal Never Give Up contract expires

Uzi is now a free agent after Royal Never Give Up contract expires

Olivia Richman
Olivia Richman Published 02/05/2020

An update to Riot’s Esports Global Contract Database has revealed that Jian “Uzi” Zi-Hao is now a free agent. 

The talented veteran’s contract with Royal Never Give Up expired today and there’s been no public announcement regarding an extension. For now, Uzi is a free agent, and he has yet to come forward with any statement on future plans.

Uzi’s uncertain future in pro League of Legends

Uzi has long been one of the best AD Carries in the world. He was the first player to reach 3,000 kills in their career and he held that kil record for many years. Song “Rookie” Eui-jin got a pentakill on March 31, putting him at 3,150. With nine more kills than Uzi (3,141), Rookie took the crown for most professional kills in League of Legends. 

Despite his record being broken, Uzi has been considered one of the best ADCs in the world due to his technical profiency and laning mechanics. Fans were excited to see him and the rest of the Royal Never Give Up crew take on their competition in the 2020 Spring Split, but that never came to be. 

Uzi never competed in the LPL this year due to ongoing injuries he’s been dealing with over the last few years. He opened up about it in a documentary produced by Nike and the LPL, describing how he can’t play for more than a couple hours at a time. That isn’t ideal for a professional League of Legends player, who often scrim and stream for up to 12 hours a day. 

Uzi explained how the pain started at his right shoulder blade and shot down his entire arm. A professional had told him that his arms were similar to that of a “40 to 50 year old.” 

Due to his injury, Uzi sat out of the Spring Split. RNG went on with former Flash Wolves player Lu “Betty” Yu-Hung. They ultimately finished in fourth, which is nothing to scoff at in such a competitive league, but most fans missed seeing Uzi’s hype plays and big-brained strategies. 

Right now, it’s not clear what Uzi’s future in professional League of Legends looks like. Without any official news from either party, it seems quite possible that RNG doesn’t plan on extending his contract for the Summer Split. It’s still a possibility, but it could be unlikely due to the lack of updates and Uzi’s ongoing health problems. 

It’s possible that another team will sign him, including teams from other regions looking for a flash addition. But it’s also possible that Uzi will retire from League of Legends, something that has been hinted at before.

Olivia Richman Olivia Richman
About Olivia Richman

Olivia has worked in media ever since graduating from college, with her coverage ranging from traditional newspaper reporting to digital coverage of all things gaming, online betting, and nerd culture. She has traveled around the world pursuing that coverage, from the far coasts of the United States to the busy downtown core of Tokyo, Japan. Olivia’s favorite games include Overwatch and Super Smash Smash Bros, and she has been published at Esports Illustrated, Inven Global, EsportsInsider, Upcomer, and elsewhere.

View full profile
Read Also
Here Is What To Expect From the League of Legends Patch 26.17 League of Legends
Here Is What To Expect From the League of Legends Patch 26.17 Ben Boland It’s less than a week until the release of League of Legends Patch 26.17, and with this patch comes some significant nerfs to popular champions, item adjustments, and targeting roaming supports as mage bottom lanes dominate the meta. While there is plenty to unpack in this week's patch from Riot Games, two champions, Vayne and Xerath, have received the biggest nerfs across the board. Here are some of the biggest ...
Trade on LGD vs Bilibili Gaming at Polymarket — Use Promo Code WINGGPREMAR League of Legends
Trade on LGD vs Bilibili Gaming at Polymarket — Use Promo Code WINGGPREMAR Ben Boland Bilibili Gaming comes into their best-of-three series against LGD Gaming as the overwhelming favorites, with Polymarket traders giving the MSI finalists an 83% implied probability of winning at the time of writing this article. The prediction market doesn’t give LGD much of a chance at all, and with traders backing BLG heavily, it paints a picture of who is most likely to win this series in the LPL Split 3, ...
Which Teams Should Be Panicking Ahead of LoL Worlds 2026? League of Legends
Which Teams Should Be Panicking Ahead of LoL Worlds 2026? Ben Boland The 2026 League of Legends World Championship is fast approaching, with the tournament beginning on 15 October. 19 of the best teams that esports has to offer will do battle in North America for a shot at the Summoner's Cup. For teams like Bilibili Gaming and Hanwha Life Esports, their fates are already sealed without stepping foot on the Rift again, but for the rest of the teams, they will ...
Predictions For Gen.G vs Dplus KIA: Best Value Odds at GGBET League of Legends
Predictions For Gen.G vs Dplus KIA: Best Value Odds at GGBET Ben Boland Two of the more in-form teams in the LCK go head-to-head as Dplus KIA takes on Gen.G on 22 August. Despite the odds leaning more towards a Gen.G win, there are some solid bets to make across the board, not just simply the result. Dplus KIA have shown impressive form throughout the summer and so shouldn’t be discounted in this series. In this preview, we will highlight the best chances to ...
The Esports Nations Cup Has Been Postponed to November 2027 News
The Esports Nations Cup Has Been Postponed to November 2027 Ben Boland The 2026 Esports Nations Cup has been suspended until 2027. The Esports Foundation announced the delay on August 18, citing ongoing regional uncertainty. The inaugural competition was scheduled to take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, comprising over 100 national teams and featuring 16 different games, including League of Legends. According to the Esports Foundation, this decision follows ongoing developments in the region and consultation with key stakeholders. Moving the event ...
These Are Our Betting Tips for the League Championship Series Week 4 Esports Betting
These Are Our Betting Tips for the League Championship Series Week 4 Ben Boland The 2026 LCS Summer Split is in full swing, with the eight North American squads all vying for a chance to represent the region at this year's World Championship. With Worlds being on home soil, there is more than just a ticket to Worlds at stake. Each series in the regular season carries weight, as the standings will determine their seeding and potentially their fate in the playoffs. Week four ...
Caps To Be Announced As Third Inductee in the LoL Hall of Legends League of Legends
Caps To Be Announced As Third Inductee in the LoL Hall of Legends Hannan Mundia After Faker and Uzi were inducted into the Hall of Legends in 2024 and 2025 respectively, the European League of Legends player Caps will be the next to get the same treatment. League of Legends has been a cornerstone in the professional gaming scene for over a decade. In that time, a handful of players have managed to leave their mark for all future fans and fellow players to learn ...