Nikko gets abused by OG coach, Taiga banned for life: Dota 2 ends in April via BetBoom

This is the last week Dota 2 I have everything: there was no shortage of dramas, good news, and very interesting announcements.

As we enter May, let’s take a look back at how the Dota 2 esports scene closed out the month. And I’ll be honest, it gave me a lot of hope for what’s to come.

A few weeks ago, the OG Dota 2 team made a shocking announcement, benching an illegal Nikko “Nikko” Bilocura and revealing Alexander “TORONTOTOKYO” Khertek – the most amazing addition to the list.

The coach of this team, 343, recently went on a podcast that spilled the beans, let’s just say he didn’t catch it. anything else back.

The Malaysian coach was invited to a podcast on the DotaDoc channel, where he revealed what really happened behind the scenes and why the team finally decided to let Nikko go. According to him, the player who used to play outside was placed on the bench because he was not in the game. Here is a summary of the main points of 343:

As someone who has followed Nikko’s journey for a long time, I can say that he is a talented individual and a very gifted team player.

But if 343’s claims are true, this behavior will do the team more harm than good. Part of being a professional Dota player is having both skill and efficiency; the latter, along with trust, is what keeps the team together.

I mean, 343 has every reason to be angry – I can’t argue with that – but telling him without a filter on a public podcast is bound to damage a Filipino’s reputation and career in the long run.

I hope he can come back, as he is a really good player.

I know which team I will cheer for until the end of the season.

I South America Refusedunsponsored group, recently ran a lot PGL Wallachia Season 8finishing in the top six. With no form or support from the organization, these guys had to reach into their own pockets to fly to Europe, meet the basic needs, and compete in the event.

It’s safe to say that this ragtag group of Peruvian players has exceeded expectations. They took down top teams like Team Yandex and Xtreme Gaming in their conquest of Wallachia. Unfortunately, Team Liquid had to spoil the fun, knocking them out of the tournament.

But hey, they were compensated $60,000 for their efforts.

Instead of focusing on that fund, South American Rejects invests all money – not in stocks or crypto – but themselves. They use the winnings to stay longer in Europe and bootcamp, where they can criticize the best teams in the world and hone their style of play.

This is a cool story and it shows how much they believe in themselves. In Wallachia, they showed great promise. Rejects will find themselves at the forefront of games against top teams like Team Liquid, but often struggle to close out games.

The potential is clearly there, and with a little polishing, I feel like these guys are ready for another deep run. They have certainly earned my respect, and I hope the organization will adopt them soon.

Speaking of PGL Wallachia, The BetBoom Team he ended up winning the whole event, and in a satisfactory way. They obviously looked like the best team in the event.

The team went 3-0 in the group stage and did not lose a single game in the play-offs, making it to the finals. They then swept Eastern European rivals Aurora in the final, leveling the scores in due time. Team BetBoom’s big win meant they took home $300,000 and their first tournament win of the year.

The Medal of Wallachia also marks a new addition, Ilya “Kiritych” Ulyanovthe first S Tier victory. The 23-year-old had some pretty big shoes to fill after replacing Ivan “Pure” Moskalenko following the International 14. But, he’s been playing steady Dota and doing his job well.

Anyway, credit should go to Danil “gpk” Skutin and Vitalie “Save-” Melnic. These guys are clearly the best players of Team BetBoom, and they were voted MVP of the event.

In 2024, the former OG and Team Liquid support player Tommy “Taiga” Lee A game fix was revealed. That’s right – despite being a Major winner and ranked below the biggest teams in the scene, this guy was betting on his games, even in S Tier tournaments.

He didn’t mean to throw games, but he was playing with effects like First Bloods – things he could influence without causing his team to lose.

Since then, his Dota 2 career has been pretty much over. Taiga went from being a well-respected, healthy player to the most unpopular in the scene. I’m not entirely sure what he’s doing these days, but I saw him open a betting group on Telegram, inviting his followers to join – who knows what’s going on there.

In any case, the Esports Integrity Commission (ESC) has finally condemned the hammer of Taiga’s ban. He has been banned for life from all ESIC member events.

You’ve taken it long enough, ESIC.

Following TORONTOTOKYO’s seemingly no-nonsense OG signing, we have another one following in his footsteps. TI winner and European player Ivan “MinD_ContRoL” Ivanov and marked Southeast Asia as his next destination. The former Team Liquid player has joined Indonesian squad REKONIX, this time as a team coach.

MinD_ContRoL has competed in SEA before, getting a stint on Team SMG for the International 2023, which didn’t go too well. However, he is preparing for a completely different role, going from playing to coaching for the first time.

He finds himself in a team full of Indonesian players. REKONIX is a team on the rise – they have made it through many Southeast Asian qualifiers to appear at major events.

However, REKONIX often struggles with the top dogs and often ends up being cannon fodder.

MinD_ContRoL looks to be making a difference and revitalizing Indonesian Dota 2, as we will see his team compete in DreamLeague Season 29 for their first Tier 1 tournament. And honestly, if REKONIX makes it to the playoffs, he knows exactly what we don’t.