Demon1 to Paris? Dragon Ranger Gaming Announce Former VALORANT Champions MVP

5 Sep

Kaustavmani Choudhury

Dragon Ranger Gaming has officially announced via their X account that they have signed Maximilian "Demon1" Mazanov, the 2023 VALORANT Champions MVP, ahead of VALORANT Champions Paris 2025. The move comes after weeks of speculation linking Demon1 to the team, particularly following rumors that he might substitute for Ilya "vo0kashu" Ushakov, who has been facing difficulties in obtaining his Schengen visa for the tournament.

A Tumultuous Career Since Champions 2023

Demon1’s rise to stardom came with Evil Geniuses during their iconic VALORANT Champions 2023 victory. However, his trajectory since then has been rocky.

He signed with NRG for the 2024 season, but failed to deliver results, with the team bowing out early in VCT 2024 Americas Stage 1 before eventually releasing him in October. Leviatán picked him up shortly after, but Demon1 spent the end of his time on the bench for three months before being let go once again. DRG now marks his fourth team in just three years as he looks for redemption on the big stage.

Will Demon1 Play in Paris?

While Demon1 has been signed as a replacement option for vo0kashu, DRG currently has a nine-man roster, leaving uncertainty about who will feature on the main stage. With Champions 2025 marking only their second international appearance after Masters Shanghai 2024, DRG faces a critical decision: rely on their current lineup or place their trust in Demon1’s past experience.

Despite the roster shuffle, DRG enters Champions in its best form in recent memory, fresh off its strong 2nd place finish in VCT China 2025 Stage 2. For a team still carving out its international presence, adding a proven player like Demon1 – even after a downturn in performance – could prove to be a worthwhile gamble.

Demon1’s addition injects both hope and uncertainty into DRG’s Champions 2025 campaign. Should he rediscover even a glimpse of the dominance he showcased in 2023, Dragon Ranger Gaming may have secured the firepower they need for a deep run in Paris.

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Featured Image Credit: Colin Young-Wolff/Riot Games