Log in

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

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

Kaustavmani Choudhury

Kaustavmani Choudhury

5 Sep, 2025, 14:48

|

Last updated: 5 Sep, 2025, 14:57

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.

Follow Strafe Esports for the latest VALORANT news and our X account for the latest content and coverage. Also, stay tuned to Strafe's YouTube channel for exclusive interviews, press conferences, and more.

Featured Image Credit: Colin Young-Wolff/Riot Games

Read More:

VALORANT Champions 2025 Group Stage: Pick'Ems Guide and Rewards

Latest news

Vitality and Leviatán Advance to Playoffs at VALORANT Masters London

Team Vitality and Leviatán secured their spots in the VALORANT Masters London playoffs following intense three-map battles on Day 3 of the Swiss Stage.

Kaustavmani Choudhury

VALORANT Give Back Bundle Is Returning in 2026 – Here's Everything We Know

Teasers and leaks have begun surfacing online suggesting that Riot Games is gearing up to bring back the beloved Give Back Bundle for 2026, and this year's edition might be the most exciting one yet.

Kaustavmani Choudhury

"I Expect Us to Qualify": South Africa Seeks to Emerge as Competitor on the VALORANT ENC Global Stage

South Africa is just one of many countries looking to participate in the inaugural VALORANT Esports Nations Cup (ENC) via the Sub-Saharan Africa qualifiers. Most fans listing the country’s talent export would probably stop at one, such is their obscurity relative to the Tier 1 VALORANT scene. But South Africa (ZA) is looking to change their fortunes by breaking through the qualifiers and making their mark on the global stage in November.

KSI Becomes First 'Original' in New Football Game 'GOALS'

‘GOALS’ is a new online football game title designed by its namesake studio based in Stockholm, Sweden. Framed as a free-to-play, competitive, online title, ‘GOALS’ seeks to enter the competitive sports-esport cross-section with the tagline as the “next evolution of football gaming experiences”.

G2 Esports Brings Fantasy Webcomic Red Aura to Global Audiences on WEBTOON

G2 Esports, one of the world's most recognisable names in competitive gaming, is stepping further into the world of original entertainment with the English-language global launch of its fantasy-action webcomic, Red Aura, on WEBTOON. The series goes live on Saturday, June 6, under the platform's prestigious WEBTOON Originals label.

Martin Arévalo-Östberg

All 16 Teams Attending VALORANT Esports World Cup 2026

The VALORANT regional qualifiers for the 2026 edition of the Esports World Cup (EWC) have now concluded — and we have our 16 teams set to attend Paris. Team Heretics returns to the EWC stage as the defending champions from last year. But for the majority of teams, they have had to battle through a lengthy set of qualifier games, all in hopes of qualifying for the tournament in July.

VCT Masters London 2026 Viewer’s Guide: Schedule, Where to Watch, and More

We’re headed for London for the second VALORANT Masters tournament of 2026. Set to run from June 6th to the 21st, 12 of the current best teams in the world will assemble in the Copper Box Arena for a chance to lift the trophy. Masters London will be held across 2 stages — Swiss and Playoffs — with 8 teams in attendance for each. We’ve delved into the format for the event, opening matchups, tier list for teams attending. Now we’ll cover the schedule for the entire Masters London in this viewer’s guide. Let’s get started.

Comments (0)

Log in to comment on this match