When word got out that Clement “Puppey” Ivanov didn’t make it to Dota 2: The International 12, the internet was filled with melancholy as fans tried to come to terms with the record-holder’s loss. However, it seems he is not ready to give up yet, as reports suggest that he is going to play for Team SMG soon.
About a month ago, he and Team Secret were eliminated from Western Europe Regional Qualifier TI12 by Quest Esports in the lower bracket semifinals, putting his record of 12 TI appearances in danger. However, one of the Dota 2 communities in Eastern Europe claimed that he may be able to extend his attendance streak as he received an offer from Team SMG in Malaysia.
According to reports, he will take the place of SMg’s Jaunuel “Jaunuel” Arcilla at position 5, as the squad was concerned that Jaunuel might not be able to secure his visa to play in the United States in time. As a result, SMG’s only viable and expedient option is to hire an outsider like Puppey, who can join them at any moment.
in addition of Puppey, Nigma Galaxy’s Bulgarian Ivan “Mind Control” Borislavov is also speculated to be joining SMG in the near future. The 28-year-old is set to replace Nataphon “Masaros” Ouanpakdhee and has recently begun practicing with the team. There is no clear reason why he was chosen to replace the Thai offlaner.
If these changes take place, SMG will undoubtedly be regarded as one of the dark horses in the forthcoming TI12, given the performance of Puppey and Mind Control. When Volodymyr “no[o]ne” Minenko joined the team last month, they showed how well they had changed their style. He helped them clinch their spot in the United States by handily defeating Blacklist Rivalry in the grand final round of the SEA Regional Qualifier TI12.
Aside from that, adding Puppey could help players who have been playing without a head coach. Everyone ought to recognize that Yeik “MidOne” Zheng of SMG and Puppey played together for three years in Secret and learned how to draft properly. This may aid them in making better strategic decisions during important games.
