Ogurchiki have a new home

Team Ogurchiki are one of the best rosters in Europe, and despite that, they came into the 2024 season as F/A. However, they have finally been picked up - and it's a massive signing by none other than Gaimin Gladiators!

The North America org are one of the most well-known in all of esports, having immensely successful rosters in titles such as Dota 2, Counter Strike, and Rocket League. And the roster they have signed now is no stranger to big orgs and their expectations - they had previously been with Natus Vincere, before parting ways with the Ukrainian org following the retirement of MMA and the addition of Nob. This season, many have tipped them to be one of the top teams not just in EMEA, but the whole world, and rightfully so. Already we have just seen a fraction of what they are capable of, gliding through the Monthly Qualifiers Upper Bracket relatively unscathed.

Individually, their players are some of the best as well. The most experienced of the trio, Cubick, is entering his 4th year of Brawl Esports, with a very impressive CV - 5 Monthly Final victories, as well as a 2nd place finish at the World Finals in 2021. Despite it seeming that his roster hasn't undergone as many changes as others, his current roster is completely different from his first. After playing with legends of the EECA region, such as MMA, BBgs, Jason, and alekzz, he now teams up with the future of Eastern Europe in Angelboy and Nob, two players with less experience than him, but with bucketloads of talent.

Angelboy is probably considered the best of the three, though they all are incredible players. Since joining NAVI halfway through 2022, he has completely transformed them, taking them from a team that struggled to make Monthly Finals, to one that has consistently challenged to even win them. His performance at LCQ was one of the best ever seen, as he looked effortless in dismantling some of the best players in the world, such as REJECT, who had a two-time world champion on their side. However, he has been unable to produce this magic at Worlds yet - as both times he has played, they have exited at the first stage. As he continues to develop as a player this year, he is very much poised to surpass that.

Finally, Nob completes the roster. Having shone for VN Esporting in 2023, the Armenian caught the eye of NAVI, who were looking to replace the retiring MMA. They attempted to sign him in the middle of the season, but after that failed, they decided to pick him up at the end of the season, though without the backing of the org. Nob has shown on countless occasions what he is capable of but has often struggled to find consistency, as well as having issues with travel. Hopefully, with a more high-profile team around him, he can continue to perform to the best of his abilities for longer periods of time.

Behind the scenes, their analyst Sugus and manager Nikounaki (the latter being a new joinee to the team) are vital to their success, and they will be joining them on their journey forward. However, only time will tell how far this team can really go - and the sky's the limit!