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SkewMond on the BO against Fnatic: “Tomorrow is our last chance” – LEC Versus Week 4 Interview

Ilyas Marchoude

| Feb 08, 2026

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After G2 Esports’ defeat against NAVI, the Samurai find themselves on the brink of elimination, with a decisive match against Fnatic scheduled for Sunday. In this interview, Rudy ‘SkewMond’ Semaan reflects on the team’s difficult start to the year, his contract extension, and his experience at Worlds 2025 in China.

Today’s defeat against NAVI, how did this best-of go for you, and in what mindset do you and the team come out of it?

SkewMond: I’d say there’s a lot of frustration. I think we clearly weren’t on the same page in terms of how to play the game. We made mistakes here and there — lapses in focus, mechanical errors — and they ended up costing us the game.

It’s really disappointing because I genuinely think we had something to work with. We just didn’t manage to sync up properly in-game, and that’s frustrating. Personally, I also didn’t play well, so that doesn’t make it any easier.

You ended 2025 as the best Western team, especially after that run at Worlds. Yet at the start of this year, you’ve been challenged by several teams. How do you explain this inconsistency? Is it due to the new season, Bo1s, or the level of the league improving?

SkewMond: Honestly, I’m not entirely sure. I don’t necessarily think the overall level is extremely high or anything like that. I actually think we’re just not really entering the split properly.
We’re making a lot of mistakes, and there are several reasons behind that for sure.

Our goal now is to find the fastest way to fix our issues and bounce back as quickly as possible. We’re not locked in playoffs yet, and tomorrow is kind of our last chance, so it’s really important for us to react immediately.

From a jungler’s perspective, how do you feel about the new season — both in solo queue and in pro play — in terms of the impact you can have on a game?

SkewMond: You can have a lot of impact, honestly. With homeguard, you can move really fast around the map, which allows for more creativity — whether it’s early level three ganks or other plays. On this patch specifically, they also nerfed the Faelights, so you get a bit more space to work with for ganks and plays. Overall, I think the role feels really good right now.

You’ve mostly stayed on very Season 15-style picks like Xin Zhao, Jarvan IV, Wukong, and today Pantheon, but we’ve also seen you on Jayce and Aatrox. What do you think of the jungle meta at the start of the season?

SkewMond: I think it’s pretty diverse, especially since it’s Bo1s. You’re not dealing with the same matchups all the time — Xin Zhao versus Wukong, for example. There’s a lot of room to be creative, and I think that will be even more obvious in Bo3 and Bo5s. You can afford to play different champions, like Dr. Mundo or Jayce, and even potentially some AP junglers, though that’s more situational.

Let’s move away from today’s match for a moment. You went to China for your first-ever Worlds appearance. How did you experience that month with the team?

SkewMond: Honestly, it was pretty exceptional. Just having the opportunity to play at Worlds was incredible. The atmosphere there was amazing, and I also got the chance to discover the country and experience a completely different culture in China. It was an incredible experience, and I really hope I’ll get the chance to relive something like that this year.

G2 Esports SkewMond at Worlds 2025 in China. — Photo Credit: Yicun Liu/Riot Games

Your contract has been extended until the end of 2028. With this long-term deal, do you see yourself as a future captain or even a new face of G2 in the long run?

SkewMond: Right now, I’m not really thinking about that. I’m focused on the year ahead of me. Those are interesting questions, for sure, but I honestly couldn’t say. We’ll see how I evolve within the team. What matters most is what we’re bringing right now. At the moment, I’m not thinking too much about the future in that sense.

How did that contract extension come about? Was it right after Worlds, or more recently?

SkewMond: It was at the beginning of this year. Not directly after Worlds, since everyone needed some rest. But it mostly came down to trust, and to the progression they see in me and what I can bring to the team. That’s probably one of the main reasons they decided to trust me with an extension.

When G2 offers you a contract extension, I imagine there’s not much hesitation?

SkewMond: Not really, no. It’s one of the best projects anyone could dream of in Europe.

This is now your second year with G2, with the same roster and coaching staff. What kind of relationship have you built with your teammates, on a human level beyond League of Legends?

SkewMond: I’m kind of the guy who likes to joke around in the team. I also have a bit of an in-game leadership role, especially in the early game and early mid-game. I think that brings a good atmosphere overall.

G2 Esports during the opening week of LEC Verus — Photo Credit: Wojciech Wandzel/Riot Games

At Worlds, you helped start the Dr. Mundo trend that many junglers followed. We’ve already seen him a lot in the LEC, but you haven’t picked him yet. Is there a reason?

SkewMond: I don’t think he’s always the most optimal pick in draft. We always try to build the best possible composition. Sometimes Mundo just isn’t the best choice. It also depends on your team’s identity. For example, it works really well for Los Ratones because of how they want to play and their overall skill set. It really comes down to how you view your team.

Tomorrow you play Fnatic in the very last match of the regular season. I imagine you didn’t expect to be fighting for a playoff spot on the final day. How are you approaching this match?

SkewMond: It’s definitely going to be a high-stakes match. Everyone is going to give it their all to get the win. There’s going to be a lot of try-hard. The focus is just on this match, and on putting today behind us.

We’re reaching the end of the interview. Do you have a final message for the G2 Army before tomorrow’s match?

SkewMond: Of course. As always, a huge thank you for the support, both last year and even during this rough start to the year.

I hope we can show you better League of Legends, whether it’s tomorrow or hopefully in playoffs if we make it. This clearly isn’t the face we want to show. We’re going to give everything to climb back up and improve. Thank you so much for the support, and I hope we can make you proud.

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Ilyas Marchoude

League of Legends Writer

Moroccan journalist passionate about League of Legends and esports, I write articles, conduct interviews, and share my analyses, always influenced by my love for T1 and Oner (I named my cat after him). My opinions are completely subjective but always honest.

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