DRG Signs Demon1 Ahead of VALORANT Champions Paris

Dragon Ranger Gaming (DRG) has made one of the biggest roster headlines of the Valorant offseason so far, signing Max “Demon1” Mazanov ahead of Valorant Champions 2025 in Paris. The former world champion and 2023 Champs MVP now joins the Chinese organization as they prepare for their second-ever international appearance.

The Former World Champion Joins DRG

Demon1 rose to prominence with Evil Geniuses in 2023, when he led the team to an unforgettable run at Valorant Champions 2023 in Los Angeles. Known for his explosive Jett play and fearless entry fragging, he was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player after EG lifted the trophy and the run established him as one of the game’s most exciting stars, raising expectations for his future.

Following his time with EG, Demon1 spent part of 2024 with NRG Esports competing VCT Americas. He showed versatility with NRG, expanding beyond duelists, but the team’s results were inconsistent. After a shaky first half of the 2024 season, Demon1 was benched and later transferred to LEVIATÁN. There, he once again juggled Duelist and Controller duties, but a 1–4 Stage 1 record this year left Leviatán outside the playoff picture, and Demon1 was released at the start of August.

Now, after a turbulent stretch, he is set for his first international return since the 2023 EG championship run.

What Demon1’s Role Could Be

As of now, DRG has not confirmed whether Demon1 will take the stage in Paris. Both he and Ilya “vo0kashu” Ushakov, DRG’s sentinel player and VCT China’s Sentinel of the Year according to the Stage 2 awards, are classified as imports under VCT China rules. This means that only one can be on the starting roster at a time. Should DRG decide to field him, Demon1 would likely serve as a substitute or direct replacement for vo0kashu. According to a post by the player on his Telegram channel, vo0kashuis is dealing with difficulties in gaining a visa to Paris and may miss part of the tournament.

However, as a player who mainly deals with the controller and duelist roles, how Demon1 fits into this team is yet to be seen. Regardless of his role, the move adds intrigue to DRG’s Champions campaign. Having a player with proven international pedigree provides valuable depth and could be a deciding factor in high-pressure matches.

DRG’s Stakes at Champions

Dragon Ranger Gaming enters Champions Paris as the second seed from China after an impressive Stage 2 playoffs run that culminated in a second-place finish. This will be the team’s first global event this year.

But their appearance in Paris carries more than just championship ambitions. Both DRG and Xi Lai Gaming qualified for Champions as VCT China Ascension teams. Riot’s rules dictate that whichever of the two Ascension teams finishes higher at Champions will automatically secure their spot in VCT China for next year. The team that finishes lower will be forced to re-enter Ascension and fight to keep their place.

That unique dynamic makes every game crucial for DRG—not only to chase the trophy, but also to solidify their organization’s Tier 1 status.

Opening Match and What’s Next

DRG’s Champions journey begins on September 14, when they face T1 in their opening match. With a dangerous Pacific champion as their first opponent, the road will be anything but easy.

For Demon1, the tournament represents an opportunity to re-establish himself on the world stage after a challenging year. For DRG, it is a chance to prove themselves as more than just an Ascension success story as they face off against the Masters Bangkok winners.