Nigma Galaxy, a prominent name in the esports realm, has recently undergone significant changes to its roster. The Dota 2 team welcomed two new players, Saieful “Fbz” Ilham and Farith “Matthew” Puente, marking a new chapter in its competitive journey. These additions come as replacements for Roman “rmN-” Paley and Daniel “Ghost” Chan Kok Hong, who had a brief two-week stint with the team’s previous lineup.
Nigma Galaxy welcomes Saieful “Fbz” Ilham and Farith “Matthew” Puente (Image credit: Nigma Galaxy)
Analyzing the new Dota 2 additions, Fbz and Matthew
Saieful “Fbz” Ilham, a seasoned Dota 2 player, spent the year 2023 playing for Team Secret. Despite a challenging season where the team struggled to find its footing and failed to qualify for the International 2023 (TI12), Fbz showcased his skills, notably securing a 3rd place finish at the BetBoom Dacha 2023 tournament. Unfortunately, he parted ways with Team Secret in October last year, paving the way for his new role at Nigma Galaxy.
Meanwhile, Farith “Matthew” Puente’s journey in 2023 was intertwined with the Evil Geniuses’ South American roster, where he later transitioned to BOOM Esports. Despite a promising start, the team disbanded before the year’s end. Notably, Matthew’s career highlight was with Thunder Awaken in 2022, where he achieved significant success as a SA powerhouse, including a commendable 5th-6th place at TI11 and victories in every Dota Pro Circuit (DPC) major that year.
They are not that guy
On the surface, the inclusion of Fbz and Matthew into Nigma Galaxy Dota 2 might not immediately strike as groundbreaking. Their careers were steady, though not always spectacular performances. Thus, this raises questions about their potential impact in the ESL Pro Tour 2024 (EPT) season and other forthcoming tournaments.
Saieful “Fbz” Ilham back in Team Secret in 2023 (Image credit: Team Secret)
Nigma Galaxy’s fans have expressed concerns that the team’s deeper issues remain unaddressed. This concern particularly revolves around Kuro “KuroKy” Salehi Takhasomi, the team’s long-standing captain. KuroKy’s prime includes leading Team Liquid to victory at The International 2017. Furthermore, he even made it to TI9 Grand Finals. However, recent performances suggest a decline in his drafting capabilities and in-game executions. The breaking point, though, is when his former allies, champions of TI7, are no longer playing together anymore.
Despite these challenges, KuroKy remains committed to leading Nigma Galaxy and nurturing talents like Amer “Miracle-” Al-Barkawi and Syed Sumail “SumaiL” Hassan. His leadership and experience are invaluable, yet the effectiveness of his current strategies and game plans is a subject of debate among many fans and analysts.
Nigma Galaxy’s road ahead
With the latest roster changes, the spotlight still remains on Miracle- and SumaiL to drive the team toward success. These players have a history of exceptional achievements, but their ability to translate this into success for Nigma Galaxy in Dota 2 esports remains to be seen.
The team’s performance in the upcoming tournaments will be crucial. It will not only determine their standing in the latter half of the season but also impact their financial stability, especially in the absence of amateur-tier leagues like the now-abolished DPC. Nigma Galaxy must navigate through these challenges and leverage their new roster to remain relevant in Dota 2, so hopefully, their decision to recruit Fbz and Matthew was the right call.
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