{"id":29545,"date":"2025-09-26T13:00:40","date_gmt":"2025-09-26T13:00:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blix.gg\/?p=29545"},"modified":"2025-09-26T13:03:24","modified_gmt":"2025-09-26T13:03:24","slug":"elige-returns-home-liquid-bring-back-their-longtime-star-in-major-roster-move","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blix.gg\/blog\/news\/cs-2\/elige-returns-home-liquid-bring-back-their-longtime-star-in-major-roster-move\/","title":{"rendered":"EliGE Returns Home: Liquid Bring Back Their Longtime Star in Major Roster Move"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Jonathan <strong>&#8220;EliGE&#8221; <\/strong>Jablonowski is officially back with the <strong>Team Liquid<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.counter-strike.net\/cs2?l=english\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.counter-strike.net\/cs2?l=english\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">CS2 <\/a>roster. After a turbulent year of roster changes and stints with <strong>Complexity <\/strong>and <strong>FaZe<\/strong>, <strong>Liquid <\/strong>have reacquired their longtime star in exchange for Russel <strong>&#8220;Twistzz&#8221; <\/strong>Van Dulken. The move signals a major turning point for the North American organization as it attempts to rebuild around a familiar face.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"zxx\" dir=\"ltr\"><a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/eOKuRAQT3Y\">https:\/\/t.co\/eOKuRAQT3Y<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/qMMjNSCeXJ\">pic.twitter.com\/qMMjNSCeXJ<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Team Liquid CS (@TeamLiquidCS) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/TeamLiquidCS\/status\/1971213367881892200?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">September 25, 2025<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A Deep Liquid Legacy<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"975\" height=\"675\" src=\"https:\/\/blix.gg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/liquidintel.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-29547\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blix.gg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/liquidintel.jpg 975w, https:\/\/blix.gg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/liquidintel-300x208.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blix.gg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/liquidintel-768x532.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blix.gg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/liquidintel-150x104.jpg 150w, https:\/\/blix.gg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/liquidintel-450x312.jpg 450w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 975px) 100vw, 975px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Team Liquid &#8211; Intel Grand Slam<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p><strong>EliGE&#8217;s <\/strong>history with <strong>Liquid <\/strong>started deep in the past. He first joined in 2015 and remained one of the key players of the roster for over eight years, helping to deliver some of the most iconic moments in the team&#8217;s history. From lifting the<strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/liquipedia.net\/counterstrike\/Intel\/Grand_Slam\/2\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/liquipedia.net\/counterstrike\/Intel\/Grand_Slam\/2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Intel Grand Slam Season 2<\/a><\/strong> in just 63 days to victories at <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/liquipedia.net\/counterstrike\/ESL\/One\/2019\/Cologne\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/liquipedia.net\/counterstrike\/ESL\/One\/2019\/Cologne\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">ESL One Cologne 2019<\/a><\/strong>, <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/liquipedia.net\/counterstrike\/DreamHack\/2019\/Dallas\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/liquipedia.net\/counterstrike\/DreamHack\/2019\/Dallas\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">DreamHack Masters Dallas<\/a><\/strong>, and <strong>IEM Sydney<\/strong>, <strong>EliGE <\/strong>was synonymous with <strong>Liquid&#8217;s <\/strong>golden era.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When <strong>Liquid&#8217;s <\/strong>dominance faded in the post-online era, roster changes piled up, and EliGE eventually departed in search of a fresh start. Now, his return carries both emotional weight and competitive promise for the organization and its fans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A Winding Journey: Complexity and FaZe<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/blix.gg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/elige-faze-1024x576.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-29548\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blix.gg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/elige-faze-1024x576.webp 1024w, https:\/\/blix.gg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/elige-faze-300x169.webp 300w, https:\/\/blix.gg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/elige-faze-768x432.webp 768w, https:\/\/blix.gg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/elige-faze-150x84.webp 150w, https:\/\/blix.gg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/elige-faze-450x253.webp 450w, https:\/\/blix.gg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/elige-faze.webp 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">EliGe on Team FaZe<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Following his exit, <strong>EliGE <\/strong>joined <strong>Complexity<\/strong>, where he didn&#8217;t find that much success. The only highlight moment was when they won a title at <strong>ESL Challenger J\u00f6nk\u00f6ping<\/strong>, but <strong>Complexity <\/strong>consistently fell short on the bigger stages. In early 2025, <strong>EliGE <\/strong>moved to <strong>FaZe<\/strong>, looking for bigger competition and titles. While his individual numbers remained strong &#8211; posting a 1.11 rating &#8211; his aggressive playstyle didn&#8217;t mesh seamlessly with <strong>FaZe&#8217;s <\/strong>system. By August, he was benched to make way for young talent <strong>&#8220;jcobbb&#8221;<\/strong>, leaving <strong>EliGE <\/strong>seeking the right fit once again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What This Means for Liquid<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>EliGE&#8217;s <\/strong>is expected to upgrade Liquid with:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Experience:<\/strong> A player who has competed at the highest levels for nearly a decade.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Firepower:<\/strong> An aggressive rifler playstyle, capable of creating space and opening rounds.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Mentality:<\/strong> A symbolic reconnection to <strong>Liquid&#8217;s <\/strong>most successful era.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>At the same time, the team must adapt tactically to accommodate <strong>EliGE&#8217;s <\/strong>style \u2014 the very challenge <strong>FaZe <\/strong>struggled with. How well <strong>Liquid <\/strong>balances its strong sides with its roster&#8217;s structure will define whether this roster can be successful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Trade: Twistzz for EliGE<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/blix.gg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/eligetwistzz-1-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-29550\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blix.gg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/eligetwistzz-1-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blix.gg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/eligetwistzz-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blix.gg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/eligetwistzz-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blix.gg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/eligetwistzz-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/blix.gg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/eligetwistzz-1-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/blix.gg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/eligetwistzz-1-450x300.jpg 450w, https:\/\/blix.gg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/eligetwistzz-1-1200x800.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/blix.gg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/eligetwistzz-1.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Twistzz with EliGe<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p><strong>Liquid <\/strong>has confirmed a trade with <strong>FaZe <\/strong>and is sending <strong>Twistzz <\/strong>in exchange for <strong>EliGE<\/strong>. With this move, <strong>Liquid&#8217;s <\/strong>active roster now looks as follows:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Keith <strong>&#8220;NAF&#8221;<\/strong> Markovic<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Guy <strong>&#8220;NertZ&#8221;<\/strong> Iluz<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Roland <strong>\u201cultimate\u201d <\/strong>Tomkowiak<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Kamil <strong>\u201csiuhy\u201d <\/strong>Szkaradek<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Jonathan <strong>\u201cEliGE\u201d <\/strong>Jablonowski<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Coach: Viktor <strong>\u201cflashie\u201d<\/strong> Tam\u00e1s Bea<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>This move reshapes the team&#8217;s identity, adding back a familiar source of firepower and leadership that <strong>Liquid <\/strong>hopes will stabilize the roster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What&#8217;s Next for Liquid?<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"250\" src=\"https:\/\/blix.gg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/birch-1-1024x250.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-29552\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blix.gg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/birch-1-1024x250.webp 1024w, https:\/\/blix.gg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/birch-1-300x73.webp 300w, https:\/\/blix.gg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/birch-1-768x188.webp 768w, https:\/\/blix.gg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/birch-1-150x37.webp 150w, https:\/\/blix.gg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/birch-1-450x110.webp 450w, https:\/\/blix.gg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/birch-1-1200x293.webp 1200w, https:\/\/blix.gg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/birch-1.webp 1276w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Birch Cup<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Fans won&#8217;t have to wait long to see <strong>EliGE <\/strong>in blue again. <strong>Liquid&#8217;s <\/strong>debut with their good old star will be at the <strong>Birch Cup<\/strong>, a <strong>$15,000<\/strong> LAN event in Gda\u0144sk, Poland, running from September 26\u201328, 2025. While it&#8217;s not a tier-one event and no elite teams will be there, it will provide an early glimpse into how the team meshes with its new-old piece.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Jonathan &#8220;EliGE&#8221; Jablonowski is officially back with the Team Liquid CS2 roster. After a turbulent year of roster changes and stints with Complexity and FaZe, Liquid have reacquired their longtime star in exchange for Russel &#8220;Twistzz&#8221; Van Dulken. The move signals a major turning point for the North American organization as it attempts to rebuild<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":75,"featured_media":29546,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[5,11],"class_list":{"0":"post-29545","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-cs-2","8":"tag-cs2","9":"tag-cs2-news"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blix.gg\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29545","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blix.gg\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blix.gg\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blix.gg\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/75"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blix.gg\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=29545"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/blix.gg\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29545\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":29556,"href":"https:\/\/blix.gg\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29545\/revisions\/29556"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blix.gg\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/29546"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blix.gg\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=29545"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blix.gg\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=29545"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blix.gg\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=29545"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}