No, MATUMBAMAN didn’t die—his Dota 2 profession simply ended after TI11

The Worldwide gathers one of the best groups worldwide and permits followers to observe the best degree of Dota 2 {that a} human can play. Along with the standard of matches, the stakes of every match usually rise as a result of storylines, and Staff Liquid definitely had among the best writers pitching their a part of the script. 

A big a part of that story concerned MATUMBAMAN, whose run on the primary stage resembled a fighter throwing down the gauntlet for back-to-back heavyweight matches as one final problem earlier than retiring because the veteran introduced he’d step away from the competitive scene after TI11.

To honor the veteran, Valve ready a bit of content material to be performed within the enviornment and on stream, the place Liquid’s players praised their soon-to-be former teammate. On the identical time, Matu gave his ideas on the scenario and let followers understand how at peace he’s been with retiring for years.

The brief video ended with Valve wishing Matu nicely and hoping that his profession rests in peace, which caught the commentary panel and everybody watching stay at house and within the enviornment off guard. RIP MATU was a standard response on social media and trended for a quick second on Reddit and Twitter, nevertheless it wasn’t fairly the tip for him but. 

Matu’s last ride ended in third place at TI11 on the occasion’s ultimate day, with the veteran core participant falling to his pal and former captain Puppey as Staff Secret despatched Liquid packing. And with one ultimate tearful farewell, Matu took these baggage and left to start out a brand new life the place he would lastly step away from the grind and “do nothing.”

It solely took two years for Matu to make it to his first TI together with his first stint at Liquid alongside the legendary KuroKy, and the remaining was historical past. 

After successful TI7 in his second yr with Liquid, the legend of Matu continued with a number of high-place finishes. In his eight years on the stage, Matu complimented his Aegis with greater than a half dozen Main titles, making him one of the crucial profitable carry gamers within the sport’s historical past.

Matu’s profession began in an elevator that led him to success, however his later years had been crammed with hardships because the Finnish core participant even struggled to discover a staff to play with after he was removed from the TI-winning Liquid roster in 2018. He grew to become a mercenary for a short while, lacking TI9 within the course of.

Nevertheless, issues would flip round after TI9, as he joined his as soon as rivals on Secret and began a second arc to his profession, serving to the staff break the Alliance 2013 roster’s 100-game record and win eight-straight tournaments alongside the way in which. 

Screengrab by way of Valve

That run resulted in a third-place end at TI10, although Matu and zai would depart Secret after the occasion to affix a Liquid roster seeking to change issues up. And, whereas it wasn’t a clear DPC season, with the staff wanted to make it by the Final Probability Qualifier simply to make it to TI11, the staff proved to be among the many finest on this planet proper there alongside Secret Tundra Esports. 

Matu won’t have been in a position to finish his profession by lifting his second Aegis of Champions, however he did get to stroll away together with his head held excessive to a crowd chanting his title and almost a decade of recollections pushing him ahead into his subsequent journey. 

That subsequent journey continues to be unclear, as Matu presently plans to take some well-earned time off to spend on his crusing boat and ponder simply what he desires to do subsequent exterior of Dota. Although if he ever does determine to heed the decision of battle as soon as extra, loads of gamers would welcome him again with open arms. This might probably embody a lineup featuring n0tail and some of the two-time TI-winning OG roster if followers are prepared to stretch their imaginations.

Author: Ronnie Neal