G2 Esports kicked off Counter-Strike 2 rostermania last week with the removal of rifler Nexa, but the organization has been quick to lock in his replacement with Guatemalan superstar Mario “malbsMd” Samayoa announced as the team’s new fifth on June 28.
It wasn’t a well-kept secret, but the 21-year-old rifler has been officially unveiled as the new member of G2 after “passing his exam” yesterday. The Guatemalan said on X (formerly Twitter) following the announcement that he was keen to rip in with his new teammates. “Can’t still believe this happened but I’m more ready than ever to grind and become a better player and person than I was before,” he said, taking the time to thank his old squad M80.
MalbsMd has been competing in Counter-Strike as early as 2016 and held stints with Infinity Esports and Team oNe before linking up with North American organization M80. It’s here that he truly shined, helping to establish the squad as a top contender in the region and even knocking off the likes of NRG and Team Liquid in international qualifiers.
MalbsMd joins G2 in a time of minor crisis for the squad, who managed just one trophy since CS2 kicked off back in September despite qualifying for the playoffs in all but one event. Expectations for G2’s success are high, and despite heroic efforts from m0NESY and NiKo, G2’s silverware cabinet is all but bare even after their miraculous run at IEM Dallas with stand-in Stewie2K.
Outgoing player Nexa, meanwhile, may already have found a new home at Bleed Esports alongside former coach and fellow Serbian Aleksandar “kassad” Trifunović according to a report by Sheep Esports on June 28. Nexa and Kassad have worked together previously at iNation and Renegades before nexa departed and held stints with Valiance, CR4ZY, and OG. This was nexa’s second stint on G2, playing with the squad from 2019 to 2022.
Bleed has yet to attend an S-tier tournament, but has undergone a revamp of their own this offseason, acquiring jkaem and nawwk from the dissolved Apeks roster. The squad currently consists of the Apeks pair, hampus, faveN, and CYPHER—one of which will have to make way, should reports of nexa’s addition be true.
We’ll likely see Bleed take to the server in the next season of CCT, while G2 will debut malbsMd at the Esports World Cup, starting July 17.
